By Jenna MacDermant
Pope Leo XIV is at Castel Gandolfo in Italy for his second break of the summer. During his time there he will be celebrating the feast of the Assumption of Mary, a solemnity with deep roots that was only officially recognized in recent history.
The Feast of the Assumption has been celebrated since the first centuries of Christianity. But the solemnity recognized every year on August 15th is a little over 70 years old.
“We can say that already in previous centuries–I am referring, for example, to medieval times–the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary already existed, that is, it was not only born when Pius XII defined the dogma on November 1, 1950.
A dogma is a definite truth of faith. That is, it must be shown in divine revelation and must have been handed down through tradition from the first centuries of the Church.
“The Church does not create revealed truths. The Church is the depository of Revelation and is at the service of Revelation,” explained Vincenzo Battaglia, a dogmatic expert “The only author of Revelation is God, God thrice holy, as the dogmatic constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council teaches. Jesus, the Christ, is the fulfillment, the fullness of Revelation.”
A dogma can be proclaimed through a Council or when the Pope pronounces it “ex cathedra.” The Assumption of Mary was the most recent dogma announced by the Church, under the pontificate of Pope Pius XII.
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Since then, Holy Fathers have celebrated this special honor for the Mother of God.
“On the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, we contemplate the Mother of God participating with her body and soul in the glory of heaven,” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once said. “In her, we see already realized the fullness of life to which we are all called. She is the first creature who, with her whole self, body and soul, victoriously crosses the finish line of Heaven. She shows us that Heaven is within reach. How come? Yes, Heaven is within reach, if we too do not give in to sin, if we praise God in humility and serve others generously.”