And about the third hour of the day, there was a great clap of thunder from the heavens, and a sweet fragrance, which caused all those present to be overpowered by sleep, except for the Apostles alone, and three virgins, whom the Lord appointed to stay awake so that they might be witnesses of Mary’s funeral rites and her glory. And behold, the Lord came on the clouds, with a multitude of angels beyond number. And Jesus himself and Michael entered the inner chamber where Mary was, while the angels sang hymns and remained standing outside her chamber. And as soon as the Savior entered, he found the Apostles with holy Mary, and he embraced them all. After this, he embraced his own mother. And Mary opened her mouth and blessed him, saying, “I bless you, for you have not grieved me with regard to the things you foretold. You foretold that you would not allow angels to come again to seek my soul, but that you would come for it yourself. It has happened, Lord, according to your word. Who am I, lowly one, that I have been counted worthy of such glory?” And having said this, she brought the course of her life to fulfillment, her face turned smilingly towards the Lord. And the Lord took her soul and placed it in the hands of Michael, after wrapping it in veils of some kind, whose splendor it is impossible to describe.
The Apostles looked on as the soul of Mary was given unto the hands of Michael, filled out with all the members of human being, except for the form of female and male, but with nothing else in it except the likeness of the whole body and a brilliance seven times greater than the sun. Peter was filled with joy, and asked the Lord, “Is then the soul of each of us bright, as Mary’s is?” The Lord said to him, “O Peter, the soul of all those being born in this world are like this, but when they depart from the body, they are not in such a brilliant condition, because they were sent here in one state but are later found in another. For ‘they loved the darkness’ of many sins. But if someone guards himself from the iniquities of this world’s darkness, and so leaves the body, his soul will be found to be as bright as this.” Again, the Savior said to Peter, “Take care to keep Mary’s body, my dwelling place, safe. Go out of the left side of the city, and you will find a new tomb; place the body in it and remain there, just as she commanded you.”
After the Savior said this, the very body of the holy Mother of God cried out before everyone and said, “Remember me, King of glory! Remember me, that I am your creation; remember me, that I guarded the treasure entrusted me.” Then Jesus said to her body, “Surely I will not abandon you, the treasury of my pearl! Surely I will not abandon you, the guardian of the treasure entrusted to you, who were found trustworthy! Far be it from me to abandon you, the ark who steered the way for your own steersman! For be it from me to abandon you, the treasury who remained sealed until you were sought!” And saying this, the Savior disappeared.
Eclectic Orthodoxy 