The creation of a new Feast: The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin’s Delivery.

* December 18 – Feast of the Expectation of the Delivery of the Virgin Mary assigned to this date by the Council of Toledo in 656  * The creation of a new feast  --- An initiative of the Mary of Nazareth Association December 18 – Feast of the Expectation of the Delivery of the Virgin Mary assigned to this date by the Council of Toledo in 656  The creation of a new feast  This feast is celebrated today not only throughout Spain but almost everywhere in the Catholic world. It owes its origin to the bishops of the 10th Council of Toledo, in 656. The prelates of the Council objected to the ancient custom of celebrating the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin on March 25th, because this joyful solemnity conflicted with the somber time of the Passion... so they decreed that henceforth, 8 days before Christmas, a feast with octave in memory of the Annunciation, and as a preparation for the great solemnity of the Nativity, would be celebrated in Spain. After some time, the Church of Spain felt the need to return to the practice of the Roman and universal Church where March 25th is a solemnity, a day forever dedicated to the Annunciation the Blessed Virgin and the Incarnation of the Son of God; but since it had been the custom in Spain for centuries to celebrate that feast on December 18th, they decided to retain a remnant of it. A new feast was thus created under the title of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin’s Delivery. www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch www.mariedenazareth.com Let’s pray together  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.