The lost book of the Assumption: the apocryphal text John Paul II rescued
The 'Transitus Mariae', a 2nd-century apocryphal text, is resurfacing on social media. John Paul II praised it as a testimony of faith in the Assumption. What does it contain and why…
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The Marian apocryphon John Paul II rescued from oblivion
A text circulating these days on social media reproduces the so-called "Transitus of Mary", a second-century apocryphal account narrating everything from the Virgin's journey to Bethlehem to her death and entry into Paradise. The document, which is not part of the biblical canon, includes episodes such as Mary's prayer asking to see John, the plot by the Jews to burn her, her ascension surrounded by angels, and her intercession for sinners before hell.
The surprise is that this is no marginal text. Saint John Paul II, in his general audience of 2 July 1997, expressly referred to these writings —known as Transitus Mariae— as "the first testimony of faith in the Assumption". The Polish Pope explained that, although they are popular, novelised narratives, they reflect an authentic spiritual intuition of the People of God that led the Church to define the dogma of the Assumption in 1950.
The full text, in seven chapters, quotes Revelation and the Old Testament to link Mary with the Ark of the Covenant. The theological debate over its historical value remains open: while some see it as a source of living tradition, others regard it as pious literature with no historical basis. What is certain is that the "lost book" continues to fuel popular and doctrinal interest.
A text circulating these days on social media reproduces the so-called "Transitus of Mary", a second-century apocryphal account narrating everything from the Virgin's journey to Bethlehem to her death and entry into Paradise. The document, which is not part of the biblical canon, includes episodes such as Mary's prayer asking to see John, the plot by the Jews to burn her, her ascension surrounded by angels, and her intercession for sinners before hell.
The surprise is that this is no marginal text. Saint John Paul II, in his general audience of 2 July 1997, expressly referred to these writings —known as Transitus Mariae— as "the first testimony of faith in the Assumption". The Polish Pope explained that, although they are popular, novelised narratives, they reflect an authentic spiritual intuition of the People of God that led the Church to define the dogma of the Assumption in 1950.
The full text, in seven chapters, quotes Revelation and the Old Testament to link Mary with the Ark of the Covenant. The theological debate over its historical value remains open: while some see it as a source of living tradition, others regard it as pious literature with no historical basis. What is certain is that the "lost book" continues to fuel popular and doctrinal interest.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (10 replies).
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