If Orthodox churches do not celebrate anyone’s birth other than Jesus’, why do they celebrate St. Mary’s birth?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, it is a general liturgical rule that we celebrate the departure (falling asleep) of saints rather than their birth. This is because a saint's departure marks their victory, the completion of their earthly struggle, and their entry into Paradise. As Scripture says, "The day of death is better than the day of one’s birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1).
However, there are three specific exceptions to this rule in which the Church celebrates a physical birth. We celebrate the births of:
- Our Lord Jesus Christ – 29 Koiak.
- St. John the Baptist – 30 Baouna.
- The Holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos – 1 Bashans.
We celebrate the birth of St. Mary, despite the general rule, because of her unique role in the Economy of Salvation.
1. The Preparation of the Tabernacle
St. Mary is the "Golden Censer" and the "True Tabernacle." Her birth was the beginning of the fulfillment of the promises made to humanity after the fall of Adam. Without her birth, there would be no Incarnation. As St. Cyril of Alexandria taught, she is truly the Mother of God. By celebrating her birth, we are celebrating the preparation of the "temple" in which God the Word would dwell.
2. A Miracle of Grace
Like the birth of St. John the Baptist, the birth of St. Mary was a result of a divine promise and a miracle. Her parents, Joachim and Anne, were elderly and barren. Her birth was not merely a natural event but an answer to fervent prayer and a sign that the dawn of our salvation was near. We celebrate the "Annunciation to Joachim" (7 Mesore) because it mirrors the miraculous intervention of God in human history.
3. Prophetic Fulfillment
St. John the Baptist’s birth is celebrated because he was "filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb" (Luke 1:15) and was the greatest born of women to prepare the way. St. Mary, however, is higher than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim. If the Church celebrates the birth of the "friend of the Bridegroom" (St. John), it is only fitting and necessary to celebrate the birth of the Mother of the Bridegroom.
4. Distinguishing the Truth from Heresy
We celebrate her birth to affirm her humanity and her role as the source of Christ's human nature. Against heretics like Nestorius—who, as noted in the writings of St. Cyril, tried to deny her the title —the Coptic Church emphasizes every aspect of her life. Celebrating her birth reminds the faithful that she was a real human being, chosen by God to provide the flesh that the Word took to save us.
While Protestants and other groups may downplay the importance of the Virgin Mary, the Coptic Orthodox Church honors her birth as the "beginning of our salvation," for she is the bridge that brought the Creator to the created.