Can I get some enlightenment about this tomb? If Mary was assumed into
heaven, why a tomb? Is there an official version of this or is this all
a matter of tradition/apocrypha? In fact the term in use when I was
learning about all this was "dormition" rather than "death" of the
Virgin.
Oriens, I bet a message from you will be awaiting my perusal Mardi Gras
morning. This will make Kwild child's heart sing.
KW
[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> > > "This prayer is in honor of the Virgin Mary and was discovered under
> > > her sepulchre in the valley of Josephat."
>
> >
> >Oriens wrote:
>
> >The Valley of Jehosaphat is the Kedron Ravine, which divides Jerusalem
> >from the Mount of Olives. The Church of the Assumption/Tomb of the
> >Virgin is indeed there, and I have visited it several times.
>
> To the original poster of the prayer honouring the Virgin:
> In relation to the full text of the original prayer posted,
> and possibly to the collection of materials, if any, with which it
> was found, it may be a useful lead to note that as a topos of sacred
> geographical lore, the identity of the Valley of Joasaphat ( Joel
> 3:1-2; 12 : "For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall
> bring back the captivity of Juda and Jerusalem: I will gather
> together all nations ,and will bring them down into the valley of
> Joasaphat... Let them arise, and let the nations come up into the
> valley of Joasaphat; for there I will sit to judge all nations round
> about.." ) was coincidental with that of the site of the Last
> Judgement. It was established in the tradition as early as a sixth c,
> Breviary of Jerusalem ( Forma b, lines 134040, ed. Weber, Itineraria
> et alia geographica..) and adopted as a commonplace in medieval
> itineraries by the 11thc -12thc.(See Palestinian Pilgrim's Text
> Society, 6, London 1984, repr. 1971, Anonymous Pilgrim 1)
> For these medieval pilgrims and geographers, it was also no
> coincidence that the other main reason to revere this valley was its
> being the site of the tomb of the Virgin Mary ( traceable to the
> apocryphal 5thc. Transitus Mariae) a commonplace accepted and well
> absorbed in both popular and liturgical lore well before the high
> middle ages. The particular formaulation of that prayer to the Virgin
> may well have been shaped by similar petitionary prayers common to
> the theme of the last judgement. I know there exists an annotated
> collection of such petitionary prayers, and will try to locate the
> exact citation for you.
> While these suggestions may ultimately be of no help in specifically
> identifying the prayer, they may well help pinning dowm the tone and
> flavor.
>
> Josef Gulka
>
> >
>
> Josef Gulka
> [log in to unmask]
> Tel: 215- 732-8420
> Fax (215) 732-8420
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