In Orthodox Christianity, today is the Feast of the Dormition (falling asleep) of the Theotokos (Mother of God). The feast commemorates Mary's death, resurrection, and glorification. As this site indicates, "Mary died as all people die because she had a mortal human nature affected by the corruption of this world. The Church proclaims that Mary needed to be saved by Christ just as all of us are saved from trials, sufferings, and death of this world. Having truly died, she was raised by her Son as the 'Mother of Life' and already participates in the eternal life of paradise which is prepared and promised to all who 'hear the word of God and keep it.' (Luke 11:27-28) Finally, we celebrate the fact that what happens to Mary happens to all who imitate her holy life of humility, obedience and love." The feast is preceded by a two-week fast. See also this site and this site.
In Catholic Christianity, today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the most important of the Marian feasts and a Holy Day of Obligation. As dogmatically defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950, Mary completed her earthly life and "was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory" (from Munificentissimus Deus, where it is also written, "Now God has willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary … by an entirely unique privilege, completely overcame sin by her Immaculate Conception, and as a result she was not subject to the law of remaining in the corruption of the grave, and she did not have to wait until the end of time for the redemption of her body"). Mary's physical death, however, is not dogmatically defined in the Roman Catholic teaching. See also this site concerning the solemnity.
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