The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Catholic Church dogma that maintains that the Virgin Mary was taken, body and soul, into heaven at the end of her earthly existence. The Catholic Church has held this doctrine from ancient times, and Pope Pius XII formally declared it a dogma in 1950.
According to Catholic teaching, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without the stain of original sin (the teaching of the Immaculate Conception), and she lived a life without sin (the doctrine of her sinlessness or the Immaculate Conception). The Assumption is seen as the culmination of her life, as a reward for her faithfulness and her unique role in the life and mission of Jesus.
Although the Assumption is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, it is based on various early Christian traditions and writings, as well as the belief in Mary's special role as the Mother of God. The belief in the Assumption is not limited to the Catholic Church but is also held by some Eastern Orthodox churches and certain Anglican and Lutheran communities.
The Assumption is celebrated by Catholics on August 15th each year as the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is seen as a celebration of Mary's heavenly glory and a reminder of the hope that all believers have in the resurrection and eternal life.
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