Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Australia

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a Christian observance, particularly among the Catholic community, in Australia on December 8 each year.

An image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a young woman. ©iStockphoto.com/RedletterW

What do people do?

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a widely observed event among the Catholic community in Australia. Many churches hold special services (or masses) to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on or close to December 8. The feast focuses on the concept that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin. Special prayers are also made as part of the feast. Some churches hold special anniversaries or events to coincide with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Many church-run schools teach their students about the observance and its meaning around this time of the year. Some people write feature articles about the observance in Catholic publications, both in print and online.

Public life

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is an observance among many Christian churches but it is not a nationwide public holiday in Australia.

Background

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception centers on the belief that Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary, was conceived without sin. Pope Pius IX issued an apostolic constitution, known as the Ineffabilis Deus, on December 8, 1854. This document clarified the importance of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic Church.  

Some churches in Australia were officially opened on December 8 to coincide with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the past. For example, St Mary’s Cathedral, in Perth, was officially opened after renovations on December 8, 2009, to coincide with the feast. 

Symbols

Various paintings, statues and other forms of artwork have been made depicting the Immaculate Conception. Images of the Virgin Mary are shown in many of these artworks. Some churches and church-run schools in Australia are named in honor of the Immaculate Conception.

About Feast of the Immaculate Conception in other countries

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Observances

Other holidays in December 2012 in Australia

• First Sunday of Advent ―Sunday, December 2, 2012
• First Day of Chanukah ―Sunday, December 9, 2012
• Last day of Chanukah ―Sunday, December 16, 2012
• December Solstice ―Friday, December 21, 2012
• Christmas Eve ―Monday, December 24, 2012
• Christmas Day ―Tuesday, December 25, 2012
• Boxing Day ―Wednesday, December 26, 2012
• New Year's Eve ―Monday, December 31, 2012