Immaculate Conception, Marian feast on December 8
Marian Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, December 8
On December 8, beginning the Advent season , as every year, we celebrate the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception , also known as the Immaculate Conception .
The day of the Immaculate Conception is a date of great tradition throughout Spain and in many other countries. On this Marian feast, priests often wear Marian catholic articles during liturgical celebrations. In the year 2015, the celebration was made more special because it marked the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Year 2015 .
The second week of December is a time of great importance in terms of Marian celebrations. In addition to the day of the Immaculate Conception, we also celebrate the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Date of great importance in Mexico and throughout Latin America.
Immaculate Conception , the dogma
In our days, some people still think that the Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Jesus, the moment in which the life of our Savior Jesus Christ begins. This is a fairly widespread misconception. Actually the Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of the Virgin Mary in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. We must not confuse the dogmatic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception with the doctrine of the virginal conception of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary only with the power of the Holy Spirit, without the help of man.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception recognizes that the Virgin Mary, unlike other human beings as the future mother of Christ, was not affected by original sin but, from the first moment of her conception, was free from all sin, all stain or effect of original sin, "...was preserved from all stain of original sin..." , as the Preface of the Mass tells us, "the Virgin must have been most pure to give us the innocent Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.".
Any human being is conceived at the moment his immortal soul is breathed into his mortal body. Our Mother, the Virgin Mary , from this first moment was granted sanctifying grace before sin could blacken her soul, giving her a state of innocence, justice and original holiness, and excluding all weaknesses, especially those derived from sin. original.
All men and women, as children of Adam and Eve, are tainted by original sin from the very moment of our conception. At the very moment that our soul comes into contact with our body, in the womb of our mothers, we are touched by sin. This stain is removed by Baptism, unlike the Virgin Mary who was conceived free from all sin.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception is summed up in the expression "full of grace" (Gratia Plena) that we pronounce every time we recite the Hail Mary. We can also see this expression in the greeting with which the Archangel Gabriel presents himself to the Virgin Mary at the moment of the Annunciation:
"1:28 The Angel entered her house and greeted her, saying: "Rejoice! full of grace, the Lord is with you".
1:29 Hearing these words, she was taken aback and wondered what that greeting could mean."
Gospel according to Saint Luke
Immaculate Conception, the celebration of the festival
The day of the Immaculate Conception has been celebrated in Spain on December 8 (nine months before September 8, the day of the birth of the Virgin Mary or the Nativity of Mary ) since 1644, when it was declared a feast to keep in the kingdoms of his Catholic Majesty.
In the year 1708, Pope Clement XI declared the day of the Immaculate Conception a feast to be observed by the entire Church. In the year 1858, the Holy See will finally accept the dogma of the Immaculate Conception as it had been defended by the Spanish state and kings for more than two hundred years. For this reason, priests are given the privilege of wearing the blue chasuble in these celebrations.
Within the pieces of religious imagery for sale in our online store, the religious images of the Immaculate Conception are one of the most beloved, and the day of the Immaculate Conception one of the most celebrated holidays.