Orthodox Church celebrates Nativity of the Virgin Mary

On September 21, the Orthodox Church marks the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, one of the twelve major feasts in the Christian liturgical calendar.

According to church tradition, the Virgin Mary was born in the small town of Nazareth in Galilee. Her father, Joachim, was from the lineage of King David, while her mother, Anna, descended from Aaron, the first high priest. The couple, blessed with a child in their old age, made a vow to dedicate their newborn to the service of God in the temple.

Mary is considered to hold a place in the heavenly hierarchy even higher than that of the angels.

In Georgia, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary holds special significance, as sacred tradition teaches that the country is under the protection of the Virgin Mary.