Hello all.
Christ is risen!
Here are some questions that I asked elsewhere but thought that there may also be some here who know the answers.
Firstly, regarding the Dormition of Our Lady, is there an extant written source for the story of the arrival of the Apostles, the funeral procession and burial at Gethsemane and then the opening of the empty grave some days later? If so, is it one of the apocryphal Gospels? I'd like to know where to find it if it isn't an oral part of Tradition.
Secondly, in the Dormition icon is depicted the Jew Athonius, who, wishing to dishonour the Mother of God, tried to overturn the bier during the procession, only to have the Archangel Michael descend and cut his hands off with his sword. He then repented, prayed immediately to Christ for forgiveness, and had his hands restored to him. He experienced a conversion to the Faith of Christ and openly professed it, and was martyred because of it. Is he recognised as a Saint? If so, when is his feast? I can find a number of references to him by googling but only as part of the the story I've recounted here and not with reference to a feast day or a troparion or anything like that.
If anybody would help, I should be grateful indeed.
In Christ Risen,
Michael
