Tuesday 25 March 2014

The Annunciation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary. Feast Day 25 March.


Roman Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.


File:Paolo de Matteis - The Annunciation.jpg

The Annunciation.
Date: 1712.
Current location: Saint Louis Art Museum,
Missouri, United States of America.
(Wikimedia Commons)




The Annunciation (Anglicised from the Latin Vulgate, Luke 1:26-39, Annuntiatio nativitatis Christi), also referred to as The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or The Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and become the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God, marking His Incarnation.

Gabriel told Mary to name her Son, Jesus, meaning "Saviour". Many Christians observe this event with the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, nine full months before Christmas, the ceremonial birthday of Jesus. According to Luke 1:26,, The Annunciation occurred "in the sixth month" of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the BaptistIrenaeus (circa 130 A.D. - 202 A.D.), of Lyon, regarded the conception of Jesus as 25 March, coinciding with The Passion.



Our Lady of Ushaw,
Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


Approximating the Northern Vernal Equinox, the date of The Annunciation also marked the New Year in many places, including England, where it is called Lady Day. Both the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church hold that The Annunciation took place at Nazareth, but differ as to the precise location. The Basilica of The Annunciation marks the site preferred by the former, while the Greek Orthodox Church of The Annunciation marks that preferred by the latter.

The Annunciation has been a key topic in Christian art, in general, as well as in Marian art in the Catholic Church, particularly during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.






The following Text is taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal.

The Annunciation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary.
Feast Day 25 March.

Double of the First-Class.

White Vestments.

This Feast, prepared by that of Saint Gabriel, recalls the greatest event in history, the Incarnation of Our Lord (Gospel) in the womb of a Virgin (Epistle). On this day, the Word was made flesh, and united to itself for ever the humanity of Jesus.

25 March is, indeed, the anniversary of the Ordination of Christ as Priest, for it is by the anointing of the Divinity that He has become Supreme Pontiff, Mediator between God and man.




English: L'Innocence.
Français : L'Innocence.
Русский: "Невинность", картина Виллиама Бугро.
И маленький ребёнок, и ягнёнок — символы невинности.
Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).
Date: 1893.
Source/Photographer: http://www.illusionsgallery.com.
(Wikimedia Commons)



The Mystery of the Incarnation has earned for Mary her most glorious title, that of "Mother of God" (Collect), in Greek "Theotokos", a name which the Eastern Church always inscribed in letters of gold, like a diadem, on the forehead of her images and statues.

"Standing on the threshold of Divinity" [Saint Thomas], since she gave to the Word of God the flesh to which He was hypostatically united, the Virgin has always been honoured by a super-eminent worship, that of hyperdulia.


File:Bouguereau The Virgin With Angels.jpg

"The Virgin With Angels".
Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).
Date: 1900.
Current location: Petit Palais, Paris.
Source/Photographer: Art Renewal Center image.
Copied from the English Wikipedia to Commons.
(Wikimedia Commons)


"The Son of the Father and the Son of the Virgin naturally became a single and identical Son", says Saint Anselm; hence, Mary is Queen of the human race and is to be Venerated by all (Introit).

To 25 March will correspond, nine months later, 25 December, the day on which will be manifested to the world the Miracle as yet only known to Heaven and to the humble Virgin.

Since the title of Mother of God makes Mary all powerful with her Son, let us have recourse to her intercession with Him (Collect), so that, by the merits of His Passion and Crucifixion, we may have a part in the glory of His Resurrection (Postcommunion).

Every Parish Priest celebrates Mass for the people of his Parish.


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