Mother Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

St. Mary The Mother of God

                   St Mary has a unique importance and role among the saints venerated by the Christian churches. She is identified as the mother of Jesus through divine intervention.

                    She conceived her son miraculously by the command of god. This took place when she was already bethrothed to Joseph and was awaiting the concluding rite of marriage, the formal home taking ceremony. She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. It is believed that an angel visited her and told her that Holy Spirit would come on her, she would become pregnant and give birth to a child who will be called 'the Son of God'. Though this announcement caused great awe to the young virgin, she submitted herself to the will of God by saying 'I'm the Lord's servant.May it happen to me as you have said".

                   Despite being the Mother of God, Mary's life was not a bed of roses. She faced humiliation from the society for giving birth to a child without a marital relationship. She had to gone through severe painful experiences as she witnessed the sufferings of her son. Before dying on the cross, Jesus told to St John, the Apostle "here's your mother" (St John 19:27) and thus gave the responsibility of taking care of her to him.Thus we regard this as a command given to the Church and consider St Mary as the first among saints.

                   Due to her humility and piety Mary was chosen by the God to be the mother of Christ, the second of the Holy inity. She became the cause of redemption for the entire humanity. She was instrumental in the great plan of God to save the world. Sin entered this world through the first woman Eve and now deliverance has also come through the second Eve, St Mary. The curse that God said to snake in the Garden of Eden-Woman's offspring will crush your head-fulfilled in St Mary as her offspring Jesus crushed the head of Satan through His self sacrifice and resurrection.

Feasts of St Mary

                   The Feast of Assumption of St Mary (Vaangipu perunnaal) Is celebrated on 15th August. As per the tradition, when St Mary's earthly life ended, her body was taken to the heaven by angels. This belief is known as the Dormition of the Theotokos by the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen by as the symbol of the promise made by Jesus to all enduring Christians that they too will be received into paradise. It's a day to remind us how humility and piety can reward such a way that an ordinary girl could become the Mother of God and respected by generations.

                   The Feast of Nativity of St Mary ( Ettunombu ) Is celebrated on 8th September commemorating the birth of the Virgin Mary. This Feast provides us with an occasion to praise and thank God for the honour of the personal sanctity and vocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus. The Nativity of Mary is an important feast in the church because it is ordained in a particular way toward her mission as Mother of the Saviour.

                   Her existence is indissolubly connected with that of Christ: it partakes of a unique plan of predestination and grace. God's mysterious plan regarding the incarnation of the Word embraces also the Virgin who is His Mother. In this way, the Birth of Mary is inserted at the very heart of the History of Salvation. The theme of joy pervades throughout this Feast day liturgy. There is the joy in the birth of the mother of the saviour as there will be joy in the birth of the saviour himself. The birth of Mary is ordained in particular toward her mission as Mother of the Saviour. People of other denominations and religions also participate in this feast.

                   Mary was born immaculate without any stain of sin. Mary, who is prepared by divine providence to be the Mother of Jesus the son of God, is conceived in the womb of her mother Anna, her father being Joachim. In the church her birth is considered as a solemn event and is described as "the hope of the entire world and the dawn of salvation". That is why the Liturgy of the day says: "Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Virgin Mary, of who was born the Sun of Justice. Her birth constitutes the hope and the light of salvation for the whole world. Her image is light for the whole Christian people".

                   This Feast of the nativity of Mary provides us with an occasion for praise and thanksgiving in honour of the personal sanctity and vocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of Jesus. "Let us celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary; let us adore Her Son, Christ Our Lord." Such is the invitation offered to us by the Church on this feast of our Lady. Let us hearken to her call; let us enter her overflowing joy. Let us understand the Church, when, even on this day, She proclaims the Divine Maternity and unites in Her chants of praise the birth of Emmanuel and of Mary, our Mother of love and of holy hope. He who, being Son of God by essence willed to be also Son of man, had, before all other designs, decreed that He would have a Mother. Such consequently, was the character of that title of Mother, that, in the eternal decree, it was one with the very being of the chosen creature, the motive and cause of her existence, as well as the source of all her perfections, natural and supernatural. We too, then, must recognize Mary as our Mother and the mother of Jesus and celebrate the birthday by honouring our Lord.