Term used to denote the taking up to heaven of the soul and of the Virgin Mary three days after her death. Its derivation (Lat. adsumere take up) implies that she was borne to heaven—i.e. by angels—unlike Christ who ascended, that is, simply went up. For many centuries celebrated as a Church festival, the Assumption was in 1950 declared an article of faith by Pius. There is no scriptural foundation for the belief, which rests on the apocryphal literature of the 3rd and 4th centuries, and the Tradition of the Catholic Church. It forms the continuation of the narrative of the Death of the Virgin. The 13th century, a period when the cult of the Virgin was ardently fostered, saw the appearance of the Golden Legend, a popular source-book for artists, in which the apocryphal story was retold. As the apostles were sitting by the Virgin's tomb c third day, Christ appeared to them with St Michael who brought with hi Virgin's soul. "And anon the soul came again to the body of Mary, and issued gloriously Out of the tomb, and thus was received in the heavenly chamber a great company of angels with her. The Assumption was first widely represented in 13th century Gothic sculpture, especially in the portals of churches dedicated to the Virgin, and was to remain an important devotional theme in religious art. Its typical form in Renaissance and later painting consists two or sometimes three elements, one above the other. The Virgin in mid-air, standing, or enthroned, is being borne aloft by choirs of angels who often play musical instruments. Her hands are joined in prayer or, especially in Counter-Reformation art, her arms are outstretched as she gazes upwards in rapture. She may be framed in a mandorla perhaps composed of angels. Sometimes the archangels Michael and Gabriel accompany her. More rarely Christ and the Virgin are seen ascending together. On the ground below are the apostles gathered round the empty tomb, either looking up in awe at the Virgin or sometimes weeping. Among the apostles may be doubting Thomas, who is seen receiving the Virgin's girdle. Attendant saints may be present, as in a "Sacra Conversazione". The tomb itself is sometimes filled with lilies or roses. Rubens, who painted the Assumption many times, introduced two women gathering the roses, a motif that became traditional in 17th century painting of the Spanish Netherlands. It has been suggested by one authority that they represent Martha and Mary. Luke's account (10:38–42) of Christ in the house of Martha and Mary is read in churches on the feast of the Assumption. The two women, symbols of the active and contemplative types, were said by a Christian writer of the Counter-Reformation to stand for the body and soul of the Virgin. This is possibly the source of the Rubens motif. The third element, not always present, is the image of God the Father above, waiting to receive the Virgin. He may be surrounded by cherubim and seraphim.

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James Hall, Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art, New York: Harper & Row, rev. ed. 1979