Liber de dormitione B. M. Virginis
Standard abbreviation: Assum. Vir.
Other titles: Transitus Mariae
Other designations: S2 in van Esbroeck’s classification of Dormition traditions; S 2 and S2bis in Minouni’s
Clavis numbers: ECCA 290; CANT 121; CANT 122
Category: Dormition Accounts
Related literature: Revelation of the Magi, Six-Books Dormition of the Virgin
Compiled by Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Assumption of the Virgin (Syriac).” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/assumption-of-the-virgin-syriac/.
Created May 2026.
1. SUMMARY
The Syriac Assum. Vir. was published from two fragments, each from a different manuscript. The first fragment roughly corresponds to book 2 of the Six-Books Dormition. It begins with an encomiastic summary of the life of Jesus from his birth to his death, followed by an epilogue on Pentecost. Then it pivots to Mary, who is said to be constantly at Jesus’ tomb at Golgotha. She is opposed by the “people of the crucifiers” who seek to kill her. On a Friday she comes to the tomb carrying incense and a censer. She prays to be taken from this world and the angel Gabriel appears and tells her that she will soon depart. The guards at the tomb inform the priests in Jerusalem of what they saw and they ask Sabinus the governor to order Mary not to pray at the tomb. The governor tells the priests to do what they wish, but when they come to her, she decides to depart Jerusalem for Bethlehem of her own free will (in the Six-Books she remains in Jerusalem). She calls the women of the neighbourhood and asks if any wish to accompany her. The three virgins who serve her agree to go with her. Once in Bethlehem she prays to Jesus that she may see the apostles before she dies. John arrives first followed by the others. Mary asks them to reveal how they arrived so quickly. John speaks first, but the other responses are cut off by the end of the fragment.
The second fragment opens in media res during events reported in Six-Books book 3 (though with some expansions). A group of believers are in dispute with unbelievers before a judge. They reveal that Adam gave his son Seth a testament revealing details about the coming of the messiah. Offerings of gold, myrrh, and frankincense are prepared for him and placed in the Cave of Treasures. This information was passed down by descendants of Seth until the time of the Magi. The debate continues with the unbelievers citing various scriptural figures (such as Elijah and Moses) and asking if Jesus is greater than them. The judge is convinced by the believers and orders six of the unbelievers scourged. The believers then ask the judge to help them retrieve the artifacts of the crucifixion (the cross, the sponge, etc.). At his command, the unbelievers reveal that they were buried and that when the top of the cross is touched through a hole in the ground, it provides healing. They receive money for this service and claim that the healing power comes from the staff of Aaron and other holy objects. The judge refuses to dig up the cross, saying that the one crucified upon it will reveal it; instead he heaps stones upon the opening so that the unbelievers can no longer benefit from its healing powers.
The judge then goes to see Mary and receive a blessing. The apostles are present there and they tell the judge how the Holy Spirit came to them and brought them to Bethlehem. They say the Spirit then took them with Mary to Jerusalem where angels were seen coming in and out to salute her. This caused a great tumult in Jerusalem. The judge then asks Mary to reveal how Jesus came into the world. She tells him of the annunciation and gives a summary of Jesus’ accomplishments. When she finishes her account, the judge brings forth his son and asks Mary to heal him. She does so and the judge goes away and writes down all of the miracles and wonders that she had done. This account he gives to the emperor. Peter and Paul also go to Rome and write down everything they heard from the judge. They also wrote letters to various locations detailing how Mary departed from the world. Then follows a report of the miracles that Mary performed around the world as an apparition while also residing in Jerusalem.
The morning of Friday dawns and the Holy Spirit tells the apostles to take Mary to the valley beside the Mount of Olives and place her inside one of three caves. Their way is blocked by a group of Jews, one of whom, Jephonias, attacks the bier. But his arms are cut off by an angel armed with a sword of fire. At Mary’s request, Jephonias is healed and is given a staff by Peter which Jephonias uses to heal people.
After a gap in the fragment, the story continues with an account of Mary’s transfer to paradise which has no parallel in the Six-Books. The fragment finishes with the apostles returning to the Mount of Olives, where they pray to be given the ability to command believers to commemorate Mary and to promise them that those who make offerings in her name will receive blessings.
Named historical figures and characters: Abraham (patriarch), Adam (patriarch), Andrew (apostle), Anna (mother of Mary), Bartholomew (apostle), Calletha (daughter of Nicodemus), David (king), Elijah (prophet), Elisha (prophet), Enoch, Gabriel (angel), Isaac (patriarch), Jacob (patriarch), James (son of Alphaeus), James (son of Zebedee), Jephonia, Jesse (patriarch), Joachim (father of Mary), John (son of Zebedee), Joseph (of Nazareth), Judah (patriarch), Magi, Mary (Virgin), Matthew (apostle), Moses (patriarch), Nathan, Neshri (daughter of Gamaliel), Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Philip (apostle), Sabinus (the procurator), Satan, Seth (patriarch), Shaphat, Simon (the Canaanite/Zealot), Tabetha (daughter of King Archelaus), Thaddaeus (apostle), Thomas (apostle), Tiberius (emperor).
