Blessed Solemnity of the Annunciation

Feast Day of the Annunciation

At the Annunciation, the angel reveals to Mary that she would conceive Jesus in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady gives her “Fiat”—her heartfelt “yes” to this divine favor and the will of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us!

With God there are no coincidences. It was on this feast day in 1858 that Our Lady identified herself as the “Immaculate Conception.” Both the feast and her identity emphasize her unique cooperation with God’s will and her pivotal role in salvation history as the sinless Mother of God. Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope!

As we ponder the 2025 theme of the Sanctuary, “With Mary, Pilgrims of Hope,” let us thank God for the gift of Mary’s yes, bringing Christ—and hope– into our world. Let us imitate her holy cooperation with the will of God in our own lives and become pilgrims of hope to others. In a special way, let us pray for the pilgrims that will travel to Lourdes this year to encounter the Immaculate Conception and for those who are unable to make holy pilgrimage.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!