Today, Catholics around the world unite in marking the feast of the Assumption of Mary, a solemn commemoration of the end of her earthly life and assumption into heaven. On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Dogma of the Assumption, declaring, "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."
Throughout the world, the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother Mary is celebrated in a variety of ways. In some small towns of Rome, there is a very symbolic custom called L'Incinata—the Bowing Procession.
In the village's main street, people carry a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, symbolizing her journey to heaven. Simultaneously, another procession carries a statue of Jesus in the opposite direction, symbolizing her Son, Jesus, coming down from heaven to welcome her.
The two processions converge under an arch adorned with branches and thousands of flowers, symbolizing the gate of heaven. The statues are then made to bow to each other three times. This act is symbolic and a joyous anticipation of Jesus welcoming His Beloved Mother into heaven, a moment of profound joy and celebration as people gathered break forth into shouts of joy and sacred hymns.
Afterwards, the combined procession continues with the statues being carried side-by-side to the Church. This “bowing procession” is not just a tradition but a profound symbol of Jesus taking His Mother to her throne in heaven. It beautifully represents the event of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary, a celebration of the Son-King sharing His glory with His mother.
Human kingdoms have followed the tradition of crowning the mother of a king as the queen of a kingdom throughout history. In the Old Testament, we read that King Solomon raised his mother, Bathsheba, to his side as his queen upon inheriting the throne after King David (1 Kings 2:19).
This was also a prelude to what was to come. King of Kings, Jesus, awarded His Mother Mary the throne of glory and raised her to be Queen of Heaven and Earth. In celebrating the Feast of the Assumption, we learn one important lesson: Mother Mary's Assumption is our sure hope for eternal glory.
Once she agreed to become God's mother, she put herself in a position of constantly saying yes to God's will. The "yes" she gave to God meant "no" to a number of things in her personal life, her desires, and her unspoken dreams. That was how she became an epitome of the teaching Jesus would later expound during His ministry: "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" (Lk 9: 62). So true of Mary.
Her echo of "yes" resonated all through her life in times of loneliness, immense pain, and utter hopelessness. This daring faithfulness made God bestow on her the privilege of sharing in her Son's Glory.
Saint John Paul II said, "Mary, taken up into heaven, shows us the way to God, the way to heaven, and the way to life." May this celebration of Mary's Assumption give us hope that, like her and through her maternal intervention, we will find our way to heaven.
Father Boby John, C.S.C., ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2008, worked as a pastor and as an educator with tribal populations in Northeast India for thirteen years. Originally from Kerala, India, Father Boby grew up with three siblings. He is a dedicated and detailed educationist with experience in educational leadership. He is currently working as an executive assistant at the world headquarters of Holy Cross Family Ministries, North Easton, Massachusetts.
