The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, September 8th is the Nativity of Our Lady. Mary was born to a deeply Holy couple, Joachim and Anne, in Nazareth, a small village in Galilee. They were advanced in years and had been immensely saddened by their childlessness. In this way, Mary’s birth, like that of St. John the Baptist’s, was essentially miraculous. Preserved by God from the stain of original sin Mary’s conception was Immaculate and she would remain Immaculate for her entire existence. Only in this way could the perfect Son of God be held in her womb.

The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the three births celebrated in the liturgical year: The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas), the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, and the Nativity of the Mother of God. These three figures are distinctly honoured and uniquely connected to the Incarnation and Redemption.

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception This elegant statue of the Immaculate Conception helps us to envision Mary’s purity, which was bestowed upon her by God from the moment she was conceived. Because of this purity, Mary was able to be in union with God, making her the perfect vessel for her Son, Christ Our Lord. Pope Pius IX defined the Immaculate Conception of Mary as a dogma of the Church in 1854.	Our Lady of Grace Traditionally portrayed as striking down the demon, Our Lady of Grace is a representation of the Virgin Mary and her powerful protection. This wood statue is 8" high with two color choices, hand-sculpted by the monastery nuns in France.	Our Lady of Lourdes This statue of Our Lady of Lourdes recalls the Blessed Virgin’s apparitions to St. Bernadette in 1858, in a grotto in Lourdes, France.  Our Lady instructed Bernadette to dig in the ground nearby, from which came a healing spring that is active to this day. This monastic hand-sculpted wood statue is 10 ½”.