Abraham gave birth to Isaac, Isaac gave birth to Jacob...

So who gave birth to whom, or more precisely, who conceived whom on December 8 according to the liturgical calendar? The question of dates has been and remains a concern for many Catholics, especially new arrivals. Most often you can hear the following: “if the Immaculate Conception is on December 8, then why is Christmas on the 25th? This is somewhat less than nine months!”

Don't worry, the nine months are met. All the children - both Mary and Jesus - were born on time, strong, beautiful and healthy. December 8 is the day of the conception of Mary herself by her parents - according to legend, Joachim and Anna, and if we count the due date, we get the date September 8, when the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated. The conception of Jesus by the Virgin Mary is celebrated on the Feast of the Annunciation - March 25, which is exactly nine months before the Feast of Christmas on December 25. Of course, all these dates are very conventional, but nevertheless their subordination to the natural cycle of human reproduction places additional emphasis on the Incarnation: both the Lord Jesus and His Mother are people of flesh and blood, sharing with us the whole fate of human nature.

Why "Immaculate" Conception? Here, too, confusion often arises between Mary’s conception by her parents and Mary’s conception of Jesus Christ. Mary was conceived in a completely natural way with the mutual and joyful participation of her father and mother. Jesus was conceived by Her from the Holy Spirit without the participation of a man, and in this case we speak of a virgin conception.

The “purity” of the conception of the Virgin Mary does not refer to the manner of Her conception, but to Her state at the moment of such conception, that is, Her freedom from original sin at the moment of conception. This statement became a dogma of the Church only in 1854 during the pontificate of Pope Pius IX, and before, since the Middle Ages, it was the subject of controversy. It must be said that the luminaries of medieval scholasticism, of course, did not question the exceptional holiness of the Mother of God and the fullness of grace bestowed upon Her by the word of the Lord; There was no doubt that the Virgin Mary was redeemed by Christ already in her mother’s womb in anticipation of the merits of Her Son. The stumbling block was the following detail: theologians such as Bernard of Clairvaux, Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas believed that justification was possible only after conception.

Franciscan theologians, most notably Duns Scotus, were guided more by the logic of love than by mere logic, and therefore insisted that the Virgin Mary was free from original sin already at the moment of conception of her flesh. Duns Scotus points out that the liberation of Mary from original sin is the highest degree of His love and the most perfect way of atonement - what was done by the Divine love of the Son for His Mother. Jesus is “the Redeemer, the Reconciler and the Mediator, and therefore She was not involved in original sin. After all, the most perfect mediator carries out the most perfect act of mediation in relation to the person for whom he intercedes; but Christ is the most perfect mediator. ... He did not intercede for any person to a greater extent than for Mary, therefore, He interceded for Her preservation from original sin.” (John Duns Scotus. Selected // edited by G.G. Mayorov., p. 305) And further: “A more important good deed is to protect from evil than to allow one to fall into evil and then deliver from it” (John Duns Scotus Selected // edited by G. G. Mayorov, p. 309).

Today, in pseudo-theological discussions, one can often come across the opinion that “Catholics made of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, an incorporeal image, devoid of all humanity and femininity,” and this allegedly happened largely due to the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Having saved His Mother from being “contaminated” by original sin, He did not rid Her body of the consequences of original sin: although we do not know anything for sure, Mary grew up and grew old, She experienced pain and lack of strength, She could get sick, and during pregnancy she experienced everything what women experience. “A mediator can reconcile someone by freeing him from punishments that are useless to him, and leaving punishments that are useful to him. Original sin was not useful to Mary, but temporary punishments were useful to Her, since thanks to them She acquired merit" (John Duns Scotus. Selected // edited by G.G. Mayorov., p. 309) So, the image is all still ethereal?

Freedom from original sin does not mean the absence of Mary's free will. She could have sinned, she could have said “no” to God at the moment of the angelic greeting. Love, which saved Mary from original sin, like any true love, did not require guarantees and obligations, did not suppress freedom. Moreover: the highest degree of love gives the highest degree of freedom.

Doesn’t it contradict the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary that Mary was subject to suffering and death, which is a consequence of original sin?

