On August 15/28, the whole Orthodox world celebrates the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, and in honor of this day, special celebrations were held in Our Lady of Pochaev Church in North Port, FL.

On Friday, August 27, the appointed All-Night Vigil with the litia was served, and on the very day of the feast, parish rector Archimandrite Stefan (Khilchuk) celebrated Divine Liturgy, co-served by Hieromonk Arkadii (Polishchuk).

Upon completion of the service, Fr. Stefan addressed the gathered faithful, greeting them all with the feast and expounding on the meaning and significance of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos for every Christian.

On Sunday evening, Matins was served with the Burial Rite of the Mother of God. This rite was first mentioned in the 15th century, and is performed in different ways: usually at the Vigil of the feast itself, while in the Holy Land it is performed on the eve of the feast, and in the Russian Church either on the second or third day of the feast, or else on the first Sunday after Dormition. That is the practice that has taken root in Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra.

Parishioners lovingly and attentively adorned the church and shroud with flowers. After the service, a festal luncheon was served, prepared by Fr. Arkadii.

The feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is especially close to the parishioners of Our Lady of Pochaev Church, because the Pochaev and Kiev Caves and Svyatogorsk Lavras are all dedicated to this marvelous event. Many current parishioners of the North Port church were at one time regular pilgrims to these monasteries, and today continue this tradition in America.