Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
	The Blessed Virgin Mary, Μήτηρ Θεοῦ (Mētēr Theou, "Mother of God"), is poetically called Πλατυτέρα τῶν οὐρανῶν (Platytéra tōn Ouranōn, "More spacious than the heavens") because she bore in her womb the Creator of the universe.
Also called	Octave day of Christmas (Catholic Church); Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Christianity);
Observed by	Catholic Church; Certain Evangelical-Lutheran churches; Certain Anglican churches; Churches of the Byzantine, West Syriac, and East Syriac Rites; Coptic Orthodox Church;
Type	Christian
Significance	Motherhood of Mary
Observances	Church services
Date	1 January (Catholic Roman Rite); 26 December (Byzantine, West Syriac, and East Syriac Rites); 16 January (Coptic Orthodox Church);
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Feast of the Circumcision of Christ

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ, whom she had circumcised on the eighth day after his birth in accordance with Levitical Law. Christians see him as the Lord and Son of God.

It is celebrated by the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church on 1 January, the Octave (8th) day of Christmastide. This solemnity is a Holy Day of Obligation in areas that have not abrogated it. Given that the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God falls on New Year's Day, the Watchnight Mass remains a popular tradition that starts in the late hours of the previous day and continues into the early morning. The Eastern Orthodox Church,, along with Christians of Byzantine, West Syriac, and East Syriac Rites celebrate Mary as the Mother of God on 26 December (also known as the Synaxis of the Theotokos), while the Coptic Church (an Oriental Orthodox church) does so on 16 January.

Traditional Catholics, the Lutheran Church and the Anglican Communion, observe the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ on 1 January. In the Traditional Catholic calendar and Western Rite Vicariate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church is a feast of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 11 October.