Mary’s birth has been celebrated since at least the 6th century. Officially called the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast is the subject of many Russian icons that often depict the Mother of God with scenes of her life.

On September 8, Saint Anne gave birth to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The interesting historical fact is that the scriptures don’t give an account of Mary’s birth, so the month and date were chosen simply because the Eastern Church begins the liturgical year with September.