ANSWER:
Let's start with what the essence of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception is.
“To be the Mother of the Savior,” we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Mary was given by God gifts commensurate with such a great ministry” (490). In order to respond with the assent of faith to the angel's announcement, She had to be embraced by the grace of God.
The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854 and crowning the Church's centuries-long belief that Mary was full of grace, professes that the Mother of God received redemption from the moment of her conception. The Virgin Mary was, from the very first moment of Her conception, protected from all taint of original sin, by the exclusive grace and favor of Almighty God, in anticipation of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race. God chose her “before the foundation of the world, that she might be holy and blameless before Him in love” (cf. Eph 1:4). The custom prevailed among the holy fathers to call the Virgin Mary All-Holy and protected from all defilement of sin. By the grace of God, Mary remained pure from original and personal sin throughout her life.
So, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception states that Mary was conceived without original sin. However, the consequences of original sin affect every person. Neither Mary nor even Jesus, who became fully human, was spared the consequences of original sin, such as pain, death and temptation. This is evidenced, for example, by the fact that Jesus himself was subjected to temptations - first in the desert, then in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Virgin Mary was also not immune from temptations - this is also mentioned in the Gospel of Luke: Mary was “confused” by the words of the Angel. Just as the first people - Adam and Eve - created in the fullness of grace, possessed complete freedom - so the Virgin Mary remained a free creature.
The consequences of original sin, from which Mary was not freed, become obvious in the immeasurable suffering to which she was subjected: “A weapon will pierce your soul,” Elder Simeon foretells.
The individual “privileges” that Mary is endowed with do not at all relieve her from the struggle against evil, the same as that which we all wage. These same privileges do not alienate the Virgin Mary from us, but, on the contrary, make her even closer to us.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception says that the Virgin Mary, who fights with us against evil and death, has already defeated the enemy, and therefore Her Immaculate Conception becomes the guarantee of our salvation. Thus, the presence of the consequences of original sin in no way contradicts the dogma of the deliverance of the Virgin Mary from original sin.

Prayers to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

Brief prayers and invocations

At conception you were immaculate, Virgin Mary. Ask for us from the Heavenly Father, whose Son Jesus you conceived from the Holy Spirit and brought into the world.

Virgin and Mother, You have never been stained by sin, neither original nor your own. I entrust the purity of my heart to you, I entrust it to you.
(Pius IX)

Mary, you came into this world blameless. Beg God for mercy so that I can leave him without sin.
(Pius IX)

May the Holy Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God Mary be glorified.

Mary, conceived without original sin, pray for us who seek their refuge in You.
(St. Catherine Laboure)

Everything is beautiful in You, Mary.
There is not a single spot of original sin on You.
You are the glory of Jerusalem.
You are the joy of Israel.
You are the honor of our people.
You are the refuge of all sinners, Mary!
Maria,
You are the wise Virgo,
You are a good Mother.
Ask for us
Intercede for us before the Lord Jesus Christ!
(St. Pius X)

Anthem of the Unsullied

Unblemished Queen Mary, I rejoice with You that the Lord has blessed You with such great purity. I thank our Creator for saving You from every trace of guilt. I am firmly convinced of this truth and am ready, if necessary, to give my life in confirmation of the sublime advantage bestowed upon You alone, which is the Immaculate Conception. I would like the whole world to recognize and honor You as the beautiful dawn, forever illuminated with divine light; as the chosen ark of salvation, which is protected from the universal filth of sin; like that pure, undefiled dove to which Thy Divine Bridegroom named Thee; like an inaccessible garden chosen by God; like a fenced spring to which the evil enemy never found access. I would like the whole world to recognize in You the white lily that grew among the thorns, that is, among the children of Adam, who are all stained by sin, all born in falling away from God, while You, radiantly pure and holy, were born deeply loved by Your Creator.