Geographical locations: Armenia, Asia, Beirut, Bethlehem, Cave of Treasures, Eden, Egypt, Ephesus, Golgotha, India, Jerusalem, Laodicea, Mount Gilead, Mount of Olives, Mount Sinai, paradise, Persia, Pontus, Rome, Sheol, Thebais, Tiberias, Zion.
2. RESOURCES
2.1 Art and Iconography
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Syriac (BHO 631–632)
London, British Library, Add. 12174, fols. 449r–452r (1197)
London, British Library, Add. 14484, fols. 9v–11r (formerly numbered 7v–9r) (10th/11th cent.)
Wright, William. Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature of the New Testament. London: Williams & Norgate, 1865 (edition of BL 14484, pp. 27–33 [Syriac numbering], and English translation, pp. 18–41; BL 12174, pp. 33–51 [Syriac numbering], English translation, pp. 24–41).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Wright, William. Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature of the New Testament. London: Williams & Norgate, 1865 (pp. 18–41).
3.2.2 Italian
Erbetta, Mario. Gli apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. Italy: Marietti, 1975–1981 (translation of Wright’s text, vol. 1.2, pp. 534–44).
3.3 General Works
3.3.1 Dormition Narratives
Esbroeck, Michel van. “Les textes litteraires sur l’Assomption avant le Xe siècle.” Pages 265–85 in Les actes apocryphes des apôtres. Edited by François Bovon. Publications de la faculte de theologie de l’Universite de Geneve 4. Geneva: Labor et Fides, 1981.
McNamara, Martin. “Transitus Mariae: General Introduction.” Pages 225–44 in Apocrypha Hiberniae II. Apocalyptica 2. Edited by Martin McNamara et al. CCSA 21. Turnhout: Brepols, 2019.
Mimouni, Simon. Dormition et assumption de Marie: Histoire des traditions anciennnes. Paris: Beauchesne, 1995.
__________. Les traditions anciennes sur la Dormition et l’Assomption de Marie: Études littéraires, historiques et doctrinales. Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae 104. Leiden: Brill, 2011.
Shoemaker, Stephen J. Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary’s Dormition and Assumption. Oxford Early Christian Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
__________. Mary in Early Christian Faith and Devotion. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016.
Wenger, Antoine. L’Assomption de la T.S. Vierge dans la tradition byzantine du VIe au Xe siècle. Études et documents. Archives de l’Orient chrétien 5. Paris: Institut français d’études byzantines, 1955.
3.3.2 Assumption of the Virgin
Esbroeck, Michel-Jean van. “Les textes litteraires sur l’Assomption avant le Xe siècle.” Pages 265–85 in Les actes apocryphes des apôtres. Edited by François Bovon. Publications de la faculte de theologie de l’Universite de Geneve 4. Geneva: Labor et Fides, 1981.
Jugie, Martin. La Mort et l’Assumption de la Sainte Vierge: Étude historico-doctrinale. Studi e Testi 114. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1944 (pp. 120–21).
Meshcherskaya, Elena. “Apocrypha about Moses and Mary’s Dormition” (in Russian). Pages 124–38 in Jewish Studies and Bible Studies. Materials of the Second Conference on Jewish and Oriental Studies. Edited by K. Bitner and L. Lukincova. St. Petersburg, 2013.
__________. “Apocryphal Stories in Ancient Syriac Manuscripts” (in Russian). Pages 94–108 in Albo dies notanda lapillo. Edited by V. Yakubsky. Kollegi i ucheniki G. E. Lebedevoy. St. Petersburg, 2005. (reorders the Obsequies fragments)
__________. “The Seasons of the Year and the Marian Feasts in the Syriac Apocryphon ‘Dormition of Mary’” (in Russian). Pages 168–86 in Bible Studies, Slavonic Studies and Russian Studies in Honour of the 70th Birthday of Professor A. Alekseev. St. Petersburg, 2011.
__________. “Solomon and the the Theotokos. Formation of the Prototype Traditions” (in Russian). Pages 174–86 in Jewish Studies and Bible Studies. Materials of the Second Conference on Jewish and Oriental Studies. Edited by K. Bitner and L. Lukincova. St. Petersburg, 2013.
Mimouni, Simon. Dormition et assumption de Marie: Histoire des traditions anciennnes. Paris: Beauchesne, 1995 (pp. 87–91).
Shoemaker, Stephen J. Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary’s Dormition and Assumption. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002 (pp. 32–33).
