Your Nativity, Theotokos Virgin, announced joy to the whole universe, because the Sun of truth shone from You - Christ our God, and, having destroyed the oath, He gave a blessing and, defeating death, gave us eternal life (Troparus).
Establishing a holiday
The Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated on September 8 and is one of the main holidays of the church calendar. This holiday is established to commemorate the birth of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The first documentary confirmation of the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin can be found in the XNUMXth century in Constantinople, where the holiday became popular thanks to local traditions. However, it is known that in some places of the Christian world the holiday was celebrated even earlier.
Biblical basis
Although there are no direct references to the birth of the Virgin Mary in the Bible, the holiday of Christmas is based on early Christian apocryphal texts and church traditions. In particular, such texts as the "Protoevangelium of James" describe Mary's parents, St. Joachim and St. Anna, who were childless and received a promise that their daughter would become the mother of the Savior. This apocryphal account emphasized the importance of the holiday in the early Church.
The meaning of the holiday
The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary marks the beginning of the divine plan for the salvation of mankind through the birth of the Virgin Mary. It symbolizes hope for salvation, which became possible thanks to the birth of Mary, who will become the mother of Jesus Christ. Believers believe that the birth of Mary marks the beginning of a new stage in the history of salvation, which marks the great transition from the Old to the New Testament.
The traditional teaching, which is reflected in the psalms and songs of the holiday liturgy, tells us about Joachim and Anna, who were a very pious elderly Jewish couple. There were not many faithful like them ("poor and needy") and they were waiting for the promised messiah. The couple was not young and they had no children. They prayed fervently to the Lord, asking for a child, because childlessness was considered God's punishment among the Jews. In response to their prayers and as a reward for unwavering loyalty to God, He blessed them with the birth of a child who, because of her virtue and holiness, was prepared to become the Mother of Christ the Messiah.
Liturgical texts
On all the feasts of the Mother of God, we read the Morning Gospel, known as the Magnificat ("My soul magnifies the Lord"), taken from St. Luke "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, because He has looked at the humility of His servant. Behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Lk 1, 46-48)
At the Divine Liturgy, we read the Apostle - the well-known passage about the coming of the Son of God, who "took the form of a servant, and appeared in the likeness of a man, and in appearance was like a man" (Philippians 2:7), and the reading of the Gospel is the same that we read on all the feasts of the Virgin saint - a woman from the crowd praises the Mother of Jesus, and the Lord answers and says that the blessing that His Mother received is given to all "who listen to God's word and keep it!" (Luke 11, 27–28).
Iconography
The icons of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary traditionally depict the scene of the birth of Mary. Usually, the icons show Saint Anne holding her newborn daughter Mary, as well as Saints Joachim and Mary. Virgin Mary is often depicted in a cradle or in the arms of parents, and sometimes on icons you can see a scene of joy and blessing from God. Icons are often decorated with golden details and symbolic elements that emphasize the sanctity of the event.
Meaning for faith
The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is important in the Christian tradition because it marks an important event that plays a key role in the plan of salvation. It emphasizes the importance of the Mother of God as the intercessor and mother of Jesus Christ. This holiday helps believers to celebrate and honor God's plan of salvation and to celebrate the role of the Mother of God in this plan.
Impact on culture
The Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos has a significant impact on Christian culture and traditions. This holiday emphasizes the importance of family, motherhood and divine providence in the life of Christians. Different cultures may have their own characteristics of the celebration, but the general meaning remains common to all Christians. This holiday also serves as a reminder of the divine nature and role of motherhood in the Christian faith.
