Mother Mary's actual birthday?

  

The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on a traditionally fixed date: September 8th, exactly nine months after the Immaculate Conception on December 8th.

Mother Mary's birth holds immense significance as she gave birth to Lord Jesus and in Christian's Literature it is described as "the hope of the entire world and the dawn of salvation" (Ref. Pope Paul VI, *Marialis Cultus* issued on 2nd February 1974).

(Icon of the enthroned Virgin and Child with saints and angels, and the Hand of God above, 6th century, Saint Catherine's Monastery, perhaps the earliest iconic image of the subject to survive.)

*FAQ* -

Is September 8th, Mother Mary’s actual birthday⁉️

Mother Mary’s birth is not recorded in scripture but is found in the Protevangelium of James, an apocryphal writing from the 2nd century. The Church celebrates Mother Mary’s birth from the Sixth Century onwards. But what is the exact day she was born? We don’t know the birthday of Mother Mary with 100% precision. The Eastern Church selected a September date because it begins its Church year with September. September 8th helped to determine the date for the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. So, September 8th is not the actual birthday of Mother Mary but chosen for veneration.

Prof Sudesh Kumar

👁️‍🗨️ sudeshkumar.com