Pope Benedict presided over Mass on Wednesday at the parish church of St. Thomas de Villanova in Castelgandolfo near Rome to mark the Solemnity of the Assumption. Celebrated on August 15th each year, the Feast commemorates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven and is the oldest Marian Feast in the Church. But how can we explain the significance and symbolism of this Solemnity? When was the Feast of the Assumption first celebrated and what further light does it cast on the figure of Mary?

Listen to a reflection on the wonder and importance of the Assumption by Father Robert Ombres, former Procurator General of the Dominican Order followed by an interview by Susy Hodges with Father Clyde Rausch, an Oblate of Mary Immaculate.