By Catholic Review staff
Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore will observe the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Dec. 8 – a holy day of obligation.
Unlike some other feast days that do not require Mass attendance when they fall on a Saturday, the requirement to attend Mass is still attached to the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception even though it falls on a Saturday this year. The United States is under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a centuries-old feast of the church celebrating Mary’s conception without original sin. Pope Pius IX formally defined the dogma in 1854.
Copyright (c) Dec. 1, 2012 CatholicReview.org