Bulgarian Orthodox Church Celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Nativity of the Virgin Mary is one of the most important feasts of the Orthodox Church. On September 8, the Church celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary—the Mother of Jesus Christ. Festive Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom are celebrated in churches across the country.

Mary was born in Nazareth to the righteous Joachim and Anna, who had been childless for many years. They were devout and charitable people, but their inability to have children was a source of great pain. In their prayers, they promised that if God blessed them with a child, they would dedicate the child to His service.

After many years of prayer, an Angel of the Lord announced to Anna that she would give birth to a daughter who would be a blessing to the whole world. Joachim received the same promise. Nine months after her conception, on 8 September, Mary was born.

When she was three years old, her parents fulfilled their promise and took her to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to tradition, the young Mary climbed the steps of the Temple herself and remained there, dedicated to God.

Joachim and Anna are venerated by the Church as the ancestors of God. Their feast day is celebrated tomorrow, 9 September, and their example is associated with hope, prayer and faith that God’s providence is fulfilled even in the most difficult moments.

The feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos carries a message of joy, hope and salvation. In the Orthodox tradition, the birth of the Virgin Mary is seen as the beginning of the path through which Christ – the “Sun of Righteousness” – would come into the world, bringing salvation to humanity, blessing and eternal life.