Why do we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary on the day of Jesus' circumcision?

[Vico]

In Jewish culture the eight days from birth to circumcision always counted the day of the birth. For example, if a child was born on a Wednesday then he would be circumcised the following Wednesday.

Keep in mind that Jewish days begin at sunset and that Jesus was born in the evening. For example, if Jesus was born on what we consider Wednesday evening, in Jewish culture that is actually the start of Thursday. In this case Jesus would have been baptized the following Thursday during the day. All Jewish circumcisions happen during the day.

We celebrate Mary on the first day of the year because she is the pinnacle of creation, the door through which salvation came to mankind. The fact that Jesus was circumcised on the same day is not relevant. We celebrate Jesus baptism instead.

Jesus’ birth through the beginning of his ministry - the hidden years of his life - are condensed in the Church calendar as follows:

Dec 25 - Nativity of the Lord
Dec 27 - Holy Family
Dec 28 - Holy Innocents: the first to die for Jesus
Dec 1 - Mary, Mother of God
Jan 3 - Epiphany of the Lord
Jan 10 - Baptism of the Lord: the start of Jesus public ministry

-Tim-

Our Byzantine Calendar still has the earlier order of feasts:

Dec 20 Sunday Before Christmas - Of the Ancestors (coming of the Magi Gospel)
Dec 24 Vigil of the Nativity
Dec 25 The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ
Dec 26 The Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God
Dec 27 First-Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen
Dec 27 Sunday after the Nativity: Commemoration of the Holy Righteous David the King, Joseph the Betrothed, and James the Brother of the Lord
Dec 28 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
Dec 29 14,000 Infants (the Holy Innocents) Slain by Herod at Bethlehem
Dec 31 Leave Taking of the Nativity of the Lord

Jan 1 Circumcision of Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ; Feast of St. Basil the Great

Jan 3 Sunday Before Theophany
Jan 5 Vigil of Theophany
Jan 6 Theophany of Our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ
Jan 7 Synaxis of the holy Forerunner, Prophet and Baptist John
Jan 10 Sunday After Theophay
Jan 14 Leave Taking of the Feast of the Theophany

 

[twf]

It’s not the same day. The Feast of Mary, Mother of God is January 1st.
7 days after Christmas.

As noted elsewhere in this thread, January 1 was traditionally observed as the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord. It is still observed as the “eighth” (octave) day of Christmas and the Gospel reading appointed for the day still includes the account of the circumcision. Those who celebrate the EF mass still observe January 1 as the feast of the circumcision, as do our Eastern brethren.
I personally observe January 1 as a threefold commemoration: it is the feast of Mary as Mother of God (her special role in the incarnation / nativity), it is the octave of Christmas, and it is the day that Our Lord was circumcised under the old Law.

 

[Vico]

As noted elsewhere in this thread, January 1 was traditionally observed as the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord. It is still observed as the “eighth” (octave) day of Christmas and the Gospel reading appointed for the day still includes the account of the circumcision. Those who celebrate the EF mass still observe January 1 as the feast of the circumcision, as do our Eastern brethren.
I personally observe January 1 as a threefold commemoration: it is the feast of Mary as Mother of God (her special role in the incarnation / nativity), it is the octave of Christmas, and it is the day that Our Lord was circumcised under the old Law.

Also, for Byzantine Catholic Church January 1 is also the day of St. Basil the Great, whereas in the Latin Church January 2 is the memorial of Sts. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church.

catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/2002USL-Sanctoral.htm

mci.archpitt.org/legacy/LiturgicalCalendar.html

 

[Used2beSherryG]

Most people count their birthday when counting how old they are, because most people consider themselves a year older on their birthday…they don’t wait for the day after their birthday to celebrate 365 days of birth : )

Most people are born, then wait for the anniversary of their birthdate and are then 1 year old. At least that is how I understand it

 

[DaveBj]

Most people are born, then wait for the anniversary of their birthdate and are then 1 year old. At least that is how I understand it

That is how we look at it. It’s not how they looked at it. A child was born and was immediately considered to be in the first year of his life. After what we would call his first birthday, he was considered to be in the second year of his life. It was the same with a king’s reign. If a king was on the throne for 366 days, he was considered to have reigned for two years. If his successor was also on the throne for 366 days, he was considered to have reigned for two years.

 

[ProVobis]

Our priest in his homily said that the reason for the change was that people got squeamish about celebrating a circumcision. I don’t know if he was joking.

That’s the way they counted days back then. If someone was born on a Friday, that would have been the first day. Saturday = second day, etc. What we would call seven days/a week later would have been the eighth day to them.

