The Catholic Church in Bhopal celebrated Mother Mary's birthday as the day for a girl child. The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of September 8, nine months after the December 8 celebration of her Immaculate Conception as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne.
Archbishop AAS Durairaj celebrating the sole high Mass at Infant Jesus, Ayodhya By Pass Road, asked the faithful to give more importance to the all round development of our girls children while the modern society tends to ignore them. The “Protoevangelium of James,” which was probably put into its final written form in the early second century, describes Mary's father Joachim as a wealthy member of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
Joachim was deeply grieved, along with his wife Anne, by their childlessness. Joachim and Anne began to devote themselves extensively and rigorously to prayer and fasting, initially wondering whether their inability to conceive a child might signify God's displeasure with them.Saint Augustine described the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an event of cosmic and historic significance, and an appropriate prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ. “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley,” he said.
Archbishop by lowering the flag at Infant Jesus Church concluded the nine long days novena and prayers in all the catholic churches, Bhopal.
Before the day of celebration, devotees participated in a 9 day prayer dedicated to “Mata Velankanni” Our Lady of Good Health with fasting and almsgiving. On the previous as customary a procession of Mother Mary's tableau was taken out with lighted candles.