The Greek Orthodox Church of the Dormition cave temple in Gethsemane, over the Tomb of the virgin, where, according to tradition, the apostles buried the virgin Mary.

Their rights there is also the Armenian Apostolic Church, make Church services and other Christian denominations, but Catholics and Protestants. The fact that the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity have different interpretations of the assumption of the virgin (the taking of the virgin Mary in Heavenly Glory after the completion of Her earthly days).

The gospel says that dying on the cross the Son entrusted His mother to the care of the beloved disciple, John the Apostle. But Scripture says nothing about how it died the mother of Christ and where She is buried.

The dogma of the Catholic Church is as follows: at the end of the earthly life of the body and soul of the virgin Mary were taken in Heavenly Glory. It is believed that this happened on mount Zion, where now stands the Abbey of the Dormition. Whether there was physical death of Mary – the question is open.

The Eastern Christian tradition claims that Mary died a natural death. The tradition says that the virgin Mary appeared the Archangel Gabriel, who warned Her about the end of earthly days. Before her death Mary wanted to see the apostles, and they are scattered around the world to preach the gospel, the clouds were transferred to Jerusalem. Peacefully deceased Mary, the apostles buried in the tomb, where it was already resting Her parents Joachim and Anna and husband, Joseph the betrothed. Absent only Apostle Thomas – he came to Jerusalem on the third day and asked to open the tomb to say goodbye to Maria. The stone rolled away, only found inside the burial shroud and felt wonderful fragrance.

Cave temple at the foot of the mount of olives – the same one in which, according to Eastern Christians, was buried the virgin Mary. The first Church above the tomb was built in the year 326 a zealous Christian St. Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine. The temple was destroyed, but in 1161 it was restored Jerusalem Queen Melisenda.

Left of the entrance, at the beginning of the bridge over the Kidron valley, is a small dome on the pillars is the grave of the famous Muslim historian of the XV century Mujiri-ad-DIN. Enter the tomb through the gates of the upper Church between eight marble columns. Down the wide staircase. On the way, occurs the burial of Queen Melisende, the side chapels dedicated to St. Joseph the Betrothed and the parents of the virgin Mary, saints Joachim and Anna.

A staircase leads to the lower Church, partly cut in the rock. For many centuries the walls are dark with incense, from the ceiling hangs a lot of lamps. Chapel with the tomb of the virgin is small, but you can enter it. The coffin represents a rough stone slab – the legend says that she was supposed incorrupt body of pure.

Jerusalem the tomb of the virgin is not the only place that the legend associated with the burial of Mary. There is a theory that the last years of life the mother of God spent in Ephesus (now Turkey). There is a Shrine, called the House of the virgin Mary.