Homilia de dormitione B. V. mariae, auctore Theodosio Alexandrino
Standard abbreviation: Hom. Dorm. Vir.
Other titles: On the Dormition of the Virgin
Other designations: C5 and AB4 in van Esbroeck’s classification of Dormition traditions; C5 and AB8 in Mimouni’s.
Clavis numbers: ECCA 514; CANT 135; CPG 7153
Category: Dormition, Pseudo-Apostolic Memoirs
Related literature: Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin by Peter and John; Homily on the Virgin Mary and Her Birth, by Pseudo-Cyril of Jerusalem; Homily on the Dormition of the Virgin, by Evodius of Rome; Homily on the Assumption of the Virgin, by Pseudo-Cyriacus of Behnesa.
Compiled by Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Homily on the Dormition of the Virgin, by Pseudo-Theodosius of Alexandria.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/homily-on-the-dormition-of-the-virgin-by-pseudo-theodosius-of-alexandria/.
Created November 2024.
1. SUMMARY
The homily is said to be delivered on 16 Mesore in the last year of Theodosius’ life. It begins with various praises of Mary and the application of several Old Testament passages to her life. The bulk of the text is an embedded apocryphon that the author claims to have found in books from Alexandria deposited by Mark in Jerusalem. This book opens with a summary of the life of Jesus, beginning with his descent from heaven into Mary and culminating in his time spent with the apostles after his resurrection. Before his ascent, he takes Peter aside and tells him to consider Mary to be his mother and continue to be with her until her death. Then he says to John that he took from him the poison of the serpent and that he must also to stay with Mary just as he instructed him from the cross.
At this point, the text shifts to first-person narration in the collective voice of Peter and John. Mary lives in Jerusalem, attended by a group of virgins. On the day before her death, the two apostles come to her and Mary tells them that she was visited by Jesus in her sleep; he was accompanied by the disciples who were carrying burial garments in their hands. Mary tells Peter and John that she is afraid of having to journey through hell and discusses two powers that come for the soul: one of light and one of darkness. A righteous soul has a peaceful end but a sinner will be scourged by the dark powers. In hell there is a worm that does not die, unquenchable fire, and a ruler of darkness who drags everyone down under his feet. As they talk, the three are joined by the virgins from the Mount of Olives. They too had a dream telling them to go to Jerusalem because Mary will die tomorrow.
Mary tells everyone to leave so that she can pray. The prayer returns to the theme of Mary’s fear of passing on to hell. With the sound of thunder and lightning, Jesus appears on a chariot and beckons his mother to come with him. The disciples and virgins are heartbroken at her departure but she offers some words of consolation. Jesus adds that all people must die; if Mary did not, wicked men would think she were a power that came down from heaven and that his existence was just an appearance. Jesus tells the apostles to be of good cheer because Mary will return to them in 206 days at which time he will bring her body to heaven. The apostles bring the garments. Jesus tells Mary to lie down upon them and after saying a prayer, she lies down and gives up her spirit.
Peter and John prepare her body with palms and perfumes from paradise and branches of olive from the olive tree that the dove brought to Noah. Jesus directs them to go forth with the men in front and the women behind. He warns them of an attack by a mob of Jews but says that he will strike them blind. The apostles are instructed to place the body in an ark constructed with stones that Solomon used to build the temple. As for Mary’s soul, Jesus offers it up to God.
The apostles take the body to the Valley of Josaphat, where they encounter the mob who are intent on burning Mary’s body to prevent signs and wonders that will lead people to belief. The apostles put down the bier and flee. As Jesus promised, the Jews are struck blind and the fire they prepared is turned back on them. They call out for forgiveness and are cured. With the apostles absent, cherubim come from heaven to place Mary’s body in the ark.
The apostles return many times to the place they left the bier, singing songs and praising God. 206 days pass and as the apostles hold their vigil, thunder heralds the appearance of a choir of angels and David singing his psalms. The burial site burns with fire. Then Jesus appears on a chariot with the soul of Mary. He calls upon Mary to arise from her coffin of stone and her body and soul meet again. Jesus departs promising blessings on those who perform her memorial.
Named Historical Figures and Characters: Aaron, Abraham (patriarch), Adam (patriarch), Anna (mother of Mary), David (king), Elijah, Enoch, Eve (matriarch), Gabriel (angel), Isaac (patriarch), Jacob (patriarch), Joachim (father of Mary), John (son of Zebedee), Joseph (patriarch), Magi, Mark (evangelist), Mary (Virgin), Moses (patriarch), Noah (patriarch), Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Pharaoh (of Exodus), Solomon.
