In Revelation 12: The woman flees into the desert, where she is miraculously fed (an allusion to the manna of the Exodus). It is added that the woman is given "the two wings of the great eagle" like the people of the Exodus (Ex 19, 4). The belief in the Assumption is ancient. But Pope Pius XII wanted to make it more clear. On the 1st May 1946 Pope Pius XII decided to send a letter to all the bishops of the world regarding the proposal to definitively define the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It seems that most bishops would agree. But it took some time, and some events had to take place. By November 1st, 1950,  it was clear. Here is an account of what it all means.

Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft Centre, Toronto, August 15, 2022.

Music: Charles Gounod, "Meditation on the 1st Piano Prelude of J.S. Bach" Ave Maria, arranged for piano solo, played by Greg Tait, on https://musopen.org.

Thumbnail: Peter Paul Rubens Assumption of Mary, circa 1637, Liechtenstein Collections.