07/09/2024
Sept 8 I FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF MARY
The Church has celebrated Mary’s birth since the sixth century. Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s birth but the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James fills in the gap. According to this account, Anna and Joachim are infertile but pray for a child. They receive the promise of a child who will advance God’s plan of salvation for the world.
Such a story, like many biblical counterparts, stresses the special presence of God in Mary’s life from the beginning. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year with September. The September 8 date helped determine the date for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.
