Monday 8 September 2008

The Birth of Our Lady

Of all the great saints of the Church, few have their births celebrated in the liturgical calendar. The birth of St John the Baptist is kept on 24th June, but most saints are celebrated on the anniversary of their death. Today the Church keeps the feast of the Birth of Our Lady. It reminds us that Mary is a created human who has achieved a share in the glory of her Son. Mary's birth is also a sign of hope: her birth, like the birth of St John the Baptist, heralds the revealing of God's plan in the life and work of the Saviour. The above image, from the Cathedral's Whiteside chantry, shows Mary as a child being taught by her mother, St Anne.