Everyone knows the story of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, from childhood, but few remember the great holiday that preceded it, namely the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, or as it is often called by the people – the Second Holy Mother of God. In addition to the fact that this is one of the twelve most revered holidays in Christianity, it marks the beginning of the church year.
Celebration dates in 2026 according to the new and old calendars
Many Eastern Orthodox Christians until recently celebrated according to the old calendar, or as the people say “according to the old style,” after which there were changes and the church switched to the new calendar in order to keep pace with the cosmic time of the planets without deviations in time.
However, many who still, due to parish or family tradition or habit, retain the rule of celebrating according to the old style. That is why two dates of the holiday arose, according to the new and old style. The Second Holy Week belongs to the immutable holidays in the Christian church, which means that its day and month remain constant:
- According to the new style (new Julian calendar), the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Immaculate Conception ) in 2026 will be celebrated on September 8, 2026 .
- According to the old style ( old Gregorian calendar ), the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Most Holy ) in 2026 is celebrated on September 21, 2026 .
History of the holiday
Mary’s parents, who had been righteous all their lives, namely father Joachim and mother Anna of Nazareth, dreamed of a child, but after years it did not happen. In the society of that time, this was considered a severe punishment for sins and caused condemnation from the people around them.
And then one day, after Mary’s father, Joachim, experienced another humiliation in the temple, he did not begin to humiliate and harm everyone around him, but instead withdrew with his will and went into the desert for forty days of fasting and prayer, while his mother, Anna, remained at home to pray tearfully.
The archangel Gabriel appeared to both parents with the news: a daughter would be born to them, through whom salvation would come for all humanity in the future.
As a sign of gratitude to the angel for the child, the parents promised to dedicate the child to God. And at the age of three, they gave little Mary to be raised in the Jerusalem Temple.
What you absolutely cannot do on the Second Day of the Holy Week
This holiday is special because it marks the birth of the Mother of God, so first of all, we must put aside all earthly affairs and dedicate ourselves to serving God and praying for the life and health of ourselves and our loved ones, especially children, both newborns and adults.
It is categorically forbidden to chop wood, mow, dig, and do other heavy September chores on the land or at home on this day. It is better to go to the temple for the morning service. If this is not possible, pray at home, and if you work, you can pray the intercession of prayers for success in work to Nicholas the Wonderworker and Tryphon , which we wrote about earlier.
It is also strictly forbidden to quarrel, fight, insult and other manifestations of disrespect and insult to one’s neighbor, especially children. It is also forbidden to arrange drunkenness and other mischief, because this is a holiday for the spiritual world, not earthly entertainment.
Our advice is to spend this time with your children, take them to church, you can also read fairy tales, engage in a joint hobby with your child. You can also read about another holiday in September, namely When is the Beheading of John the Baptist 2026 according to the old calendar (style) and what you absolutely cannot do on this day .
Want to receive more news on this topic? Subscribe to our Telegram or Viber by clicking on the text!
