Why is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary dated on December 8?

Question

If the birthdate of Mary was dated September 8 because the Feast of the Immaculate Conception dated December 8, then what's the reason behind the Feast of the Immaculate Conception?

Answer 1

'Cause that's when the Holy Spirit, got his Holy Freak on wit' her...seriously it's completely arbitrary like most things in religion.

Answer 2

Christianity was originally a family religion. There are three nativities celebrated, the birth of Jesus, Mary and John the Forerunner. The early Christians celebrated it on the 8th of September. The whole Church ultimately adopted the date as a universal celebration but no one knows why. The original name of the December 8th feast was the conception by Anna, Jesus' grandmother. It derives of course from the passage in Luke "Chaire Kecharitomene" which is impossible logically without an immaculate conception, unless of course there is no such thing as original sin.

Answer 3

Feast of the immaculate conception is precisely what it indicates. It is the day Mary was impregnated, immaculately. I guess December 8 was available, more than likely it coincides with a pre christion goddess holiday, posibly Hecate or Athena.

Answer 4

That's the date on which Pope Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, in 1854.

Answer 5

It is the start of a paganistic time of birth and renewal of the sun god. WE get the time of the winter solstace and Christmas not long after this pagan holiday as Christmas is also taken from the pagans. Nowhere in the bible does it state the date that Jesus was born. So here is a rundown on why the date is such and how it is derived direct from the pagan writings. You can see the similarity in the virgin birth of Jesus by Mary and the goddess they speak of as you read down and how they get the Christmas time to be the 25th, a pagan holiday. Just four days after the winter solstace, the birth of a god.

"The Goddess gives birth to a son, the God, at Yule. This is in no way an adaptation of Christianity. The Winter Solstice has long been viewed as a time of divine births. Mithras was said to have been born at this time. The Christians simply adopted it for their use in 273 CE (current era)."
(from "Wicca - A guide for the Solitary Practicioner" by Scott Cunningham)
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"This is the time of death and rebirth of the Sun God. The days are shortest, the Sun is at its lowest point. The Full Moon after Yule is considered to be the most powerful of the whole year. This ritual is a light festival, with as many candles as possible on or near the altar in welcome of the Sun Child."
(From "Celtic Magic" by DJ Conway)

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Also known as: Winter Solstice, Alban Arthan, Feill Fionnain, Yuletide, Midwinter, Sun Return, and Fionn's Day
space Date: Winter Solstice, usually December 21st
space Symbols: Evergreens, Wreath, Yule Log, Holly, Spinning Wheel
space Colors: Red, Green, and White
space Deities: Newborn Gods; Triple Goddess; Virgin Goddesses
space Herbs: Holly, mistletoe, ivy, cedar, bay, juniper, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, and pine. Offerings can be apples, oranges, nutmegs, lemons, pinecones, oak leaves, and/or whole cinnamon sticks.

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Ancient Meaning: Yule is a time of the greatest darkness and is the shortest day of the year. Earlier peoples noticed such phenomena and supplicated the forces of nature to lengthen the days and shorten the nights. Wiccans sometimes celebrate Yule just before dawn, then watch the Sun rise as a fitting finale to their efforts.
space How Ancient Pagans Celebrated: After the Norse brought Yule into prominence it nearly replaced Samhain as the date of the New Year, and many modern Celtic covens still honor Yule this way. The Nordic-influenced Celts celebrated Yule with many of the trappings we associate with modern Christmas observances; decorated evergreen trees, wreaths, holly, mistletoe, feasting, and dancing.
They also believed that on this night the Holly King, as the God of the waning year, would battle the Oak King, the God of the waxing year, and lose. Often Yule coven rituals have members reenact this fight."

from "Celtic Myth and Magick" by Edain McCoy

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Modern Meaning: Yule is the remnant of early rituals celebrated to hurry the end of winter and the bounty of spring, when food was once again readily available. To cotemporary Wiccans it is a reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth.
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How Modern Pagans Celebrate: Since the God is also the Sun, this marks the point of the year when the Sun is reborn as well, Thus, the Wicca light fires or candles to welcome the Sun's returning light. The Goddess, slumbering through the winter of Her labor, rests after Her delivery.

Answer 6

Wow...I never even heard of that. This feast is not ordained by God. Check out Leviticus 23 to get a list of His Holy Days that He commands we keep.

As Dane said...it probably predates christianity and is worship of something else.

Answer 7

*I think* that it is a celebration of the conception of Mary the Immaculate, mother of Jesus.

I'm not Catholic - just what I've been told

Answer 8

Good question. I doubt anyone really knows Mary's birth date. I wasn't there when she was conceived, so I can't confirm that date either. LOL

Answer 9

ROFLMAO
You would have to know a lot of history, from about 1000 AD to get an idea of why!