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Why was January 1 chosen as a holy day to honor Mary, the Holy Mother of God?

Though New Year’s Day may seem more like a day for football and hangovers than for Mary, there’s a beautiful spiritual significance in celebrating her during the heart of the Christmas season. We close out the Christmas octave—the eight days following the birth of Christ—with a day honoring Mary as the Mother of God. And the eighth day falls on January 1st.

The honoring of Mary as the Mother of God: Theotokos —"God-bearer" can be traced back to the Council of Ephesus in 431. At that Council, many theologians debated over Jesus’ humanity and divinity, one person, two natures; and its implications to Mary’s role in the Church. In the end, the bishops declared that Jesus is truly God and that Mary is truly the mother of Jesus.

By the 7th century, January 1st was observed as a celebration of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the 13th century, the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ had come to replace the feast honoring Mary.

Then in 1974, Pope St. Paul VI removed the feast of the Circumcision of Christ from the liturgical calendar. He replaced it with the feast of the “Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God”, bringing Mary’s feast day back to the first day of the calendar year.

As we begin another year, may we draw inspiration from the selfless love of the Theotokos, who never hesitated to do the will of God. Let us also trust in her prayers to God for us, that we might become more like her. O Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!


Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn