Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
January 1, 2025
The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ, whom she had circumcised on the eighth day after his birth according to Levitical Law. Christians see him as the Lord and Son of God.
It is celebrated by the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church on January 1st, the Octave (8th) day of Christmas. This solemnity is a Holy Day of Obligation in areas that have not abrogated it. Christians of Byzantine, West Syriac, and East Syriac Rites celebrate Mary as the Mother of God on December 26 (also known as the Synaxis of the Theotokos), while the Coptic Church (an Oriental Orthodox church) does so on January 16.
In the Western Rite Vicariate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church there is a feast of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary on October 11th.