Please, let me praise You the way God praised You: You are beautiful in everything and there is no flaw in You. You are all holy, all perfect. You have always been God's Betrothed. You are so beautiful, O Immaculate Virgin, worthy of love, just as the gaze of God is beautiful. Look with Your merciful eyes at the terrible ulcers of my poor soul. See me, be compassionate towards me and heal me. You are the beautiful beloved of His Heart, draw my poor heart to You. Is there any mercy that the Lord has denied you? He chose You as His Mother and His Bride, protecting You from all sin and exalting You above all creation. Immaculate Virgin Mary, let me always think about You and do not forget me until I see Your beauty in heaven and praise and love You even more, my Mother. My Queen, Most Beautiful, Purest, Immaculate Virgin Mary. Amen.

(St. Alphonsus of Liguor)

St. Methodius greets the Chaste

Virgin Immaculate! How the bright morning dawn appeared over the world! You brought us the Sun of Greatness! Thanks to You, the terrible night on Earth ended, You defeated the tyrannical power, defeated death and hell. You smoothed over the enmity that separated God and people. You have provided us with peace. You healed the illnesses of the soul with the grace of holiness. You illuminated the Earth with the radiant light of truth!

Hail Mary, inexhaustible spring of joy for humanity! You are a precious pearl in the riches of God! You are a living altar of Bread that saturates us for Eternal Life!

Rejoice, beloved Treasure of the Eternal Father! Rejoice, source of the Son's mercy! Rejoice, shadowy tent of the Holy Spirit! Amen.
Smite the head of the serpent

Immaculate Virgin, you were chosen by the Lord and were honored to become His Mother. Look mercifully upon us poor people! We ask You for Your mighty protection. The evil serpent, who was already under a curse in paradise, still lies in wait for us, the poor children of Eve, and is looking for how to harm us. Therefore, O Mother, blessed by the Almighty, our Queen and Intercessor, graciously accept our request! Already at the moment of conception You struck the head of our enemy. Our heart agrees with You. We pray to You, take our request to the throne of God and help us, so that we do not fall into the pools prepared for us, but all reach the haven of bliss. Grant to us that the Church and Christian peoples, in the midst of many dangers, can once again sing to You a grateful song of liberation, victory and peace. Amen.
(St. Pius X)

Immaculate Mother of God, Queen of Heaven!

You are the Mother of Mercy. Intercessor and Refuge for Sinners. Out of Your maternal love, You begged for me such rich mercies from the treasury of God. You gave me light and strength. Therefore, now and forever, I would like to place my heart in Your hands. May You dedicate it to Jesus.

Virgin Immaculate! In the presence of nine choirs of angels and all saints, I convey it to You. On my behalf you must dedicate it to Jesus. The childlike trust with which I relate to You gives me the confidence that now and forever You will help me as much as You can, so that my heart always belongs completely to Jesus and so that I faithfully imitate the saints and above all St. Joseph, Your purest companion . Amen.
(St. Vincent Pallotti)

You are the hope of the desperate

Pure, Immaculate, Most Blessed Virgin! You are the Mother of the Highest of sons. Master of the whole world. You are sinless, innocent, completely holy. You are the hope of the desperate and sinners. We salute you. We exalt You, full of grace and who gave birth to the God-Man Christ. We bow our knees before You, call on You and ask for help. Holy, chaste Virgin, protect us from all misfortune and from the temptations of the devil! Be our mediator and intercessor in the hour of death and on the Day of Judgment. Save us from the unquenchable fire that threatens us and from the impenetrable darkness! Beloved, all-merciful Virgin and Mother, make us worthy to see the Kingdom of Your Son. With God, you are our only, true, foolproof hope. To Him belongs glory and honor, greatness and power forever and ever. Amen.
(St. Ephraim)

On the Day of the Immaculate

God, thanks to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, You have prepared a worthy abode for Your Son. In anticipation of His death, You protected Her in advance from all vice. We ask You, for the sake of Her intercession, let us reach You in purity of heart. Through Him, Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today is the patronal feast day of all churches and cathedrals consecrated in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God, including the Moscow Cathedral, parishes in Smolensk, Ryazan, Perm, Yalta, Orel and others.

Orthodox Christians know that Christ is the Son of God. He became incarnate from the Heavenly Father, and the Virgin Mary became His Mother.

