07/12/2025
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates that Mary was free from original sin from the very start of her life, so she could become Jesus’ mother. This belief, officially declared by Pope Pius IX in 1854, has roots in the writings of early Church Fathers like Irenaeus and Cyril of Jerusalem. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., is the largest Catholic church in North America, with 82 chapels honoring Mary.
As the angel said to her: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.” (Luke 1:28)
