The Nativity of the Blessed Lady of our Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary — is an important church holiday; in Orthodoxy it is one of the twelfths and is celebrated on September 21.
The holiday was established by the Church in the 4th century. Tradition told us about the circumstances surrounding this event.
In the small Galilean city of Nazareth lived an elderly married couple — Joachim and Anna. Both spouses were righteous and pious. The holy spouses Joachim and Anna were childless for a long time and cried that they had no children. One day, on a big holiday, Joachim brought gifts to the Lord God to the Jerusalem Temple. But the priest did not want to accept Joachim's gifts because he was childless and the children were considered God's blessing.
Meanwhile, his wife, who was at home, also heard that the high priest in the temple refused to accept their gifts due to childlessness. She also learned that her husband, grieving and crying, went into the desert, and she herself cried. Anna went to her garden, sat down under a laurel tree, sighed and, looking at the sky with eyes full of tears, noticed above, on a tree, a nest in which small chicks were squeaking. «Even birds have children, but we don’t have such consolation in old age», — thought Anna.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to her. He said: «You will conceive and give birth to a Blessed Daughter above all. Through Her, God's blessing and all earthly nations will receive. Through Her, Salvation will be given to all people. Her name will be Maria».
At the same time, an angel appeared in the desert to Joachim. He said: «Joakim! God has heard your prayer, and He is pleased to bestow His grace on you. Your wife Anna will conceive and give birth to you a Daughter who will be a joy for the whole world. Here is a sign to you that I am telling you the truth: go to the temple in Jerusalem, and there, at the Golden Gate, you will find your wife Anna, to whom I told the same».
Surprised by Joachim, thanks to the whole heart of God, he happily hastily went to Jerusalem, to the temple. There, as the angel told him, he saw Anna praying to God at the Golden Gate and told her about the angel. She also told her husband about everything she had seen and heard about the birth of her Daughter. After praying to the Lord and bowing to Him in the temple, the couple returned home.
Nine months later, Anna had a Daughter, the purest and most blessed. Above all that was ever created is the beginning of our salvation, our intercessor before God. Heaven and earth rejoiced at Her Nativity. On the occasion of Her birth, Joachim offered great gifts and sacrifices to God, received the blessing of the high priest, priests and all people for being honored with the blessing of God. Then he held a big feast in his house, and everyone had fun and glorified God.
The Holy Church rightly calls Joachim and Anna the Fathers of God, because Jesus Christ was born from their Blessed Daughter the Virgin Mary.
The Catholic Church celebrates the Nativity of the Mother of God on September 8th.
Infographics – poster «September 21 — Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary»