Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by the Righteous Anna.
On December 9 the Church commemorates the conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by the righteous Anna. Childless for many years, Joachim and Anna prayed with tears, and according to tradition an angel announced to each of them that God would grant them a child who would be spoken of in all the world. Anna conceived and bore Mary, the future Mother of God.
The feast celebrates the power of God who looses barrenness, and honors the holy ancestors of Christ. It stands within the Nativity Fast as a quiet foreshadowing of the salvation prepared for the human race.
Feast day
On the New Calendar, Conception of the Theotokos by Anne is commemorated on December 9. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on December 22 of the civil calendar.
Who celebrates a name day
People with these names keep their name day on this feast:
Anna, Anne, Annie, Ann, Annoula
Also commemorated on December 9
Hannah the Prophetess
Holy Woman, Άννα η Προφήτις
Righteous Hannah the Prophetess, mother of the Prophet Samuel.
Stephen the New Light
Venerable, Στέφανος ο Νεολαμπής
Venerable Stephen the New Light of Constantinople.
Narses, Isaac and Sositheus
Martyr, Ναρσής, Ισαάκ και Σωσίθεος
Holy Martyrs Narses the Persian, Isaac and Sositheus.
Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.
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