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<\/a><\/p>\nBirth of Mary<\/p>\n
On Our Lady\u2019s birthday the Church celebrates the first dawning of redemption with the appearance in the world of the Savior\u2019s mother, Mary. The Blessed Virgin occupies a unique place in the history of salvation, and she has the highest mission ever commended to any creature. We rejoice that the Mother of God is our Mother, too. Let us often call upon the Blessed Virgin as \u201cCause of our joy\u201d, one of the most beautiful titles in her litany.<\/p>\n
Since September 8 marks the end of summer and beginning of fall, this day has many thanksgiving celebrations and customs attached to it. In the Old Roman Ritual there is a blessing of the summer harvest and fall planting seeds for this day. <\/p>\n
The winegrowers in France called this feast \u201cOur Lady of the Grape Harvest\u201d. The best grapes are brought to the local church to be blessed and then some bunches are attached to hands of the statue of Mary. A festive meal which includes the new grapes is part of this day.<\/p>\n
In the Alps section of Austria this day is \u201cDrive-Down Day\u201d during which the cattle and sheep are led from their summer pastures in the slopes and brought to their winter quarters in the valleys. This was usually a large caravan, with all the finery, decorations, and festivity. In some parts of Austria, milk from this day and all the leftover food are given to the poor in honor of Our Lady\u2019s Nativity. <\/p>\n
Excerpted from The Holyday Book <\/em>by Fr. Francis Weiser, SJ<\/p>\n Patron:<\/strong> All people named Mary, in any form.<\/p>\n Symbols:<\/strong> bruised serpent, sometimes encircling a globe; the lily; fleur de lis; virgin\u2019s monogram; pierced heart; crescent moon; sun and moon; starry crown; Mater Dei; rose; flowering almond; gilly flower; snow drop; hawthorn; the star; the balsam; the Ark of the Covenant; the mirror or speculum; apple; myrtle; palm, cypress and olive; closed gate; book of Wisdom; sealed book; rod of Jesse; lily of the valley; house of gold; city of God; vessel of honor; seat of wisdom.<\/p>\n Birth of Mary On Our Lady\u2019s birthday the Church celebrates the first dawning of redemption with the appearance in the world of the Savior\u2019s mother, Mary. The Blessed Virgin occupies a unique place in the history of salvation, and she has the highest mission ever commended to any creature. We rejoice that the Mother of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/18613340-489327342218736907?l=thecrescat.blogspot.com\")