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MARIAN WISDOM
n the Catholic faith, the belief in the Assumption 
of the Blessed Virgin has roots in early Church 
tradition. The dogma of the Assumption of Mary, 
as declared by Pope Pius XII in his Apostolic 
Constitution Munificentissimus Deus (The Most 
Bountiful God), officially affirms this ancient 
tradition by stating that at the end of Mary’s 
earthly life, she was taken up, body and soul, 
into heaven. She did not undergo bodily decay 
but was glorified and reunited with her soul  
in heaven. 
The theological rationale for the Assumption 
is threefold:  
• Mary was preserved from original sin  
(Immaculate Conception), so it was fitting 
that she was also preserved from bodily 
decay, which is the consequence of sin.  
• As the Mother of God who bore Jesus in her 
womb, her body, as the first tabernacle, was 
sacred and deserved special honor.  
• As the first believer (Annunciation), she 
merited receiving the first fruits of redemption, 
showing us what awaits the faithful at the 
resurrection. 
One of the most striking images of the  
Assumption is the powerful “Assunzione della 
Vergine” (“Assumption of the Virgin”) by Italian 
artist Palma Vecchio. When we look at this 
magnificent painting, we might be tempted to 
see the Assumption of Mary as something distant 
— a special privilege given to one woman 2000 
years ago, beautiful but disconnected from our 
everyday struggles. However, the Church invites 
us to see something deeper: Mary’s Assumption 
is not just about her journey; it’s a glimpse of 
our own. 
In the painting, as she is led to heaven by a 
choir of angels three days after her death, she 
bends down to give Saint Thomas proof of her 
Assumption in the form of a girdle. For me, as 
Mary looks down on the Apostles, she’s also 
gazing at you and me, not wanting to leave us 
behind, yet providing us with a lifeline, prom­
ising she’ll help us get to heaven, but she’ll 
need our cooperation. 
THE ASSUMPTION 
The Blessed Mother’s personal journey portends to our path to eternity  
by saying, ‘yes,’ to God’s will 
 
By Father Michael Chiuri, SM
I
MARY
of
“Assunzione della Vergine” 
(“Assumption of the Virgin”), 
Palma Vecchio
IMAGE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; PUBLIC DOMAIN

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