The written tradition of the Transitus Mariae

The so called "Transitus-Mariae-Literature" comprises texts which deal with the life of Mary after the death of her son, especially her own death and her heavenly assumption. Many of these texts are rated as New Testament Apocrypha, others are homilies. It is commonly assumed that the earliest of these textes date from the fifth century A.D. As a matter of fact there are some indications that the younger texts could have older roots. However, a newly discovered text owned by the Austrian National Library is challenging the assumption, that the oldest existant text is from the fifth century. The text tells this story in very unique words, and there are quite a few indications that this could be a very old version, older than all versions of this text which are known. Thus, this text will be edited together with some additional fragments owned by the Cambridge University Library. The unknown version has to be put into relation to all known versions of this apocryphal text. Other apocryphal literature as well as literature from ancient christianity will also be needed to build a case and to give conclusive answers of how these texts relate and depend on each other. Thus, there is a double goal to be reached: first the exact state of research concerning the Transitus-Mariae- Literature must be identified and described. Second, the Viennese fragment has to be edited and it has to be shown whether this is "only" an independent version of this apocryphal literature or whether this is the oldest Version of the Transitus Mariae.

The so-called "transitus Mariae" texts belong to a larger group of writings which form the body of the apocryphal literature of the New Testament. These texts purport to be written by an eyewitness of the events which are reported in the New Testament (and obviously also of other events which are not reported). They did not, however, become part of the New Testament. These stories deal with Mary`s life after the death and ascension of her son and are considered to be a comparatively recent group among the texts. It is commonly held that the "transitus Mariae" texts originated at the end of the 4th or at the beginning of the 5th century. They spread rapidly throughout the Church. There is a connection between the production of this particular type of apocryphal literature and a feast which was celebrated in Jerusalem on 15th August each year in the Byzantine period. This feast later became the feast of Mary`s assumption into heaven. These texts were written in a variety of languages. Among these the Coptic texts form a separate group, differing in their contents in specific ways from the stories which have survived in other languages. An unpublished parchment /papyrus? held in the Papyrus Collection of the Austrian National Library raises the question whether the roots of this apocryphal group reach into an earlier time than hitherto thought. It is very often postulated that this group of apocryphal stories has its origins in a heterodox community. The Viennese parchment/papyrus? seems to suggest otherwise. This Coptic parchment/papyrus? is edited here together with texts from Cambridge and Paris. This publication is a contribution to research into doctrinal history. This scholarly work will call into question some assumptions which are generally held concerning the origins of these texts. It is, therefore, to be expected that a scholarly debate will ensue.