Just to put things in chronological order: the Nativity, then a week later the circumcision and official naming, then 40 days after the Nativity the Presentation in the Temple, then some time after that (perhaps as much a year, or even more) the visit of the Wise Men (the Epiphany), and then days after that the emigration to Egypt.

Our homily had to do with celebrating Octaves of major Solemnities. In the EF it is now celebrated as Octave of the Nativity (as well as Circumcision).

It is interesting to note that the Sunday after Easter was the Octave of Easter, but it was also called Quasi Modo Sunday (after the Introit) and Low Sunday. Now of course it is Divine Mercy Sunday.

 

[ProVobis]

Most people count their birthday when counting how old they are, because most people consider themselves a year older on their birthday…they don’t wait for the day after their birthday to celebrate 365 days of birth : )

This is more commonly done in Europe. For example, the Pope just celebrated his 79th birthday but some articles had him starting his 80th year.

 

[tifischer]

This is more commonly done in Europe. For example, the Pope just celebrated his 79th birthday but some articles had him starting his 80th year.

I did not mean to start a debate about this…I am sure we can think of at least one thing better to discuss than this.

 

[Todd977]

Why would the pope want us to invite our Lord’s sinless mother to our New Year’s Eve party? Maybe to help us celebrate the day in a more circumspect manner, to help us celebrate the day without sin.

 

[tifischer]

Why would the pope want us to invite our Lord’s sinless mother to our New Year’s Eve party? Maybe to help us celebrate the day in a more circumspect manner, to help us celebrate the day without sin.

Sigh, I would have loved to have thought of that at the New Years Party I went to. At least by God’s humble grace, I thought to remind one of the party goers that Jan 1st is a Holy day of obligation.

 

[tifischer]

In Jewish culture the eight days from birth to circumcision always counted the day of the birth. For example, if a child was born on a Wednesday then he would be circumcised the following Wednesday.

Keep in mind that Jewish days begin at sunset and that Jesus was born in the evening. For example, if Jesus was born on what we consider Wednesday evening, in Jewish culture that is actually the start of Thursday. In this case Jesus would have been baptized the following Thursday during the day. All Jewish circumcisions happen during the day.

We celebrate Mary on the first day of the year because she is the pinnacle of creation, the door through which salvation came to mankind. The fact that Jesus was circumcised on the same day is not relevant. We celebrate Jesus baptism instead.

Jesus’ birth through the beginning of his ministry - the hidden years of his life - are condensed in the Church calendar as follows:

Dec 25 - Nativity of the Lord
Dec 27 - Holy Family
Dec 28 - Holy Innocents: the first to die for Jesus
Dec 1 - Mary, Mother of God
Jan 3 - Epiphany of the Lord
Jan 10 - Baptism of the Lord: the start of Jesus public ministry

-Tim-

So does the Christmas season end on the Epiphany? 12 days would make it Jan 6th, Wed.

 

[CatholicZ09]

So does the Christmas season end on the Epiphany? 12 days would make it Jan 6th, Wed.

The Christmas season ends with the Baptism of the Lord.

 

[Todd977]

So does the Christmas season end on the Epiphany? 12 days would make it Jan 6th, Wed.

The Epiphany is usually on January 6 but an episcopal conference can, with prior approval from the Apostolic See, transfer it to a Sunday. So, the answer to your question depends on when the Epiphany is celebrated where you live. The liturgical season of Christmas ends on the Baptism of the Lord, on the Sunday after January 6. So, depending on the year, the liturgical season of Christmas could end as early as January 7 or as late as January 13. In the United States, for instance, the Epiphany has been transferred from January 6 to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8 and there, when the Epiphany falls on Sunday, January 7 or on Sunday, January 8, it coincides with and replaces the Baptism of the Lord and that year the Christmas season does end on the Epiphany.

 

[tifischer]

The Epiphany is usually on January 6 but an episcopal conference can, with prior approval from the Apostolic See, transfer it to a Sunday. So, the answer to your question depends on when the Epiphany is celebrated where you live. The liturgical season of Christmas ends on the Baptism of the Lord, on the Sunday after January 6. So, depending on the year, the liturgical season of Christmas could end as early as January 7 or as late as January 13. In the United States, for instance, the Epiphany has been transferred from January 6 to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8 and there, when the Epiphany falls on Sunday, January 7 or on Sunday, January 8, it coincides with and replaces the Baptism of the Lord and that year the Christmas season does end on the Epiphany.

Really helpful, thank you. Have a blessed feast of the Epiphany!