08/17/2026
The Assumption of the Holy Mother of God
From the Mother’s Heart to the Cup of Salvation
Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God and the Blessing of the Grapes
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Today we celebrate one of the most beautiful and deeply spiritual feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Church: the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God.
Today we remember Mary not simply as the mother of Jesus, but as the woman who completely surrendered herself to God, carried the Word of God in her womb, stood faithfully beside her Son throughout His earthly ministry, remained at the foot of the Cross, and continued in prayer with the Apostles after Christ’s Ascension.
And today, after the Divine Liturgy, we will bless the grapes. At first, some may ask: What does Mary have to do with grapes?
What does the mother of Jesus have to do with the fruit of the vineyard?
The answer takes us from Mary to Christ, from Christ to the Cross, from the Cross to the Resurrection, and from the Resurrection to eternal life. That is the spiritual journey of today’s feast.
1. Mary: The Mother Who Said “Yes” to God
The story begins not at Mary’s death, but much earlier. When the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he announced that she would become the mother of the Savior. Mary was young. She did not understand everything that would happen. She could not see the future. But she said:
“Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
That is the greatness of Mary. She did not say:
“Lord, explain everything first.” She did not say:
“Lord, what will people think about me?” She did not say:
“Lord, what will this cost me?” She said:
“Let it be according to your word.”
Mary teaches us something that our modern world desperately needs:
Faith means trusting God even when we cannot see the whole road.
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has emphasized precisely this aspect of Mary’s life: she courageously accepted God’s will and became the mother of the Incarnate God. (Armenian Church)
Mary became the person through whom humanity said yes to God’s plan of salvation.
2. The Value of a Mother
There is something sacred about a mother.
A mother carries life before anyone else can see it.
A mother protects life before the child can protect himself.
A mother suffers when her child suffers. A mother rejoices when her child rejoices. And sometimes a mother carries the pain of her children silently for decades. Think about Mary. She held Jesus in her arms as an infant.
She watched Him grow.
She heard people praise Him. She also heard people criticize Him.
She saw miracles.
She saw rejection.
She followed Him to Jerusalem.
And finally, she stood at the Cross. The world saw a criminal hanging on a cross. Mary saw her Son.
The nails that pierced His hands pierced her heart.
The crown of thorns wounded not only His head but the heart of His mother. That is the mystery of motherhood.
A mother cannot separate herself from the suffering of her child.
And this is why the Church honors Mary so deeply.
She is not God. She is not the Savior.
Christ alone is the Savior.
But Mary is the Mother of the Savior according to the flesh the one who gave humanity to the Son of God. The Armenian Church therefore gives her a unique place of honor because through her, by the Holy Spirit, the Word became flesh. (The Armenian Church)
3. Jesus and His Mother: “Do Whatever He Tells You” One of the most beautiful stories of Mary and Jesus appears at the wedding at Cana.
There was a wedding.
There was joy. There was family. There was celebration. And then the wine ran out.Mary noticed.
She went to Jesus and said:
“They have no wine.”
Jesus responded:
“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
Some people misunderstand these words and think Jesus was disrespecting His mother.
He was not.
Jesus was revealing that His mission belonged to the Father’s divine plan and that the hour of His full revelation had not yet come. But notice what Mary does next. She does not argue. She does not demand. She simply turns to the servants and says:
“Do whatever he tells you.” There is the entire spiritual life of Mary in one sentence.
“Do whatever He tells you.” Mary does not say:
“Do whatever I tell you.”
She points away from herself and toward Christ.
That is the true honor of Mary. Every time we honor the Mother of God correctly, she leads us to her Son. Mary’s message to us today is still:
“Do whatever He tells you.” Forgive when He tells you to forgive. Love when He tells you to love.
Pray when He tells you to pray. Serve when He tells you to serve. Trust when you cannot understand.
And follow Christ even when the road leads through the Cross.
4. Mary at the Foot of the Cross
Then we come to Calvary.
John’s Gospel tells us that Mary stood near the Cross.
She did not run away.
She did not abandon Jesus. She remained.
And Jesus, seeing His mother and the disciple whom He loved, said to Mary:
“Woman, behold, your son!” And to the disciple:
“Behold, your mother!”
From that moment, the disciple took Mary into his home. This is a profound moment. At the very moment when Jesus was suffering and dying, He was still thinking about His mother. Even on the Cross, Jesus cared for His mother. What does that teach us? It teaches us that love does not disappear in suffering.
In fact, sometimes suffering reveals the deepest form of love.
5. The Apostles and Mary After the Resurrection
Mary’s story did not end at the Cross. After Christ’s Ascension, the Acts of the Apostles tells us that the disciples returned to Jerusalem and continued together in prayer.
And among them was:
Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The Apostles did not forget her. She remained within the community of the first followers of Christ.
She was not preaching the Gospel in place of the Apostles. She was not replacing Christ.
She was present as the mother of the Lord and as a faithful disciple.
This is important.
Mary’s greatness is not that she sought power.
Her greatness is that she remained faithful.
