What are the feasts of the Theotokos, the Mother of God?

In addition to the monthly commemoration of the Virgin Mary on the 21[st] of every Coptic month, we celebrate the following feasts:

• a. The annunciation of her birth (7[th] Mesore / 13[th] August). On this feast we celebrate the conception of St. Mary, the living ark of the covenant, the dwelling of the Most High, and the second heaven.

• b. Her birthday (1[st] Pashons / 9[th] May). Copts usually commemorate the day a saint passed from this world; their martyrdom or departure to paradise — but they insist on honoring St. Mary on her the day of her birth as a joyful day.

• c. Her entry into the temple (3[rd] Kiahk / 12[th] December). We learn from the tradition of the Church that St. Mary’s life was consecrated to God in fulfillment of her mother’s vow, for she had vowed to consecrate her firstborn — whether a son or a daughter — to serve the Lord all the days of his or her life.

• d. Her departure (21[st] Tobe / 29[th] January).

• e. The revealing of the assumption of her body (16[th] Mesore / 22[nd] August). This feast is preceded by the fifteen-day fast of St. Mary.

• f. The consecration of the first church in her name at Philippi (21[st] Paone / 28[th] June). This feast also coincides with the commemoration of the Virgin’s miracle of melting iron in the city of Bartus.

• g. The apparition of the Virgin Mary above her church in Zeitoun (24[th] Paremhotep / 2[nd] April). This apparition is considered unique among the whole history of Marian apparitions.⁶²⁴ It began on 2[nd] April 1968 and was repeated on most days for hours at a time and for many months. These apparitions appeared above the domes of the Church of St. Mary and were seen by several hundred thousand people, of all ages and positions, Christians and Muslims. Every night, the people would gather around the church, pray, and praise God, waiting to see the dazzling spectacle of St. Mary standing above one of the domes. She was seen kneeling before the cross,

624 Jerome Palmer, Our Lady Returns to Egypt (Culligan Publications, 1969): p. 1.

or at other times, carrying the baby Jesus. These apparitions were accompanied by the apparition of birds in the form of doves. Among the fruits of these apparitions were the repentance of many and the occurrence of countless miracles.