Lives Of The Saints
September 8
The Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary's birth is the dawn before the coming of Christ. The Church rejoices because the Mother prepared for the Redeemer has entered the world and salvation has drawn nearer.
The Nativity of the Virgin, Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen
Brief life
The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the dawn before the coming of Christ. The Church rejoices because the Mother prepared for the Redeemer has entered the world, and the promises of salvation have drawn visibly nearer. Nine months after the feast of her Immaculate Conception, Mary's nativity reveals in time the hidden work of grace already begun in her.
Scripture does not record the circumstances of Mary's birth, and the Church does not pretend to know every detail of her infancy. The feast looks instead to the mystery itself: God prepared a holy mother for His Son, and her quiet beginning belongs to the unfolding of redemption. Long celebrated in both East and West, the Nativity of Mary teaches Christians to give thanks for grace before its full fruit can yet be seen.
Historical note
Scripture does not record the circumstances of Mary's birth; the feast centers on her place in salvation history rather than uncertain details of infancy.
Next step
Litany of Loreto
Pray the traditional litany associated with this saint.
Keep reading
Nearby saint lives
Move through the calendar without leaving the saint library. These nearby feast-day lives help keep the reading trail connected.
Pray with this saint
Carry this saint into prayer
If this life stirred a particular need, keep going with the closest prayer links in the library.
Related litany
Litany of Loreto
Pray the full traditional litany connected to this saint or feast.
Open the litany
Related novena
Novena for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Renunciation of the world, purity, fidelity to grace, and deeper conformity to the early dispositions of Our Lady.
Open the novena