She prayed. She endured.
She waited. She trusted.
6. What Happened to Mary?
Here we must make an important distinction.
The Bible does not give us a detailed historical account of Mary’s death or Assumption into heaven.
The biblical texts give us Mary’s role in the birth of Christ, her presence at Cana, her presence at the Cross, and her presence with the Apostles after the Ascension.
The detailed account of Mary’s Dormition and Assumption comes through ancient Christian tradition and the liturgical life of the Church.
According to the tradition preserved by the Armenian Church, Mary lived the remainder of her earthly life in Jerusalem under the care of St. John the Evangelist. After her falling asleep, the Apostles gathered for her burial in Gethsemane. St. Bartholomew was absent at the burial and later returned. When the tomb was opened, Mary’s body was not found, and only the burial cloth remained. The Church received this as a sign of her being taken up to heaven. (The Armenian Church)
The Armenian Church describes this mystery as Dormition falling asleep and Assumption being taken up to heaven.
The feast itself is one of the five major feasts of the Armenian Church and is celebrated on the Sunday closest to August 15. (Armenian Church)
7. The Miracle of the Empty Tomb
Think about the image.
The Apostles had buried Mary. They knew where the tomb was.
They returned.
But the tomb was empty.
The Church understands this not simply as an extraordinary miracle concerning Mary, but as a sign pointing toward the destiny of humanity.
The empty tomb of Mary points beyond Mary.
It points toward Christ’s victory over death.
Because Christ rose from the dead, death does not have the final word.
Because Christ conquered the grave, those who belong to Him have hope.
The Armenian Church has expressed this beautifully: the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God becomes a confirmation of the future reality that we too will be resurrected and overcome death. (Armenian Church)
That is why this feast is not merely about the past.
It is about our future.
8. Why Do We Bless Grapes?
And now we come to the beautiful Armenian tradition of Խաղողօրհնէք Khaghoghorhnek, the Blessing of the Grapes.
Immediately following the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Assumption, the Armenian Church traditionally blesses the grapes. (The Armenian Church)
But why grapes?
Because grapes are the first fruits of the harvest.
When the farmer brings the first fruits to God, he is saying:
“Everything I have comes from You.”
The grapes are not simply fruit. They represent our labor. Our land. Our families. Our livelihood.
Our harvest. Our life.
And when we bring the first fruits before God, we acknowledge:
“Lord, everything I have belongs to You.”
The Armenian Church connects this tradition with the biblical practice of offering the first fruits to God. (The Armenian Church)
9. From the Grapes to the Wine
But there is an even deeper mystery. What happens to grapes? They are crushed.
Their juice flows.
They are transformed into wine. And what did Jesus say about Himself?
“I am the true vine.”
Jesus chose the image of the vine because the vine gives life to the branches.
But there is also a deeper Eucharistic meaning.
At the Last Supper, Christ took the cup and gave thanks. The wine became the sign of His blood the blood of the New Covenant. St. Paul later speaks about “the cup of blessing” and connects it with participation in the blood of Christ. (Bible Gateway)
So today, when we look at the grapes, we should not see only fruit. We should see: Creation harvest offering transformation Eucharist eternal life.
The grapes remind us that God takes what is ordinary and makes it holy.
10. Mary and the Grapes
Now we understand the connection. Why do we bless grapes on the Feast of the Mother of God?
Because Mary’s life and the grapes point us toward the same mystery: Christ.
The grapes are fruit.
Mary carried the Fruit of Life. The grapes become wine. Christ gives His blood for the life of the world.The grapes are offered to God. Mary offered herself completely to God’s will. The grapes are transformed. Mary became the instrument through whom the Word became flesh. And Christ, the Son born of Mary, transforms death into life.
The Armenian Church explains this symbolism by connecting the first fruits with Christ, the firstborn of Mary, and with Christ’s blood given for eternal life. (The Armenian Church)
So when we bless these grapes, we are saying:
“Lord, bless the fruit of our hands, bless our families, bless our homes, bless our children, bless our harvest, and most of all, transform our lives into an offering pleasing to You.”
11. The Grapes Are Also a Picture of the Christian Life There is another lesson. Look carefully at a bunch of grapes. There are many individual grapes, but they are connected to one vine. That is the Church. We are many people. Different ages.
Different personalities.
Different opinions. Different backgrounds. Different struggles. But we belong to one Vine Jesus Christ.
If the branch separates itself from the vine, it withers. If we separate ourselves from Christ, our spiritual life begins to dry up. Jesus said:
“Abide in me, and I in you.” That is the secret of Christian life. Stay connected to Christ. Pray.
Come to church. Receive the Holy Eucharist. Forgive.
Serve. Love.
Remain connected to the Vine.
12. What Does This Feast Say to Mothers?
Today I want to speak especially to every mother.
Mary reminds us that motherhood is not merely giving birth. Motherhood is giving yourself. A mother gives time. A mother gives sleep. A mother gives patience. A mother gives forgiveness. A mother worries. A mother prays.
