In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he
said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled
at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the
angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you
shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule
over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a
man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be
born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And
behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and
this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be
impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it
be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
This feast is celebrated 9 months before Christmas, and is a
Solemnity, a day of greatest importance in the Church.
