Feast of the Immaculate Conception in United Kingdom

Some Christian churches in the United Kingdom annually observe the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8.

Various statues and other forms of artwork on the Immaculate Conception often feature the Virgin Mary as a young woman. ©iStockphoto.com/Gijs van Ouwerkerk

What do people do?

Some Catholics in the United Kingdom attend special church services to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. They may recite special prayers, such as the Immaculata, or sing hymns such as Immaculate Mary. Some Catholics also recite a Novena in the days leading up to the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A Novena is a series of prayers made over a period of nine days.

Public life

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom.

Background

Some Christians believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was conceived immaculately. This means without sin. The concept of the Immaculate Conception can be traced back to the earliest days of Christianity. The exact role that it should play in Christianity remained unclear for many centuries.

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. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception has been officially celebrated by the Catholic Church each year since 1854. The Immaculate Conception should not be confused with the virginal conception of Jesus Christ.

Symbols

Many paintings, statues and other artworks have been made depicting the Immaculate Conception. They usually show Mary as a young woman dressed in white and blue. She is often standing on a hill or raised area and has a halo of stars around her head. The pieces of art may also include images of clouds, golden lights, cherubs, lilies or roses.

About Feast of the Immaculate Conception in other countries

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Observances

Other holidays in December 2012 in United Kingdom

• 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