Sometimes a mother gives everything she has and nobody sees it. But God sees it. To every mother here today: Your prayers matter. Your sacrifices matter. Your tears matter.
Your example matters.
Perhaps your children do not always understand what you have done for them. Perhaps they do not always listen. Perhaps you worry about their future.
Do not lose hope. Remember Mary.
She did not have an easy life. But she trusted God.
Continue to pray.
Continue to love.
Continue to guide your children toward Christ.
And fathers, husbands, sons and daughters never take your mothers for granted. There are things a mother does that cannot be repaid with money.
Honor her. Call her. Visit her. Forgive her. Tell her you love her. And if your mother has already gone to heaven, remember her in prayer.
13. What Does This Feast Say to Us Today?
We live in a world that is increasingly anxious.
People are worried about their families.
Worried about their children. Worried about the future. There is loneliness.
There is division. There is hatred. There is war. There is uncertainty. And sometimes people ask:
“Where is God?”
The Feast of the Assumption gives us an answer: God is not finished with us.
Death is not the end.
The grave is not the final destination. The Cross is not the final chapter.
There is Resurrection.
There is hope. There is eternal life. The Assumption of Mary reminds us that the human person is not merely a body that eventually disappears into the earth.
God created us for communion with Him.
Our bodies matter. Our souls matter. Our lives matter. Our future matters.
14. Mary Teaches Us How to Live and How to Die
Mary teaches us both.
She teaches us how to live:
“Let it be according to your word.”
She teaches us how to serve:
“Do whatever He tells you.”
She teaches us how to suffer: Stand at the Cross.
She teaches us how to pray: Remain with the disciples. And she teaches us how to hope: Trust God beyond the grave. That is why the Assumption is not simply Mary’s story.
It is a promise of hope for every Christian.
15. A Message to Our Armenian People
And for us as Armenians, this feast carries an additional responsibility.
Our ancestors carried their faith through centuries of hardship. They carried the Cross. They carried the Gospel. They built churches. They blessed grapes. They baptized their children. They buried their loved ones.
They continued to pray.
And today, we are the generation entrusted with that faith. What will we give to the next generation?
Will we give them only Armenian food?
Only Armenian music?
Only Armenian language?
Only Armenian traditions?
Those things are beautiful.
But we must give them something greater:
Christ.
We must give our children faith. We must teach them to pray. We must bring them to church. We must teach them the meaning of the Holy Eucharist.
We must teach them why we bless grapes. We must teach them why Mary matters. We must teach them why the Cross matters. Because a tradition without faith becomes only a ceremony.
But tradition filled with Christ becomes a living inheritance.
16. The Most Powerful Question
When you receive the blessed grapes today, I want you to ask yourself one question:
“What am I offering back to God?”
God has given you life.
What will you give Him?
God has given you children.
How will you raise them?
God has given you a family. How will you love them? God has given you talents. How will you use them? God has given you time. How will you spend it? God has given you another day. How will you live it? The grapes remind us:
Do not keep God’s blessings only for yourself.
Offer them back to Him.
17. From the Vineyard to the Altar
And finally, brothers and sisters, look at what happens here today.
We begin with the Word of God. We celebrate the Divine Liturgy.
We receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
And then we bless the grapes. The grapes come from the earth.
The wine comes from the grapes. And the wine reminds us of Christ’s blood. The altar reminds us of the Cross. The Cross points us to the Resurrection.
The Resurrection gives us hope for eternal life.
And the Assumption of Mary points us toward that same hope.
Everything comes together in Christ.
Mary points to Christ.
The Apostles preached Christ. The Cross reveals Christ. The Eucharist gives us Christ. The grapes remind us of Christ.
And the Resurrection promises life in Christ.
Conclusion: “Do Whatever He Tells You”
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, Mary speaks to every one of us. She does not ask us to worship her.
She points us to Jesus.
She says:
“Do whatever He tells you.” If Jesus tells you to forgive forgive.
If Jesus tells you to love love. If Jesus tells you to serve serve.
If Jesus tells you to return to church return.
If Jesus tells you to reconcile with someone take the first step.
If Jesus tells you not to give up do not give up.
If Jesus tells you to trust Him trust Him.
And when the day comes that we must leave this earthly life, may we leave with the faith of Mary:
“Let it be according to Your word.”
The tomb is not the end.
Death is not the end.
The Cross is not the end.
Christ is risen.
And because Christ is risen, we have hope.
Today, as we bless these grapes, let us ask God to bless our families, our mothers, our fathers, our children, our parish, our Armenian people, our homeland, our Church, and all those who are suffering.
May the Holy Mother of God intercede for us.
May she teach us obedience. May she teach us humility. May she teach us courage. May she teach us to remain faithful at the Cross. And may she continually lead us to her Son, Jesus Christ. Because her message to the world remains:
“Do whatever He tells you.”
And may the blessed grapes we receive today remind us that every good thing comes from God, that Christ is the true Vine, that His Blood gives us eternal life, and that one day, by His grace, we too shall overcome death and share in the glory of the Resurrection.
To God be the glory, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
