The solemnity of the annunciation : a comparative analysis of liturgical texts in the Eastern and Western traditions

Abstract

Marian feast days are specific holy days in the liturgical year recognised by Christians as significant days for the celebration of events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for her veneration. In this reflective study, where the mystery of Mary will be seen within the broader mystery of God’s plan of salvation in Jesus Christ and in the Chruch, we will illustrate the importance of the Solemnity of the Annunciation, also known as the feast of the Incarnation or that of Conceptio Christi, both in the life of the Church and in that of the faithful. We will trace the development and the history of this feast in the liturgical calendars of the East and of the West followed by a detailed analysis of the liturgy and of the liturgical texts used by the Church on the solemnity of the Annunciation through the examination of different Sacramentaries and Missals.