09/08/2026
Happy birthday, Mary !
SEPTEMBER 8 | FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The Catholic Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8, nine months after the December 8 feast of her Immaculate Conception. Although the Bible does not describe Mary’s birth or childhood, early Christian writings and traditions provide accounts that have influenced the Church’s understanding of her early life.
One important source is the second-century Protoevangelium of James. It tells that Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, were deeply saddened by their childlessness and responded with prayer and fasting. An angel later announced to Anne that her prayers had been heard and that she would give birth to a child who would be honored by future generations.
According to this tradition, Mary was regarded as specially holy from infancy. Her parents presented her to the priests and dedicated her to God. The account also describes her later consecration and her marriage to Joseph.
St. Augustine viewed Mary’s birth as a significant event in salvation history because it prepared the way for the birth of Jesus Christ. He described Mary as the “flower of the field” from whom Christ, the precious “lily of the valley,” would come. In this sense, Mary’s birth is traditionally understood as an important part of God’s plan for humanity’s salvation.
WAYS TO CELEBRATE MAMA MARY'S BIRTHDAY:
1. Pray the Rosary
Celebrate Mary’s birthday by praying the Holy Rosary and meditating on the life of Jesus through the eyes of His Mother. Since her feast falls on September 8, you may especially pray the Joyful Mysteries. You can also pray all 20 mysteries: the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries.
https://marian.org/mary/rosary/how-to-pray
2. Offer Fresh Flowers
Honor Mary by bringing a bouquet of fresh flowers to a Marian statue at your parish. You can also create a small Marian shrine at home with flowers such as roses or lilies, which have traditionally been associated with Our Blessed Mother.
3. Support a Pro-Life Cause
In gratitude for Mary’s loving “yes” to God, consider giving your time, talents, or resources to a pro-life organization or local pregnancy resource center. You can also offer a special prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn.
4. Begin or Renew Your Marian Consecration
Mary’s birthday is a beautiful opportunity to begin or renew your Marian consecration. Through consecration to Jesus through Mary, we recognize her role as the Mother of Christ and entrust our prayers and intentions to her intercession. By honoring Mary, we ultimately seek to honor and love her Son, Jesus, more fully.
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/consecration-to-mary-345
LET US PRAY:
Your Nativity, O Virgin Mother of God, was the herald of joy to the whole world; since from you arose the Son of Justice, Christ our God, who, destroying the curse, bestowed the blessing, and confounding death, rewarded us with life everlasting.
V. Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
R. That she may intercede for us with Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us pray
Grant to us your servants, we beseech you, O Lord, the gift of Your heavenly grace, that as our salvation was begun in the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin, so from this solemn festival of her Nativity may we obtain an increase of peace. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
source: churchpop | photo: CTTO