But few people know how the Savior was born. This does not mean the environment at the moment of His birth, but the process itself. How did the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary take place? Let's talk about this in the article.

What is conception?

Before we move on to the topic of the virgin birth, let's remember what a normal conception is.

Union of sperm and oocyte. We will not describe further details here, because our main topic is different. Why is the question of “classical” conception raised? To remind readers: the birth of a new life requires the “participation” of two parties: father and mother. Dad has something mom doesn't have. And accordingly, vice versa.

Immaculate Conception

How did the Immaculate Conception occur in the Holy Virgin? Just think about it: Virgo conception. I mean, the Mother of God was a maiden. She didn't know her husband.

Some will say that this is all fiction and this cannot happen. It is difficult to take something for granted, especially in our time, when there is practically no trust and faith left. However, for any Christian, conception by the Mother of God is one of the most important aspects of faith.

There is a wonderful poem by nun Maria (Mernova) on this topic. Here's an excerpt:

In a wonderful way, unnatural for us.

In the most honest, brightest and virgin womb.

He was born - the Divine Son,

Mira Lord. Master of us all.

That is, conception occurred miraculously. The fact that after him Maria remained innocent is enough. How so? How did it all happen?

Nobody will tell us this. The Immaculate Conception is a mystery. Perhaps in the next world everything will open up and become clear. There is a version that the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin Mary while She was sleeping. Whether this was so is unknown.

Annunciation

The Immaculate Conception is something that is hidden from the human mind. We cannot comprehend this miracle with our minds.

How is the Feast of the Annunciation connected with the conception and birth of the Savior? In the most direct way. Let's remember the history of the holiday.

The Mother of God was sinless from a young age. But, due to her humility, she could not imagine that she would have the honor of giving birth to the Savior.

Mary knew that Jesus Christ would be incarnate from pure virgin blood. And she wanted to be honored to become a servant of the One who would become His Mother.

At that time, Mary was betrothed to Joseph. That one took care of Her virginity. And so, 4 months after the betrothal, the Mother of God read Scripture. When the Archangel Gabriel came to Her with news. That's why the holiday is called Annunciation - good news.

Gabriel told Mary that She was chosen to be the Mother of God. The Savior will incarnate in Her. The Virgin was surprised: after all, She was innocent. And she asked the archangel how this would happen if She did not know her husband.

To which Gabriel replied that the Holy Spirit would descend on Her. And the Virgin Mary obediently accepted the will of God.

Here's another point. God didn’t just go and descend on the girl (the Mother of God was 14 years old). No, He humbly asked Her consent. And only when Mary gave a positive answer, Life was born in Her womb.

The mystery of the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is hidden from us. Until a certain point.

Ever-Virgin

Why is Mary the Ever-Virgin? After all, the birth of a child involves the deprivation of the hymen. More precisely, its final destruction. How did the Savior enter the world?

Here's another wonderful moment. It is known that Jesus Christ emerged from the side of his Most Pure Mother. How so? God is able to pass through obstacles, let's not forget this fact.

That is why the Mother of God is called the Ever-Virgin. She retained her virginity despite the birth of her Son.

Joseph's attitude to what happened

It is known that the husband of the Virgin Mary was many years old. He was very old, and She was very young. And the elder was entrusted with the Mother of God, so that he would preserve Her in purity and innocence.

What was Joseph’s horror when he realized that the Virgin was carrying a child? Fear of being blamed for it. Fear because he did not keep the Maiden pure.

But the elder did not make excuses and did not betray Mary. On the contrary, he told Her that he would let her go secretly, without telling anyone. Then an angel appeared to Joseph, telling him that Mary was not guilty before her husband. Her conception is the will of God, and the Child that the Virgin will give birth to is the Son of God.

The wise old man humbly accepted the will of God and began to care even more deeply for the Virgin Mary. And we know what happened next. Departure for the census and the Nativity of the Savior.

Are there churches dedicated to the conception of the Savior?

There is a Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Moscow. This is not a church, it is a huge Catholic cathedral in the Gothic style.

In general, Catholics have many cathedrals built in honor of the Immaculate Conception all over the world. The largest of them, as mentioned above, is located in Moscow.

