Assumption Abbey - Catholic monastery of the Benedictine order at the top of Mount Zion, dedicated to taking in the heavenly glory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The New Testament does not say anything about the life of Virgin Mary after the crucifixion and resurrection of Her Son. Some researchers believe that the rest of her life she spent in Ephesus, but mostly legends tell Maria lived and died in Jerusalem. Three days after her death, the apostle Thomas, who was absent at the time of the funeral, he returned and asked to open the coffin to say goodbye and he. They saw only the burial shroud and felt wonderful fragrance.

The dogma of the Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin does not refer to the Apocrypha, and says: "The Immaculate Mother of God, Ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of life on earth, she was taken body and soul into heavenly glory." Not specified where and how it happened, whether preceded by the Ascension of Mary Her physical death.

Eastern church did not accept the dogma of the Ascension, but honoring the Mother of God, has always celebrated her Assumption. Many pilgrims flock to the Greek church of the Assumption at Gethsemane, where, according to legend, the tomb of Mary. The Catholic tradition holds that the taking of the Blessed Virgin in the glory of Heaven was on Mount Zion - where costs and Abbey.

The local basilica of the Assumption of the young compared with many of the Jerusalem temple, it recently celebrated one hundred years. But it is on the ancient stones. The first church was built here back in I century. Church erected after destroying and Persians, and Muslims. In 1898, Kaiser Wilhelm II during his visit to the Holy Land bought the land (field full of debris) for German Catholics. For 12 years the project is the Cologne architect Heinrich Renard was built monastery complex.

The massive building of the basilica with four towers around a conical roof and bell tower with shlemoobraznym dome can be seen from many points of Jerusalem. Bell tower crowned by a rooster weather vane, recalls that it was on Mount Zion, in the courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas, Peter's denial was three times - before the cock crowed twice. Out of respect to the neighboring shrine, the tomb of King David, the high chapel set so that the shadow of it does not fall on the tomb.

The unusual beauty of the Basilica seen best if you walk along the street leading from the Zion Gate. Ends narrow street - and the visitor suddenly grows mass temple. The interior is equally impressive: severe gray walls, and just above the altar and chapels illuminated gold mosaic. Unconventional in the crypt of the chapel, decorated with ivory and ebony - a gift from the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.

In the center of the crypt is a statue of the Virgin Mary, lying on his deathbed. The sculpture is made of cherry wood and ivory. Apparel Mary was originally gilded and decorated with embossed silver, but after the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 did not survive. On the mosaic depicts a dome over Maria Jesus reveals His mother hug, ready to take her into heavenly glory.