Homilia I–III in dormition s. Mariae, auctore Andrea Cretensi
Standard abbreviation: Hom. Dorm. Vir.
Other designations: G10 in van Esbroeck’s classification of Dormition traditions; G7abc in Minouni’s
Clavis numbers: CANT 107; ECCA 226
Category: Dormition Accounts
Related literature: Homily on the Dormition of the Virgin, by John of Birtha; Protevangelium of James
Compiled by Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Homilies I–III on the Dormition of the Virgin by Andrew of Crete.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/homilies-i-iii-on-the-dormition-of-the-virgin-by-andrew-of-crete/.
Created October 2024.
1. SUMMARY
Andrew of Crete (d. 740). In the first he mentions that the feast for Mary’s dormition has not been celebrated by many people in the past but today it is honored and welcomed by all. Andrew provides some biographical material on Mary based on the Protevangelium of James (e.g., she spent her entire life on Zion), and the canonical infancy narratives, mentions in passing her “strange, miraculous way of nursing,” and her grief at the cross. An allusion is made to the apostles carrying her body on a bier. Today her tomb is empty and witnesses saw her departure. Andrew thus likens Mary to Elijah and Enoch as they too were not separated from their bodies and were carried up into the air.
In the second homily, Andrew mentions the location of his address: a sanctuary for Mary before an icon depicting her in her tomb (later it becomes clear that this is a church located at the tomb). He begins with a discussion of Jesus’ death: he became human and suffered death as a human, but did not remain in the underworld; instead he went to a place of light, as all saints do now. Mary too experienced death but did not remain held by it. Andrew adopts Mary’s voice to reveal how she departed the world, but really only says where it happened: at her tomb in the Kedron Valley. Then he gives three reasons why no one has previously written about Mary’s departure: because her life came to an end later than the events in the gospels, she died at an extreme old age, or maybe the Gospel writers wished only to talk about events up to Christ’s death. But some people did write about Mary, namely Dionysius in On the Divine Names. Dionysius mentions standing with the apostles around the body of Mary. Andrew meditates on this statement and states that all of the 70 disciples were present there also. Andrew then takes readers on a journey with Mary’s body: descending the steps of Sion and along the route of the funeral procession to Gethsemane.
The third homily focuses on the hymn that was sung at Mary’s tomb. The people present were joined by heavenly powers, hovering invisibly above, and the souls of the saints. Together they sang hymns taught to them by the Spirit; humans could not understand nor compose them, but Andrew gives and impression of what was said. He concludes by calling for those present to imitate the events, to lead on the funeral procession of her body and sing hymns in her memory.
Named Historical Figures and Characters: Daniel, David (king), Dionysius the Areopagite, Elijah, Enoch, Gabriel (angel), Habakkuk, Hierotheos, James (the Righteous), Mary (Virgin), Moses (patriarch), Peter (apostle), Simeon, Timothy
Geographical Locations: Egypt, Gethsemane, Jerusalem, Kedron Valley, Sion, temple (Jerusalem)
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Greek (BHG 1109, 1115, 1122); Pinakes
Combefis, François. Sanctorum Patrum Amphilochii Iconiensis, Methodii Patarensis et Andreae Cretensis opera omnia. Paris, 1644 (edition, vol. 3, pp. 115–51; Combefis switches the order of homilies 1 and 2).
Migne, Jacques Paul, ed. Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca. Vol. 97. Paris: Cerf, 1865 (reprinting of Combefis’s edition, cols. 1045–1109)
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Daley, Brian E., trans. On the Dormition of Mary: Early Patristic Homilies. Popular Patristics Series 18. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Press, 1998 (pp. 103–52).
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 Homilies I-III on the Dormition of the Virgin, by Andrew of Crete