Humility of the Mother of God

The virgin birth is something that is incomprehensible to the human mind. And here the complete humility of the Virgin Mary is revealed to us. She surrenders herself to the will of God. She is God's servant. Not in the sense in which the word "slavery" is known today: a person who does not have the right to express his opinion. Not at all, the Mother of God loves God. And he surrenders himself to His will not because of fear and lack of opportunity to object. She does this just out of love.

If appropriate, let's give an example from life. When we love someone very much, it won’t even occur to us to disobey or object. We know that if we are told to do it this way, then this is what we need to do. The one we love does not wish us harm. He knows better how to do it right.

It's the same here. The Mother of God had the firm confidence that God knows best what is good for her. And she agreed to become the Chosen One. Become the Mother of the Savior.

This wonderful color, this Child

She will give birth to the Savior.

From the cruel clutches of hell

The whole world will be freed.

These lines are from a poem by nun Maria (Mernova), dedicated to the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Conclusion

Now the reader knows that the virgin birth is a mystery. A mystery unknown to the human mind. It is impossible to understand it, you can only accept it on faith.

We also talked about how the feast of the Annunciation is connected with conception, and why the Mother of God is called the Ever-Virgin.

What is the Immaculate Conception? It proves that Mary was originally saved by God from original sin, although she was conceived by ordinary parents. She was exclusively freed from sin because she was to become the Mother of the Son of God.

The truth about Mary’s immaculate conception can only be accepted by a mind enlightened by faith. The Church officially declared this a dogma of faith during the era of rationalism and scientism in the mid-nineteenth century.

Dogma shows the uniqueness and freedom of action of God. Although the salvation of mankind was achieved through the death and resurrection of Christ, thanks to the merits of the Savior, Mary was already redeemed and saved from original sin. In this way, God prepared her for an extraordinary task in the history of salvation.

According to the Catholic faith, every person is marked by original sin. This deficiency is passed on along with the continuation of the human race. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that original sin is the condition with which man begins. Only baptism can free you from it.

Mary was saved from the inheritance of sin; in the Bible she is called “full of grace.” The Church teaches that she is not only liberated, but also has a special closeness to God, complete trust and inner harmony.

Freedom from sin and perfection do not separate Mary from people. On the contrary, her communication with every person is incomparable. She is not only a loving mother of humanity, but also understanding and compassionate. The truth and the virgin birth is a sign for all Christians, showing how great the deeds of God are.

The belief about the sinless conception of the Virgin Mary has a centuries-old tradition. Theological debate on this issue has continued since the first centuries. In the fifteenth century, the first regulations on this topic appeared, but there was still no dogma.

In 1617, Pope Paul IV banned public statements that contradicted the belief in the Immaculate Conception. In 1661, at the request of King Philip IV of Spain, Pope Alexander VII issued a bull in which he summarized the history of the cult of the Immaculate Conception, using words that Pius IX repeated in his dogmatic formula. Pope Clement XI established December 8 in 1708 as a holiday valid for the entire Universal Church. Ultimately, on December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX announced the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Dear Yulia, from your question it is not entirely clear whether you distinguish that we are talking about two completely different events. The immaculate, or, in other words, seedless, conception of our Lord Jesus Christ is a dogma common to all Christians. We believe, as the Creed proclaims, “in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.” Belief in the Incarnation, in the fact that God became the same as us, a man in everything except sin, also implies that there was no sin at His birth. This birth could only take place without seed, that is, with the preservation of the virginity of His Most Pure Mother, the Virgin Mary. And this is believed equally by Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and traditional Protestants - in general, almost everyone who has the right to bear the name of a Christian.

