Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God
đź•€ Monday, September 8, 2025
Holy Day of Obligation | Feast of the Mother of God
The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos—celebrated each year on September 8—marks the first great feast of the liturgical year in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC). It honors the birth of the Virgin Mary, the one through whom salvation would enter the world. Her nativity is not recorded in Scripture but is preserved through the ancient Sacred Tradition of the Church.
The feast is a Holy Day of Obligation, meaning all faithful are expected to attend Divine Liturgy in honor of Mary, the Mother of God, whose birth signals hope, renewal, and the beginning of the divine plan for human redemption.
The birth of Mary to Saints Joachim and Anna, a devout but elderly couple once thought barren, is more than the story of a longed-for child—it is a turning point in salvation history. The Troparion beautifully proclaims:
“Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,
has made joy known to all the world,
for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.”
Her coming into the world prepared the way for the Incarnation of the Word, through whom God would “abolish the curse” and “bestow on us eternal life.”
The Kontakion echoes this miraculous joy:
“By your birth, O immaculate one,
Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness,
and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death.”
Her birth is celebrated not only as a gift to her parents, but as a gift to all creation, restoring hope to a fallen humanity.
Though the Gospel of the day (Luke 10:38–42; 11:27–28) does not describe Mary’s birth, it reflects her deepest identity as the one who hears and obeys the word of God:
“Blessed is the womb that bore you…
Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
(Luke 11:27–28)
This passage underscores that Mary’s true greatness lies not only in giving birth to Christ, but in her perfect obedience to the will of God. She is the model disciple, the new Eve who reverses the disobedience of the first.
“Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,
has made joy known to all the world…”
This hymn expresses the cosmic joy of Mary’s birth, which prepares the way for the “Sun of Righteousness”—Jesus Christ.
“Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness…
The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God…”
It praises God’s miraculous intervention in the lives of Joachim and Anna, echoing biblical stories like those of Sarah and Hannah.
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.”
(Luke 1:46–47)
“Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear.”
(Psalm 44:11)
These verses link Mary’s nativity with the Magnificat and with Old Testament prophecies of the Queen who stands at the King’s right hand.
The Epistle reminds us of the humility of Christ, who, though divine, took on flesh—flesh that He received from Mary. Her fiat (Luke 1:38) made His self-emptying possible.
“Though He was in the form of God…
He humbled Himself… even to death on a cross.”
Mary’s birth leads directly to the Cross, which leads to Resurrection.
“O my soul, magnify the Virgin Mary, born from a barren womb.”
“Virginity is alien to mothers,
and childbearing is foreign to virgins;
yet in you, O Mother of God, both came together.”
This powerful Irmos speaks of the mystery of Mary’s person: her miraculous birth and later virginal motherhood are signs of God’s intervention in nature, making the impossible real for the sake of our salvation.
In the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, this feast is rich in symbolism and celebration. While it is not accompanied by special blessings of fruit or flowers as in some other Marian feasts, it is observed with great joy and reverence:
Festal Divine Liturgy with full Marian hymns.
Processions or icons of the Nativity of Mary displayed prominently in churches.
Emphasis on family and fertility, recalling Joachim and Anna’s long-awaited child.
Traditionally, many families may light candles or say prayers for couples struggling with infertility, inspired by the miracle of Mary’s birth.
“I will take the cup of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.”
(Psalm 115:13)
As we receive Holy Communion on this great feast, we unite ourselves with the grace-filled story of Mary’s life and offer our lives in thanksgiving and obedience, just as she did.
The Nativity of the Theotokos is not only a celebration of Mary—it is a celebration of God’s mercy and plan unfolding in time. Her birth brings to light the first sign of salvation, a radiant promise that redemption is near.
Let us join the chorus of the faithful throughout the centuries, singing with joy:
“Today is the beginning of our salvation!”
O Most Holy Mother of God,
You were born of righteous parents,
you became the living Temple of the Lord.
On your holy birthday, intercede for us,
that we may also be made vessels of grace,
obedient and faithful to the will of your Son. Amen.
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
