The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In Nativitate Beatae Mariae Virginis
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Mary, the Birth of the Virgin Mary, or Marymas refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus.
The modern Biblical canon does not record Mary's birth. The earliest known account of Mary's birth is found in the Gospel of James (5:2), an apocryphal text from the late second century, with her parents known as Saint Anne and Saint Joachim.
In the case of saints, the Church commemorates their date of death, with Saint John 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 in salvation history, but traditionally also because these alone were holy in their very birth (for Mary, see Immaculate Conception; John was sanctified in Saint Elizabeth's womb according to the traditional interpretation of Luke 1:15).
Next
Readings at Mass
Every year
- Reading
- Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30
- Gospel Acclamation
- Not available here
- Gospel
- Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 or Mt 1:18-23