When we talk about the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, then do not get the impression that the Catholic Church equates this dogma with the dogma of the seedless conception of the Son of God. We are talking about the conception of the Virgin Mary herself, not from Her Lord Jesus Christ, but from Her Herself from Her parents Joachim and Anna. Of course, the Catholic Church does not believe that this conception was seedless, but only that at the first moment of Her conception, the Virgin Mary was freed from guilt and the consequences of original sin. Our disagreement with this dogma is based on deep theological differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

In the Orthodox understanding, the Fall is not simply the taking away of some grace from our ancestors, but a distortion of human nature itself, its contamination with sin, so that our nature has become completely different from what our ancestors had before the Fall. Naturally, with this understanding, returning a person at the moment of his conception to the state that was before the Fall, as some kind of privilege, is simply impossible. At the same time, we do not accept this dogma because it largely makes sense of the preparatory history of the Old Testament, when from generation to generation the human race was preparing to produce the One who would become the Mother of God. According to Catholic dogma, it turns out that God could at any moment grant such a special privilege to any of His creation, so that this creation would become a worthy vessel for the reception and incarnation of the Son of God. Finally, this dogma deprives the greatness of the feat of the Mother of God Herself, Her personal holiness.

Most recently, on December 8, all of Spain celebrated the Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and therefore we decided to tell you exactly how this celebration takes place in the Iberian kingdom. It must be said that 70% of Spaniards are Catholics, and zealous ones at that, and therefore the festivities dedicated to this day are held on a grand scale. And if you also take into account that the Virgin Mary is the heavenly intercessor of Spain, then it is quite understandable why December 8 turns into a real fiesta. By the way, King Carlos III personally petitioned the highest clergy just a few centuries ago for the Blessed Virgin to become the intercessor of the entire Spanish people.

This holiday is especially loved by Spanish children, who know that this celebration is on the eve of a series of fabulous Christmas and New Year events, during which children receive many gifts and favorite delicacies.

History of the celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

The history of this holiday is very curious and, it should be noted, it might not have existed at all if not for the efforts of Pope Pius IX, who in his letter “Ineffabilis Deus” did not strengthen the postulate of the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

And this is how it was: the religious dogma itself, that original sin did not pass on to the Virgin Mary, despite the fact that she was conceived by the most ordinary people (Joachim and Anna), appeared as a doctrine a very long time ago, namely in 12 -th century. However, a large number of theologians, including St. Thomas Aquinas, who, although they believed in the purity of the Virgin Mary, nevertheless rejected this Catholic dogma. In their opinion, this doctrine contradicted the doctrine of the atonement for the sins of all mankind by Jesus Christ.

The debate on this issue was so intense that Pope Sixtus IV even had to prohibit the warring parties from calling each other heretics in 1476. By 1617, the controversy had reached the point that Pope Paul V generally banned any public denial of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin. Somewhat later, in 1661, a special bull appeared, in which Pope Alexander VII established the universal religious veneration of this doctrine. However, it was not until 1854 that the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed a Catholic dogma by Pope Pius IX.

As for Spain, the first to calmly recognize this dogma, which caused so much controversy among Catholics, were the inhabitants of Castile and Leon. Of course, now the heated debate on this issue has long subsided, and the Spaniards themselves greatly revere their intercessor and celebrate the Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary with all their characteristic scope.

Celebrations in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

On December 8, fiestas are held in all corners of Spain, songs and hymns are sung in honor of the Mother of God, the patron saint of the country.

And on this day the clergy themselves always wear blue vestments. This robe was granted to Catholic priests in 1864 for strengthening the faith of the Spanish people in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin.

But in Piazza di Spagna, the Holy Father traditionally blesses a basket of white roses, which is placed near the statue of the Blessed Virgin, and also reads a sermon in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

Of course, on December 8, in addition to the solemn services in cathedrals, temples and churches, there are a lot of other festive events, and the Spaniards place white flowers at the statues of the Virgin throughout the country. It is curious that it is from this day that the so-called “Christmas candles” begin to be sold, that is, red-green flowers, without which not a single Spaniard celebrates this celebration. By the way, proceeds from sold flowers are sent to the accounts of charitable foundations.

The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary is not only a religious celebration, for the Spaniards this day marks the Christmas period. Thus, all Spanish cities are literally transformed, garlands and lanterns are lit everywhere, traditional Christmas decorations appear, and shopping centers cannot be crowded, as every local resident tries to buy gifts for family and friends and please them with their favorite sweets: turron, marzipan, sweets and similar delicacy.