TheNativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, theNativity of Mary,Marymas[a][b] or theBirth of the Virgin Mary, refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth ofMary, mother of Jesus.
In the case of saints, the Church commemorates their date of death, with SaintJohn the Baptist and the Virgin Mary as the few whose birth dates are commemorated. The reason for this is found in the singular mission each had insalvation history,[3] but traditionally also because these alone were holy in their very birth (for Mary, seeImmaculate Conception; John was sanctified inSaint Elizabeth's womb according to the traditional interpretation ofLuke 1:15).
TheGospel of James, which was probably put into its final written form in the early second century, describes Mary's father Joachim as a wealthy member of one of theTwelve Tribes of Israel. He and his wife Anne were deeply grieved by their childlessness.[5]
Some traditions place the birthplace of the Virgin Mary inSepphoris, where a 5th-century basilica is excavated at the site.[6] Some accounts speak of Nazareth and others say it was in a house near the Sheep Gate inJerusalem. It is possible that a wealthy man such as Joachim had a home in both Judea and Galilee.[7] However, Charles Souvay, writing in theCatholic Encyclopedia, says that the idea that Joachim possessed large herds and flocks cannot be asserted with certainty, as the sources for this are "of very doubtful value."[8]
12-century GermanNativity of Mary with her father,Joachim, wearing aJewish hat
The earliest document commemorating Marymas comes from ahymn written in the sixth century. The feast may have originated somewhere in Syria or Palestine in the beginning of the sixth century, when after theCouncil of Ephesus, the cult of the Mother of God was greatly intensified, especially in Syria.[9] This supposition is supported by the presence of hymns for the feast in the Georgian Chantbook of Jerusalem[10] which was compiled in the mid-6th century; the hymnographic content pre-dates thisterminus ante quem.[11]
The first liturgical commemoration is connected with the sixth century dedication of theBasilica Sanctae Mariae ubii nata est, now called theChurch of St. Anne inJerusalem. The original church, built in the fifth century, was a Marian basilica erected on the spot known as the Shepherd's Pool and thought to have been the home of Mary's parents.[2] In the seventh century, the feast was celebrated by the Byzantines as the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since the story of Mary's Nativity is known only fromapocryphal sources, the Latin Church was slower in adopting this festival.[9] At Rome, the Feast began to be kept toward the end of the 7th century, brought there by Eastern monks.[3]
TheDiocese of Angers in France claims thatSt. Maurilius instituted this feast at Angers in consequence of a revelation about 430. On the night of 8 September, a man heard the angels singing in heaven, and on asking the reason, they told him they were rejoicing because the Virgin was born on that night; but this tradition is not substantiated by historical proofs.[9]
SaintAndrew of Crete says that the whole creation is jubilant on this special day because the birth of Mary is a joyful prelude to the gift of humanity's salvation.[17]
In France, Marymas is known as "Our Lady of the Grape Harvest" among the winegrowers. The best grapes are brought to the local church to be blessed and then some bunches are attached to the hands of the statue of Mary. A festive meal that includes the new grapes is part of this day.[18]
Marymas celebration by Roman Catholic believers inPune,Maharashtra
InKerala, the feast of Mary's Nativity, calledNalpiravi (നൽപിറവി), is a major celebration amongSaint Thomas Christians and is always celebrated as anoctave. An eight-dayabstinence (Ettu Nombu) of meat and alcohol is observed from 1 September until 8 September. During this period,vegetarian food is prepared in all families of Saint Thomas Christian and churches organize charitable activities, evangelical conventions and special prayers to honor Virgin Mary. PrayingKontha (The Holy Rosary) in groups is an important custom during these days.[19] On the day of Marymas, a ceremonial pudding calledPachoru (പാച്ചോറ്) which is made usingmilk,rice andjaggery is prepared in churches and distributed to the devotees in the afternoon as part of the feast celebration.[20] In houses,Theenmura (a festive meal including meat and fish dishes) is prepared.[19]
InGoa, the feast of Mary's Nativity, called theMonti Fest, is a major family celebration, serving as a thanksgiving festival blessing the harvest of new crops, and observed with a festive lunch centered on the blessed grain of the harvest.[21] Showering flowers on a statue of the Virgin Mary is an important custom inKonkan region.[22][23] InMangalore it is the feast of Mary's Nativity, called the "Monthi Fest". On this day every Mangalorean Christian eats pulses and vegetables. The priest blesses a branch of grain which is added to food. Before the feast on 8 September there are nine days ofnovena followed by the offering of flowers on baby Mary's statue.[22][23]
The Bambina, celebrated in traditional Maltese feasts in four localities, those beingNaxxar,Senglea andMellieħa in Malta andXagħra inGozo. Mary is also honored as Our Lady of Victories. Churches are decorated for the occasion with red damask hangings. Depending on the locality, the structure of the feast changes. However, they generally consist of brass band concerts/marches, fireworks and liturgical functions such as a procession with a likeness of the Bambina.[25] AtFort St Angelo, Mass is celebrated at the Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and later, a second Mass at theChapel of St Anne.[24]
The scene was frequently depicted in art, as part of cycles of theLife of the Virgin. Medieval depictions of Mary in infancy often include her birth by Saint Anne. In late medieval depictions the setting was often in a wealthy household.
