The Feast of the Immaculate Conception was therefore set on December 8 th, nine months prior to Mary’s September birthday. } catch (e){} xfbml : true, Those that commemorate this holiday always prepare for it prior to its occurrence. As such, for Christians, Mary is first among the ‘disciples of Christ’. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me”. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception centers on the belief that Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary, was conceived without sin. In other words, the Immaculate Conception gave Mary the grace to accept and to do God’s will, but yet, for us, her response will always stand as the perfect example of faithfulness and obedience. Make Mass a part of your observance of the feast holiday! Sin, on the other hand, is the absence of holiness and the rejection of our humanity. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; autoLogAppEvents : true, window.fbl_started ) But, in this context, have you ever wondered if (perhaps) Mary is sometimes placed on a pedestal so far beyond us mere mortals that we (maybe) find it difficult to relate to her? It is often mistaken that the Immaculate Conception is referring to the birth of Jesus, whereas the event of his conception is called ‘The virgin birth.’. Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Yet, most significantly, we see her beautiful response and her openness to the will of God: ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me’. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception brings with it feelings of love and safety as we commemorate the mother of Christ. As such, for Christians, Mary is first among the ‘disciples of Christ’. The beautiful 2nd Reading from Ephesians today highlights the importance of grace as a gift from God. … Nonetheless, being conceived and born without sin does not make Mary divine. Or, to put it another way, Mary is the Christian role-model par excellence. While it is the simplest of lines, it forms the foundation and central challenge of the whole Christian life. Similarly, it is a very worthwhile exercise, at the end of each day, to meditate on this line and to ask oneself how one has lived it during the day. You’ll need a tall white pillar candle. I barely remember him now, only that he was a heavy smoker and a Wild Turkey drinker, Whereas Adam and Eve (created without sin) bring about the fall of humankind by rejecting God’s will, so Mary (also born without sin) brings about the redemption of creation through her obedience to God’s will. In fact, the Gospel today even highlights Mary’s humanity. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; Many churches, particularly the Catholic Church, hold masses or special services to mark the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on or around December 8. It is one of the most important Marian feasts celebrated in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. },100); It is a day that celebrates the belief that celebrates the conception of the Virgin Mary in the womb of her mother – Saint Anne. O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin prepared a worthy dwelling for your Son, grant, we pray, that as you preserved her from every stain by virtue of the Death of your Son, which you foresaw, so, through her intercession, we, too, may be cleansed and admitted to your presence. We are told she was ‘deeply disturbed by this message’. The argument followed the context of the word ‘immaculate,’ which refers to the belief that Mary – the mother of Jesus Christ, was herself conceived without original sin. window.fbAsyncInit = function() { Use decorations of symbols of the Christ for it and then cover it with white lace or fabric for the remainder of Advent. As such, Mary is placed before us as the perfect example of Christian discipleship. We have to leave!" The sacred texts do not explicitly mention the Immaculate Conception of Mary, but there are biblical texts to support this divine tradition. There is an entire chapter titled after Mary in the Holy Book of Islam- The Quran. This feast celebrates belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her character was pure and pious, and it is extremely important that we honor her on this day. The statue of Sannta Marian Kamalen in the Agana Cathedral Basilica is taken down, groomed, and carried on a cart through the capital of Guam. Immaculate Conception is sometimes confused with the conception of Jesus Christ in Mary’s womb, while it refers to Mary herself. One of the loveliest and most significantly Christian lines in all of Scripture is a very short and uncomplicated line found in the wording of the Our Father: ‘Thy will be done’. Originally scheduled for Dec 08, 2020 at 9:00 AM est. try{ The Feast of the Immaculate Conception commemorates God's mercy on an elderly, childless couple in sending them a daughter, and on the whole world for sending through them the New Eve who would bear the Redeemer of the World. FBL.renderFinish(); In Guam, it is also known as ‘Our Lady of Camarin Day,’ honoring a small wooden statue which is known as Santa Marian Kamalen or ‘Our Lady of Camarin.’ A procession is then followed by people who pray and honor Jesus Christ through his mother, Mary. It's Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is significant and appropriate that the feast of the Immaculate Conception takes place within the season of Advent, because, like Mary, each one of us is also called to embrace the coming of Christ, and to allow Christ to dwell in us. It is a pertinent passage for understanding the Immaculate Conception of Mary, who was born ‘holy and spotless’, and is therefore ‘full of grace’. It was suppressed there after the Norman Conquest (1066), and the first thorough exposition of the doctrine was a response to this suppression. It is universally celebrated on December 8, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on September 8. These two schools of thought have long been areas of conflict. There is a popular idea that the day refers to the conception of Jesus by the Virgin Mary. This topic remained open for debate until December 8, 1854, when Pope Pius IX declared it to be an essential principle of faith in the Catholic Church. This is a great day to make a Mary candle. What a wonderful prayer with which to begin each day. We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar — giving you exciting activities, deals, local events, brand promotions, and other exciting ways to celebrate. function fbl_init(){ The beautiful 2nd Reading from Ephesians today highlights the importance of grace as a gift from God. Although she was born in the natural biological manner, her conception is believed to be ‘immaculate’ by Catholics because God intervened, relieving Mary of original sin. The Immaculate Conception refers to the condition that the Blessed Virgin Mary was free from Original Sin from the very moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. Despite its establishment as a pillar of faith, the Immaculate Conception is not directly taught in the Bible. Holiday survey data is powered by TOP Agency, The feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8 and is usually a holy day of obligation (on which Catholics are required to attend mass). In Guam, it is also known as ‘Our Lady of Camarin Day,’ honoring a small wooden statue which is known as Santa Marian Kamalen or ‘Our Lady of Camarin.’ A procession is then followed by people who pray and honor Jesus Christ through his mother, Mary. It's a Holy Day of Obligation! The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, the Mother of God, was preserved from all sin from the first moment of her conception, in her mother's womb. This year, Mary’s words, "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the other," ring so true. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception centers on the belief that Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary, was conceived without sin. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is the subject of a lot of misconceptions (so to speak). It is a pertinent passage for understanding the Immaculate Conception of Mary, who was born, And one last thing. }; var fbl_interval = window.setInterval(function(){ } ); In other words, the Immaculate Conception gave Mary the grace to accept and to do God’s will, but yet, for us, her response will always stand as the perfect example of faithfulness and obedience. }); The feast day of the Immaculate Conception is December 8. Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception! This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello, Assistant Editor.