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Marian feast days facts for kids

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Marian feast days are special days in the Christian calendar. They celebrate and honor Mary, the mother of Jesus. Different Christian groups celebrate these days. The names and dates of these feasts can be different for each group.

History of Marian Feasts

How Marian Feasts Started

The first celebrations honoring Mary grew out of feasts for the birth of Jesus. For example, the "Feast of the Purification" started in the 400s. This feast remembered when Mary was purified after Jesus' birth, as was the custom.

Even though we don't know the exact start of all Marian feasts, Christians honored Mary very early on. By the 400s, a separate feast for Mary began to be celebrated. This was even before the First Council of Ephesus in 431. This council was important because it confirmed Mary's title as Theotokos, meaning "God-bearer" or "Mother of God."

In the 600s and 700s, more Marian feasts were added in the Eastern Church. For instance, the feast of the Dormition and Assumption was set for August 15. The Nativity of Mary (Mary's birthday) also started around this time. In the Western Church, feasts like the Annunciation and Assumption were slowly introduced. By the 1000s, they were celebrated in places like England.

How Feasts Developed Over Time

Over time, the number and types of Marian feasts have changed a lot. They also vary among different Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church generally has more Marian feasts and traditions than other Christian groups.

Some differences come from different beliefs. For example, the Feast of the Assumption is celebrated by some, but not all, Christians. This is because not all agree on what happened to Mary after she died. In the Western Catholic Church, the Assumption is on August 15. Some Eastern Catholics celebrate it as the Dormition of the Mother of God on August 28. The Eastern Orthodox also celebrate the Dormition, which is one of their 12 "Great Feasts."

New feasts continue to be added. For instance, the feast of the Queenship of Mary was created in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. This feast celebrates Mary as Queen of Heaven. Another example is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This feast started after a big victory in a battle in 1571. It is unique to Roman Catholics.

In the Catholic Church

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Marian art often shows Marian feasts. This statue of Our Lady of Sorrows in the Netherlands is dressed for October, the month of the Rosary.

Here are some of the most important Marian feast days in the General Roman Calendar for Catholics:

Days marked in bold are very important celebrations called Solemnities and Feasts. Others are Memorials.

There are also optional Marian memorials:

Many other Marian celebrations happen in different places, but they are not in the main calendar.

In May, many Catholics have special "May devotions" to Mary. These often include singing, readings, and prayers. The rosary is also often prayed during this month. This tradition became popular through the Jesuits and spread widely. Families might even set up a "May Altar" at home with a picture of Mary and flowers.

October is known as "Rosary Month" for Catholics. People are encouraged to pray the rosary. Since 1571, Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, has been honored on October 7. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI said that the rosary helps us focus on Jesus' life. He encouraged everyone to pray it.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic churches also have important Marian feast days:

Feasts in bold are among the twelve "Great Feasts." Other feasts are smaller. Special feast days are also set aside for famous icons of Mary.

In the Oriental Orthodox Church

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, Saint Mary is remembered on the 21st of each Coptic month. This is usually the 30th or 31st of each Gregorian month.

The Syriac Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Mary on 8 major feast days:

The Malankara Orthodox Church also commemorates Saint Mary on these feast days:

In the Anglican Communion

In the Anglican Communion, different Marian feasts may be observed. However, practices can vary a lot between different regions.

In Lutheranism

Lutherans focus more on Jesus. Because of this, they tend to put less emphasis on Mary. However, many traditional Marian feast days from the Middle Ages are still kept. Some Lutherans do not use the title "Blessed Virgin Mary" for feasts. This is due to different beliefs about Mary's perpetual virginity. Still, many Lutherans do keep the title and the observances.

Here are some Marian festivals celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar:

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