Marian feast days

Although there are references to specific Marian feasts introduced into the liturgies in later centuries, there are indications that Christians celebrated Mary very early on.

Wherefore, since the greatness of the panegyric required completely puts to shame our limited powers, let us betake ourselves to that hymn which is not beyond our faculties, and boasting in our own unalterable defeat, let us join the rejoicing chorus of Christ’s flock, who are keeping holy-day ... We keep festival, not according to the vain customs of the Greek mythology; we keep a feast which brings with it no ridiculous or frenzied banqueting of the gods, but which teaches us the wondrous condescension to us men of the awful glory of Him who is God over all ... Do thou, therefore, O lover of this festival ...[2]A separate feast for Mary, connected with the Christmastide, originated in the 5th century, even perhaps before the First Council of Ephesus of 431.

It seems certain that the sermon by Proclus before Nestorius (the Archbishop of Constantinople whose Nestorianism rejected the title of Theotokos) which began the controversy that led to the council was about a feast for the Virgin Mary.

The four Roman Marian feasts of Purification, Annunciation, Assumption and Nativity of Mary were gradually and sporadically introduced into England and by the 11th century were being celebrated there.

[1] Over time, the number and nature of feasts (and the associated Titles of Mary) and the venerative practices that accompany them have varied a great deal among diverse Christian traditions.

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of Dormition not on a fixed date, but on the Sunday nearest 15 August.

Since 1571, the Festum Beatae Mariae Virginis a Rosario (Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary), is celebrated on October 7.

[15] In 2005 Pope Benedict XVI stated: The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, the unique contemplative prayer through which, guided by the Lord's Heavenly Mother, we fix our gaze on the face of the Redeemer in order to be conformed to his joyful, light-filled, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.

I invite you to reread his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae and to put into practice its directions on the personal, family and community levels.

Protection of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary in Russian Church is treated as twelve Great Feasts.

In the Syriac Orthodox rite St. Mary is commemorated on the following 8 Major feast days: In the Malankara Orthodox church St. Mary is commemorated on the following feast days: In calendars throughout the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglican churches, the following Marian feasts may be observed, although the practice of different provinces varies widely:[18] Lutherans tend to de-emphasize the importance of Mary out of respect for the centrality of Jesus, yet many or all of the traditional medieval Marian days are retained.