Assumption of Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary's body went to Heaven along with her soul after her death, according to an ancient and widely accepted tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Having been a tradition for centuries, this doctrine was formally dogmatically defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

The ascension of Mary's body into heaven is called the Assumption of Mary. Both churches commemorate the event on August 15; in the Roman Catholic Church, it is known as the Feast of the Assumption, while in the Eastern Orthodox Church it is known as the Feast of the Dormition (which means "falling asleep"). In Greek Orthodoxy one speaks of the Dormition of the Theotokos.