"Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum..."

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation...

"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:26-27)

She was to be conceived by the Holy Spirit, and in nine months time, give birth to the Kristos -- the Messiah, the One foretold by the prophets to be King of the Jews, and savior of mankind.

This day, appearing exactly nine months before the celebration of Christ's birth, was in the early days of the Church, presumed to have been the date of His cruxificion, His life and death having then come full circle, while conquering death and rising to new life. Indeed, a host of events in salvation history were tied to this day:

"All Christian antiquity (against all astronomical possibility) recognized the 25th of March as the actual day of Our Lord's death. The opinion that the Incarnation also took place on that date is found in the pseudo-Cyprianic work De Pascha Computus, c. 240. It argues that the coming of Our Lord and His death must have coincided with the creation andfall of Adam. And since the world was created in spring, the Saviour was also conceived and died shortly after the equinox of spring... also, the fall of Lucifer, the passing of Israel through the Red Sea and the immolation of Isaac." (from the 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia)

In the MIddle Ages, the Annunciation was a favorite subject of song and story. Angelus ad Virginem, as well as Nova, Nova (Ave Fit Ex Eva) were both popular carols sung in the days preceeding Christmas.

This event is also commemorated in the prayer known as the Angelus ("The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary / and she was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary..."). This prayer is traditionally prayed at six in the morning, at noon, and at six in the evening, but especially at noon. The latter is the reason that daily Mass at mid-day usually begins just five or ten minutes after noon.

Images of the Blessed Mother are often adorned with flowers for this occasion, especially marigolds (named in honor of Mary), lilies, and roses (considered the "queen of flowers," for the Queen of Heaven). An angelfood cake is also served on this day, decorated with pale blue frosting, to represent Mary's mantle.

In Sweden, the faithful celebrate the feast by eating waffles. Don't ask me why.

"Ecce ancilla Domini: Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum."