The nativity of Mary, also known as the birth of the Virgin Mary, is an event celebrated in Christian tradition. Although the Scriptures do not explicitly describe Mary's birth, several apocryphal writings and oral traditions have helped shape the narrative of this sacred event.
According to Catholic and Orthodox tradition, Mary's parents were Anne and Joachim, pious figures who had long prayed to God to have a child. Their unwavering faith was finally rewarded with the birth of Mary. This child, from her very first breath, was destined to play an exceptional role in the divine plan, for she would become the mother of Jesus, the Saviour of the world.
The nativity of Mary is often celebrated on 8 September in the Catholic liturgical calendar, while the Orthodox Church celebrates it on 21 November. These symbolic dates underline Mary's importance in the divine plan and mark the beginning of her extraordinary journey.
Apocryphal writings, such as the Protevangile of James, offer details of Mary's birth. According to these texts, Anne and Joachim were respectable figures in society, but they suffered from the shame of being childless. One day, an angel appeared to Joachim and announced the birth of a blessed child. Anne also received a similar revelation from an angel. Mary's birth is thus surrounded by divine signs and an aura of holiness.
Mary's life, from the moment of her birth, was consecrated to God. She grew up in an atmosphere of piety and devotion, learning the Scriptures and religious teachings from her Jewish culture. Mary was presented at the Temple in Jerusalem at a young age, where she dedicated her life to the service of God.
The evangelist Luke, in the New Testament, emphasises Mary's crucial role in salvation history. The Annunciation, the event when the archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be the mother of the Son of God, marks a decisive turning point in the biblical narrative. Mary's humble and obedient response, "I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38), demonstrates her deep faith and submission to the divine will.
Mary's nativity is therefore an essential preamble to the story of redemption. Her role as the mother of Jesus, the Christ, places her at the centre of the divine plan for the salvation of humanity. The celebration of her birth is a reminder of God's grace and goodness in choosing a humble woman to be the instrument of His love for the world.
The legacy of Mary's nativity lives on through generations of believers who admire her faith, her holiness and her unique role in fulfilling divine purposes. The Virgin Mary remains a model of devotion and submission to the divine will, a venerated figure in Christianity and beyond. The celebration of her birth is an opportunity to meditate on divine grace and the importance of responding with faith to God's call, just as Mary did millennia ago.
