Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary 

    Another possible explanation is that Blessed Anne Catherine was informed in her vision only that the Virgin 

Mary died before reaching 64 full years. She does not say that she was shown the number 23. She may have 

determined that the length of time was 23 days by counting from August 15 to September 8, the day of the 

celebration of the Birth of Mary in the Church's liturgical calendar. Blessed Anne Catherine never plainly 

stated the month and day of the conception or birth of Mary as having been revealed to her by God. So, since 

she saw the vision of the events of the Virgin Mary's birth on the day of the liturgical celebration, she may 

have mistakenly thought that Mary was born on that day, September 8. 

    The Virgin Mary told Saint Bridget of Sweden that there were 15 days from her Dormition to her 

Assumption to Heaven. However, Blessed Anne Catherine was shown the vision of the Assumption of the 

Virgin Mary soon after the vision of her Dormition, and so she mistakenly concluded that one event occurred 

soon after the other (for she did not fully comprehend every vision which was shown to her). But she did state 

that she was uncertain of the month and day of the Virgin Mary's death and Assumption.

577

The Hour of the Resurrection of the Virgin Mary 

    The death of the Virgin Mary occurred at about 3 p.m., the same time that Jesus died. The Birth of the 

Virgin Mary also occurred at about the same time as the Birth of her Divine Son Jesus (about midnight). 

Perhaps then the Resurrection of the Virgin Mary also occurred at the same time of day as the Resurrection of 

Jesus. According to Sacred Scripture, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred just before dawn (Mt 28:1; Mk 

16:1 2; Lk 24:1 2; Jn 20:1).

578

 Blessed Anne Catherine saw the Resurrection and Assumption of the Blessed 

Virgin Mary as occurring sometime during the night.

579

 But she does not specifically say at what hour of the 

night. Since the Virgin Mary died at the same time of day that Jesus Christ died, perhaps she also was 

resurrected from the dead at the same time of day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, just before dawn. The 

hour before dawn is the very end of the night, so Blessed Anne Catherine's words do not contradict the 

conclusion that the Virgin Mary was resurrected from the dead and was assumed into Heaven just before 

dawn. 

The Day of the Resurrection and Assumption of the Virgin Mary 

     For fifteen days my body lay buried in the earth; then, with a multitude of angels, it was assumed into 

Heaven. 

580

     And when dead, I lay in the sepulcher three days; then I was taken up to Heaven with infinite honor and 

joy . 

581

    The Virgin Mary described her Assumption into Heaven to St. Bridget of Sweden as occurring 15 days after 

her death and burial. She also told Saint Bridget that her body lay in the sepulcher for 3 days before her 

Assumption to Heaven. Since these are the words of the Virgin Mary, both of these statements must be true. 

Saint Bridget herself probably had some understanding of how these two statements fit together, for she wrote 

these close to one another in her book of revelations. How then could the Virgin Mary's body lay buried in the 

earth for fifteen days, and yet lay in the sepulcher for only three days? 

    The length of time between the Virgin Mary's death and her Assumption to Heaven must have been 15 

days, for the Virgin Mary clearly said so to Saint Bridget. Also, the visions given to Blessed Anne Catherine 

Emmerich indicate that the Virgin Mary died at the end of July, but she saw the visions of the Virgin Mary's 

death, Resurrection, and Assumption about 15 days later, in the middle of August. Thus, the Virgin Mary was 

assumed into Heaven about 15 days after her death. 

    After the Virgin Mary's death, her body was placed in the earth, in a sepulcher or tomb of some kind.

582

That is why the Virgin Mary told Saint Bridget that she was buried in the earth for 15 days, because her body 

was in a tomb hollowed out of the earth for that length of time. 

    So then, why did the Virgin Mary also say that her body lay in the sepulcher for three days? Blessed Anne 

Catherine describes the Virgin Mary's tomb as being large enough for several persons to enter and move about 

(the tomb of our Lord was similar, see John 20:1 13).

583

  So I suggest that the tomb of the Virgin Mary was left 

open after her burial, so that devout persons could visit the body. This event would be something like the 

custom today to hold a  wake  after someone's death. Similarly, after the death of Jesus Christ, the holy 

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