No matter how much the world may weigh upon us, no matter how much evil, sin, and suffering it may hold, the gaze of faith, fixed on the Mother of God, always discovers in her the 'dawn of a better world.' This is the special fruit of the feast of Mary's Assumption into Heaven." (Pope St. John Paul II)
The Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary is one of the most beautiful feasts of the Church year. On August 15, the Church honors Our Lady, who at the end of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into heaven.
Mary was a complete human person, body and soul, reigning in heaven with her Son. In her Assumption, we see the glory God prepared for her, but we also see a sign of the hope He has prepared for us. Mary’s Assumption reminds us that Christ’s victory over death is real, and that the body matters. One day, Lord willing, our own souls will be reunited with glorified bodies in the resurrection.
God chose Our Lady for her singular role in salvation history. He preserved her from the stain of original sin in the womb of her mother, St. Anne, so that Mary was truly “full of grace” when, as a young woman, she conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Because of this extraordinary role, she was also assumed, body and soul, into heaven at the end of her earthly life.
In this way the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption are closely bound together. Both reveal Our Lady’s significance in our faith, but both also teach us something about her Son. Mary was uniquely saved by Christ, preserved from original sin by the merits of His Passion. And in the Assumption, she now shares in the glory of His Resurrection.
The Church teaches that “the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, 44).
Read Mary's Assumption: 10 Reasons It Was Her Greatest Moment
She did not ascend into heaven by her own power as Jesus did. She was taken up by the power of God. In fact, the word “assumption” comes from the Latin assumere, meaning “to take to oneself.” What a fitting word for this feast. God took Mary to Himself.
These profound words from Vatican II help us to understand what the Church teaches about Mary's role now: " Taken up to heaven Mary did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation (see Mother Mary Gifts). By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led into the happiness of their true home." (Dogmatic Constitutions on the Church, p. 58)
The Assumption is a feast of Mary, but it is also a feast that points to the hope of heaven, and the promise that God desires to bring His children home.
So how can we celebrate this important feast?
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1. Go to Mass
The first and most important way to celebrate the Assumption is to go to Mass. In the United States, the Assumption is ordinarily a Holy Day of Obligation, though the obligation is lifted when August 15 falls on a Saturday or Monday. Either way, attending Mass is the best way to honor Our Lady and give thanks to God for what He has done in her.
Mass places the feast where it belongs: in the worship of God. Mary always points to Jesus, and any celebration of her should lead us more deeply into love for Him.
If your parish offers a morning or evening Mass, make it part of the day for your family. Even if the day is busy, there is something beautiful about arranging the day around the feast. It teaches children, and reminds adults, that the Church’s calendar gives shape to our lives.
2. Share a meal after the Assumption of Mary
After Mass, do something simple and joyful together:
- Go out for breakfast
- stop for ice cream
- make a special dinner
- invite another family over.
It does not have to be elaborate. Children enjoy the simplest traditions. The point is to mark the day with gratitude and joy. The Assumption is not a somber feast. It is a feast of victory, beauty, and hope.
A meal after Mass can become a small family tradition, a way of saying, “This day matters. Our Lady matters. Heaven matters.”
3. Decorate a Marian statue with flowers
Another simple way to celebrate is to decorate a statue or image of Mary with flowers.
Many families are familiar with May crownings or Marian processions in the spring. The Assumption offers another opportunity to honor Our Lady with beauty. Place flowers near a statue of Mary in your home, on a prayer table, or outside in the garden.
Children can help choose the flowers or make a simple crown or garland. This is a small gesture, but it teaches something important.
We honor Mary because God honored her first. We give her flowers not because she needs them, but to show our love.
It can also be a good moment to explain to children that Mary’s Assumption means her body and soul are in heaven. She is alive with God. She is our mother, our queen, and our intercessor.
4. Read a Marian book
We have so many wonderful Marian books at The Catholic Company!! Whether for yourself or for your family, the feast is a great day to read a Marian book. Choose a story about Our Lady, a book about the mysteries of the Rosary, or a simple picture book that helps children understand Mary’s love for Jesus and for us.
You do not need to give a long theological explanation for children to begin loving this feast. A short story, a prayer, and a few simple words can be enough.
You might say something like: “Today we celebrate that Mary is in heaven, body and soul, with Jesus. She is close to Him, and she prays for us.”
Children remember what we repeat and celebrate. Over time, these simple feast-day traditions help them understand that the faith is not only something we learn, but something we live.
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5. Pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
The Assumption is the fourth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, so this feast is a natural day to pray the Glorious Mysteries.
If a full Rosary feels like too much with young children, pray one decade. If even that feels hard, pray a Hail Mary together and ask Our Lady to help your family keep heaven in mind.
The point is to turn to Mary and let her lead us to Jesus.
6. Go for a hike or spend time in creation
This may be my favorite way to celebrate the Assumption, especially because we are often in Maine around the feast.
Near the Solemnity of the Assumption, our parish there often takes a hike and celebrates Mass on top of a mountain. The hike (up Tumbledown Mtn) is a serious hike, with different routes up so that people can choose the very challenging one or the route that is still challenging but manageable for many families.
It is a beautiful way to honor Mary’s Assumption. Climbing towards a destination and then reaching the top and giving thanks to God for the beauty of creation can bring home the meaning of the day in a tangible way.
Of course, not every family can hike a mountain, and not every parish can offer Mass at the summit. But we can still mark the feast by going outside and appreciating all that God has done for us. Take a walk. Visit a garden. Go to a park. Watch the sunset. Look up at the sky and remember that Mary’s Assumption is a sign of the glory God wants to share with His children.
Other ways to make the day feel Marian
Small things can help us enter into the feast. Light a candle near a Marian image. Pray the Memorare. Sing a Marian hymn. Wear blue. Place flowers on the dinner table.
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It's simple stuff because feast days should not become a source of pressure for families to create a perfect Catholic celebration. It is a wonderful and natural thing to give thanks to God and to honor the Blessed Mother in ways that will please Him.
The Assumption gives us the chance to look at Mary and recognize that she is the new Eve, whose obedience helped open the way for our salvation. She is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our mother. She is the Queen of Heaven (have you seen the Rosary Beads?), already sharing body and soul in the glory of her Son.
And because she is our mother, we can ask her to help us live with our eyes fixed on heaven.
The Lord ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us. In His generous love, He has also given us Mary, already there in the fullness of her humanity, waiting for us with a mother’s love.
Read What is the Assumption of Mary? Why Catholics Believe it and Why it Gives us Hope
