December is the month of pilgrimage. Believers from all over the world as well as Roman Catholics get together to lay wreaths to the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Piazza di Spagna to commemorate the Feast Of The Immaculate Conception.

   The date was officially instituted in 1854 although the cult of the Virgin Mary purity has a long history. Some people erroneously think that this is the immaculate conception of Jesus that is celebrated but in fact this is a celebration of conception of Mary herself. The theory of the Virgin immaculate conception, nevertheless, is not accepted by the Eastern Christians. But they also celebrate December 9 as the Feast of the Conception by St. Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos.

2007.11.28