When is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2021

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the twelve, that is, the twelve most significant holidays after Easter. If you know in advance when this date is celebrated among the Orthodox in 2021, you can decide on the dishes for the festive table.

history of the holiday

The first mention of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos dates back to the 5th century. In the Gospel there is a story about the spouses from Nazareth Joachim and Anna, who, having lived to old age, were never able to give birth to children. They constantly prayed to the Lord to send them a child.

In those days, Jews who remained childless were considered great sinners, punished by the lack of procreation, since everyone hoped to get into the kingdom of the Lord through their children.

Once at Joachim's temple, the high priest did not accept the gifts due to the fact that he did not have offspring, after which he, weeping and grieving, went into the wilderness. Anna, who also heard how the high priest refused to accept the gifts to her husband, went out into the garden and sat for a long time in sorrow under a tree, looking at the birds in the nest, because they had chicks, but she did not.

Then the archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she would be able to conceive and give birth to a daughter named Mary, through whom all the peoples of the earth would have the blessing of God. At the same time, an angel appeared to Joachim in the wilderness with the news that the Lord would grant grace to the spouses through their prayers.

Joachim, at the word of the angel, went to Jerusalem, where he met Anna in the temple and, having prayed, returned home with her. In due time, daughter Mary was born, sent to two childless people for their patience, love and immeasurable faith. Happy parents, who brought generous sacrifices and gifts to the temple, received the blessing of the high priest, as well as everyone around.

In church canons, Joachim and Anna, from whose daughter the Savior was born, are called the Godfathers.

What date will the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary be in 2021

Congratulating each other on the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, Orthodox Christians pray for deliverance from the burden of the soul, just as Joachim and Anna were able to get rid of infertility with their prayers. It is necessary not only to praise the holidays and deeds, but also to try not to offend the Lord.

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated annually on September 21 in a new style. The celebration itself lasts 6 days and takes place from September 20 to 25, including the periods of the forefeast and afterfeast. According to church canons, the date of the holiday is set exactly 9 months after the celebration of the Conception of St. Anna, which the Orthodox celebrate on December 22.

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How the Orthodox celebrate

September is the first month of autumn, when the harvest takes place, field work ends. The villagers thank the Mother of God for the bountiful harvest and pray for her help next year.

September falls into the interval between two fasts - Uspensky and Rozhdestvensky, which is called "autumn meat-eater", so meat is allowed in the meal to prepare the body for the onset of winter. And also during the autumn meat-eater, weddings are traditionally held.

Traditions for Christmas of the Most Holy Lady of our Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

On this holiday, women performed many rituals and ceremonies:

1. At dawn on September 21, women came to the river in order to have time to wash themselves with river water before sunrise, believing that in this way beauty will be preserved until old age.
2. Children on the doorstep were doused with water so that they would grow up healthy.
3. The newlyweds invited their parents to visit, who on this day were supposed to teach the newlyweds how to properly manage the household. The young wife baked a cake for the guests. If he burned, the spouse was given a whip so that he would punish his wife for poorly cooked food and show himself to be a good master. If the guests liked everything, then at the end of the holiday they gave gifts to the young.
4. Women traditionally visited the temple and always lit a candle to the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
5. Childless women, dreaming of offspring, ordered a service in the church, after which they called the beggars for dinner so that the Mother of God would pray for them.
6. According to legend, on September 21, the deadline for collecting herbs for the preparation of a love potion, which was poured to the guys in order to make them fall in love, came to an end. The girls collected herbs starting from August 28, the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin.

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In ancient times, for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the hostesses baked special loaves, which had to be kept in the red corner, next to the icons. In the event of a black day or a serious illness of any of the family members, each had to take a bite and eat a bite.

During lunch on Christmas Day, all family members thanked the Most Holy Theotokos for a good harvest and asked for a worthy one next year. Therefore, it is worth finding out in advance when the Orthodox holiday is celebrating in 2021 in order to properly prepare for it.

Outcomes

1. The great feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos has a history dating back centuries.
2. It is important to observe the rituals and not forget the traditions, because on this day you can get together with the whole family, talk at the festive table.