In 1730, devotion to Mary in her first infancy among the Franciscan nuns inLovere, Italy, where a wax statue of theSantissima Maria Bambina was venerated and later brought to Milan under the care of Sisters of Charity. InSouthern France, the devotion penetrated into the bride gift wedding custom ofGlobe de Marièe, where the baby Mary is placed on the cushion, representing children and fertility as one of the ideal wishes of a newlywed bride.
Mariä Geburt, Spanien, 17. Jh. Museum am Dom, Trier
A similar devotion showcasing the toddler years of Mary began to develop, mainly in former Spanish territories such as Mexico, Guatemala and the Philippines, where theLa Niña María is portrayed as a prepubescent girl.
In 19th-century Mexico, theConceptionists nun Sister Magdalena endorsed a devotion to the infant Virgin, using theCabeza or head of acherub angel from a damagedmonstrance to create aSanto image. Later, Marian visionary, Rosario Arrevillaga, began a religious order devoted to the same Marian title called theOrder of the Slaves of the Immaculate Child.
Pope Benedict XV recognised the Marian image inSenglea, Malta under the Marian title "Our Lady of Victories", crowned by ArchbishopMauro Caruana on 4 September 1921. The image which once adorned a Catholicgalleon wasshipwrecked in 1618 near theDalmatian islands and was rescued to the present town, which also celebrates its feast on 8 September. The state is also widely known asMaria Bambina.[26]
In thePhilippines, pious Catholics adopted the same devotion to the toddler Virgin, dressing her in pastel colours and crowning her with flowers to emphasise her virginity and innocence, as opposed to the traditional diadem reserved for images of adult saints. Similar to Hispanic traditions, candies and cakes are popularly offered in the infant Virgin's honour, emphasizing her honorific title asLa Dulce María or the Sweet Mary. On 27 December 2018, theHouse of Representatives of the Philippines officially approved bill #7856, in honor of the Virgin Mary's birthday for 8 September as a workingholiday. On 13 August 2019,PresidentRodrigo Duterte signedRepublic Act 11370, a law declaring 8 September a special working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Though unrelated, certain places with Marian devotion juxtapose the Feast of Mary's birthdate with their own respective localised images such as the following:
The birth of Mary is narrated in the thirdsura (chapter) of theQur'an with references to her father Imran, after whom the chapter is named, as well as her mother, Hannah. Hannah prayed to God to fulfil her desire to have a child[35] and vowed, if her prayer was accepted, that her child (whom she initially thought would be male) would be dedicated to the service of God (a direct parallel to the Old TestamentHannah, whose mothering of the judge and prophetSamuel followed an identical storyline). She prayed for her child to remain protected fromSatan (Shayṭān) and Muslim tradition records ahadith, which states that the only children born without the "touch of Satan", were Mary andJesus.[36]
^"The Virgin Mary; the feast of her Nativity dates from the 7th cent . The Mary Fair held at Cullen, Bf. is a survival of this festival, with change of date. It was known as Marymas at Ayr, and observed as a holiday at Dundee."[37] Marymas is also spelled asMarymass, with both these words being derived fromMary, the mother of Jesus, as well asMass, the Christian service of worship in which the Eucharist is celebrated.
^Droleskey 2013 states: "Today is one of the greatest feast days in the whole of the liturgical calendar: the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary... Marymas, one of true celebration, starting with Holy Mass itself."
^Shoemaker, Stephen J. (2018).The first Christian hymnal : the songs of the ancient Jerusalem church. Provo, Utah. pp. xiv–xv.ISBN978-1-944394-68-4.OCLC1047578356.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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