The Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church Podcast

Season of Announcement and Birth of Our Lord

The Season of Announcement consists of the following six Sundays which precede the feast of the Birth of our Lord:


These Sundays serve as a preparation for the Birth of our Lord and commemorate the events recorded in the New Testament prior to his birth.

This season is the most appropriate time to commemorate the Annunciation to Mary, her visitation to Elizabeth, the birth of John the Baptist and the special role of Joseph in the incarnation. By placing these commemorations before the feast of the Lord's birth the Church wishes us to prepare for the coming of the Savior and places us in an atmosphere similar to that which preceded his birth.

The Birth of our Lord is celebrated December 25th. This date was originally the Roman celebration of the nativity of the Lords, but it was quickly adopted in the East.

The Church's celebration of the incarnation of the Word is prolonged by one or two Sundays. The first Sunday, which is sometimes omitted, is actually a repetition of the office for the feast of the Birth of our Lord, the second Sunday, which is never omitted, is the commemoration of the finding of the child Jesus in the Temple.

The Season of Announcement and Birth of our Lord thus presents itself as a condensed renewal of the events in the history of our salvation in Christ.

Reading (Pages 541-542) Romans 11:1-36

Reading (Pages 539-540) Romans 10:1-21