Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Date in the current year: September 8, 2024

The Nativity of Mary is one of the few birth feasts observed the by the Roman Catholic Church. The celebration dates back to the 6th century, when a basilica dedicated to the parents of the Virgin mary, later replaced by the Church of Saint Anne, was concecrated in Jerusalem. The Byzantines celebrated it as the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, Marymas is celebrated by most Christian churches.

In some countries, the feast has long-standing folk traditions. In France, for example, it is referred to as Our Lady of the Grape Harvest. This day is very important for French winemakers. They would bring the best grapes to their local church to be blessed there and then attach some bunches to the hands of the statue of the Virgin Mary. The day ends with a festival that includes a meal with newly harvested grapes. In the Indian state of Kerala, which has a predominantly Christian population, the Nativity of Mary is a major celebation observed for eight days.