Geographical Locations: Alexandria, Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, paradise, temple (of Jerusalem), Valley of Jehoshaphat/Josaphat.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Arabic
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolic Vaticana,Var. ar. 698, fols. 85r–102r (1371)
Cairo, Franciscan Center of Christian Oriental Studies, call no. not known (mentioned in William F. Macomber. Catalogue of the Christian Arabic Manuscripts of the Franciscan Center of Christian Oriental Studies, Muski, Cairo [Studia Orientalia Christiana; Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press, 1984], 45).
González Casado, Pilar, ed. “Las relaciones linguisticas entre el siriaco y el arabe en textos religiosos arabes cristianos.” Dissertation. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2013 (text of Vat. ar. 698, pp. 243–65; Spanish trans., pp. 477–94).
3.1.2 Coptic (Bohairic) (BHO 671; CPC 0385; PAThs entry)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolic Vaticana, Vat. copt. 61, fols. 122r–147v (=MACA.BH; PAThs entry) (9th–11th cent.) ~ DigiVatLib
MACA.EJ (9th/10th cent.)
Chaîne, Marius. “Sermon de Théodose patriarche d’Alexandrie sur la dormition et l’assomption de la Vierge.” ROC 29 (1933/1934): 272–314 (complete text and French translation of Vat. copt. 61).
Robinson, Forbes. Coptic Apocryphal Gospels. Translations Together with the Texts of Some of Them. TS 4.2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1896 (incomplete text and English translation of Vat. copt. 61, pp. 90–127; readings from Rylands Copt. 441, p. 219).
Evelyn White, Hugh G. The Monasteries of the Wadi ‘n Natrûn. Part 1: New Coptic Texts from the Monastery of Saint Macarius. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1926 (partial text and collation, with translation, of the Cairo fragments from MACA.EJ, pp. 60–62).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Robinson, Forbes. Coptic Apocryphal Gospels. Translations Together with the Texts of Some of Them. TS 4.2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1896 (text and English translation of Vat. copt. 61, pp. 90–127).
Evelyn White, Hugh G. The Monasteries of the Wadi ‘n Natrûn. Part 1: New Coptic Texts from the Monastery of Saint Macarius. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1926 (partial text and collation, with translation, of the Cairo fragments, pp. 60–62).
3.2.2 French
Chaîne, Marius. “Sermon de Théodose patriarche d’Alexandrie sur la dormition et l’assomption de la Vierge.” ROC 29 (1933/1934): 272–314 (complete text and French translation of Vat. copt. 61).
Jugie, Martin. La Mort et l’Assumption de la Sainte Vierge: Étude historico-doctrinale. Studi e Testi 114. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1944 (see pp. 127–33).
3.2.3 Italian
Erbetta, Mario. Gli apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. Italy: Marietti, 1975–1981 (translation of the Bohairic text, vol. 1.2, pp. 582–592).
3.2.4 Spanish
Aranda Pérez, Gonzalo. Dormición de la Virgen. Relatos de la tradución copta. Apócrifos cristianos 2. Madrid: Editorial Ciudad Nueva, 1995 (pp. 177–228).
Bellet, Paulino. “Theodosio de Alejandría y su homilia copta sobre la Asunción de la Virgen.” Ephemerides Mariologicae 1 (1951): 243–66.
González Casado, Pilar. La dormición de la Virgen. Cinco relatos árabes. Madrid: Editorial Trotta, 2002 (translation of the Arabic text, pp. 81–101).
__________. “Las relaciones linguisticas entre el siriaco y el arabe en textos religiosos arabes cristianos.” Dissertation. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2013 (translation of the Arabic text, pp. 477–94).
3.3 General Works
3.3.1 Dormition Narratives
Clayton, Mary. The Apocryphal Gospels of Mary in Anglo-Saxon England. Cambridge Studies in Anglo-Saxon England 26. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998 (pp. 24–100).
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.
Jugie, Martin. La Mort et l’Assumption de la Sainte Vierge: Étude historico-doctrinale. Studi e Testi 114. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1944.
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 Homily on the Dormition of the Virgin, by Pseudo-Theodosius of Alexandria
Esbroeck, Michel van. “L’Assumption de la Vierge dans un «Transitus» pseudo-basilien.” AnBoll 92 (1974): 125–63 (p. 126).
Lantschoot, Arnold van. “L’Assumption de la Sainte Vierge chez les Coptes.” Gregorianum 27 (1946): 493–526 (see pp. 504–506).
Mimouni, Simon. Dormition et assumption de Marie: Histoire des traditions anciennnes. Paris: Beauchesne, 1995 (pp. 202–207, 229).
Shoemaker, Stephen. Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary’s Dormition and Assumption. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002 (pp. 57–63).
Suciu, Alin. The Berlin-Strausbourg Apocryphon: A Coptic Apostolic Memoir. WUNT 370. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2017 (pp. 90–91).