Feast of the Assumption (August 15th)

,On August 15th we celebrated the Feast of Assumption of Our Lady, a holy day of obligation for Catholics. In both Eastern and Western church traditions it is our belief that when Mary's earthly existence ended she was taken up into heaven body and soul and she is reigning in heaven with her Son Jesus Christ.
In the Eastern tradition the Assumption of Our Lady is believed to have occurred after she fell asleep and not after her death. The belief is that, as God preserved her virginity during the birth of Jesus, He also preserved her from experiencing death. So the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated by the eastern churches. There is a beautiful Benedictine Abbey  in Jerusalem which commemorates the Dormition of the Mother of God.
In the Western Catholic tradition there is no definitive position on the Dormition.  However there is also the belief that Mary wished to imitate her Son Jesus so perfectly that she experienced death but her body remained incorrupt until she was assumed into heaven on the third day. The Assumption is believed to have happened on Mount Zion in the same location where Jesus ascended to heaven even though Mary is believed to have "fallen asleep" in Ephesus which is in modern day Turkey.
Other important events that also took place on August 15th. lndia which is my native land got it's freedom from British colonial rule in 1947. The first Roman Catholic Bishop of United States Bishop John Caroll, a Jesuit was consecrated on August 15th by Bishop Charles Walmesley in the year 1740. Also the largest Catholic Network Eternal Word Television Network was founded by Mother Angelica on August 15th 1981. We have many reasons to pray and thank God on this very holy day!