On Friday, August 22, 2025, the guest of the Morning Programme of Hram Television was Catechist Branislav Ilić, editor of the Kinonia portal of the Missionary Department of the Archdiocese of Belgrade–Karlovci. The topic of the interview, conducted by journalist Jana Okilj, concerned the particularities of the liturgical glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos, with special emphasis on the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
In the opening part of the discussion, Branislav spoke about the liturgical celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord and explained why all great feasts are celebrated for several days, through the special periods known as the Forefeast and the Afterfeast. He stated that the Church, in this way, seeks to strengthen us in the sacred truths of particular feasts and to keep us within the joy of the feast, so that we might experience it more concretely.
The guest of Jana Okilj also spoke about the liturgical glorification of the Theotokos and recalled the importance of all the feasts of the Most Holy Theotokos that we celebrate during the liturgical year. He noted that feasts in honour of the Theotokos began to be celebrated relatively late, with the first mention of Marian feasts appearing in the fourth century, while a more concrete development is seen in the fifth and sixth centuries. The programme also addressed the iconography of the Theotokos in Orthodox churches, as well as the places where she is mentioned in the text of the Divine Liturgy.
Speaking of patristic reflections on the Theotokos, Catechist Branislav Ilić highlighted the significance of the Third Ecumenical Council, held in Ephesus in 431, at which Nestorius’s erroneous teaching was condemned and the Church’s doctrine on the Theotokos and her role in the divine economy of salvation was clearly articulated. Furthermore, he reminded that the Church’s most beautifully formulated teaching on the Theotokos is found in the dogmatika of all eight tones in the Octoechos, which are the hymnographic compositions of St. John of Damascus. Reflecting on these texts, the catechist from Novi Sad pointed out that all the dogmatika are interconnected, and that their thematic continuity is easily discernible throughout the series of eight hymnographic compositions.
As we approach the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the guest of Hram Television exhorted that during the Dormition Fast we strive to imitate the example of the Most Holy Mother of God, that by looking to her we may overcome our weaknesses and place our whole being within the ethos of the Church, so that we may always be ready, in obedience, to accept the will of God and steadfastly walk the path of salvation. Speaking about the liturgical characteristics of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Branislav gave particular attention to the sticheron “By the divine command” (Bogočal’nym manovenijem), which is sung in all eight tones at Vespers. He also mentioned other hymnographic texts that emphasize that in the person of the Theotokos we have the New Eve and the Mother of Life. According to Catechist Branislav, since Holy Scripture does not provide testimony about the sacred event of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the Church’s poets, drawing from holy Tradition and apocryphal writings, composed hymns about the Dormition of the Mother of God in their hymnographic works.
Finally, Catechist Branislav Ilić offered a pastoral exhortation to the viewers of Hram Television, wishing them that in peace, joy, and love, spiritually strengthened, they may worthily celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, which in certain liturgical sources is also referred to as the “Summer Pascha.”
Written by: Catechist Branislav Ilić, editor of the portal Kinonia
