Assumption of Mary by the Greek Orthodox in Jerusalem 2012

Hello and welcome to my video of the Assumption of Mary (Theotokos) celebrated by the Greek Orthodox here in Jerusalem.

Every year on August 25th,  a procession starts from a site marked METOXION near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where the Icon of Mary rest all year inside a Greek Church named Gethsemane. During the procession the Icon of Mary is carried by a Greek priest all the way along the Via Dolorosa to the tomb of Mary at the Greek Orthodox Church at Gethsemane.

Now you are probably asking what it has to do, A Gethsemane Greek Church right next to the Church of the holy sepulchre and not right at the foothill of the Mount of Olives? Well, the meaning of METOXION in Greek is a place of gathering. During the time of the Muslims in Jerusalem, Christians were not always allowed to walk all around Jerusalem and to celebrate their feasts at the proper sites, so they came to a place near the holiest site in Jerusalem – the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and celebrate their feasts over there. And this is how a Greek Church name Gethsemane, is near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In my video we see people walking with Candles while praying and singing along the Via Dolorosa here in Jerusalem. In the center of this procession, we see the Greek priest carrying the Icon of Mary to be rested at the Tomb of Mary at Gethsemane.

Now, let’s All Live the Jerusalem Experience!!!