Orthodox Church celebrates Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the twelve major Christian holidays. Known in folk tradition as 'Velika Bogorodica', the feast commemorates the earthly death, 'falling asleep', and subsequent resurrection and ascension of Mary into heaven.

In Skopje, Priest Igor Kalpakovski noted that the holiday serves as a reminder for believers to strive for spiritual purity. The feast is observed on August 15 according to the old calendar, or August 28 according to the new calendar. The celebration is deeply rooted in Orthodox liturgical tradition, with historical connections to sites such as Gethsemane and Jerusalem.