Christmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2024: new date, prohibitions and traditions of the holiday

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Christmas of the Most Holy Theotokos (Druha Prechista) is a church holiday in honor of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. After the transition to the new church calendar, the date of the holiday has changed.

New date and history of the holiday

Previously, the holiday was celebrated on September 21. However, from September 1, 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine switched to a new church calendar, and now the great holiday falls on September 8.

The Christmas of the Most Holy Theotokos is dedicated to the birth of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth from the righteous parents Joachim (from the royal family) and Anna (from the bishop family). They prayed to God for a long time about the child and promised to devote it to the service of God. When the wish came true, Joachim and Anna named their daughter Mary, as the angel instructed.

The holiday was established in the 4th century, when Princess Olga built a church in honor of the birth of the Mother of God. This day symbolizes the beginning of the great mystery of the incarnation and salvation of mankind. This is a joyful holiday, because God gave the world a person who became the object of many people's prayers. The Virgin praises God for wisdom and mercy, even in spite of her suffering.

Customs and traditions

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, or the “Second Most Pure”, is considered a purely female holiday. In the old days, women washed themselves with spring water early in the morning. They believed that this would help preserve their beauty until old age. Children, for the sake of good health, were doused with cold water at the doorstep.

From the very morning it is customary to attend divine services and pray to the Mother of God, asking her for help. If it is not possible to go to the temple, the prayer can be read at home. Pregnant women prayed for an easy delivery and the health of the child, while childless women waited for a blessing for the birth of children.

After dinner, the whole family gathered around the festive table, celebrating the holiday. Traditionally, fish dishes, baked meat, borscht with pork or poultry, dumplings with cheese, cabbage rolls and pies were served. The guests were also treated to seasonal vegetables, pumpkin and compotes.

On this day, the harvest also ended, and after the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, it was allowed to send suitors to girls.

What not to do on the Mother of God's Christmas

On the holiday of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God, there are certain prohibitions that should be observed:

• Avoid hard work. On this day, you cannot engage in heavy physical work, it is considered ungrateful for the blessings of the Mother of God.
• Keep calm. You can't swear, fight or insult others. This is considered a violation of the peaceful and blessed nature of the holiday.
• Do not sweep crumbs on the floor. You should not wipe the festive table, eat meat and drink alcohol. This is perceived as a sign of dishonesty and greed.
• Pay attention to cleanliness. You should not wear old or dirty shoes, because this is considered disrespectful to the holiday and to the Mother of God.

< li> Follow traditions. Parents are not recommended to bathe their child on this day. This will be dangerous for the health of the baby, as well as a violation of the tradition of bathing a child only on the day of its baptism.

• Share bread only with relatives. You should not share bread with strangers, do it's only with loved ones. This emphasizes family cohesion and respect for the holiday.

The Christmas of the Holy Mother of God gives an opportunity to find inner peace and strengthen family ties.