Blessed Virgin Mary

   The title which the Church has always given to the Mother of our Lord, and by which all devout churchmen speak of her of whom the angel declared, "Blessed art thou among women." "Not even the glorified Saints who have attained to the purity and bliss of Heaven are raised to higher blessedness and purity than that saintly maiden was whom Elizabeth was inspired to call 'the Mother of my Lord.' This sanctity of the Blessed Virgin through her association with her Divine Son has always been kept vividly in view by the Church."

   The perpetual Virginity of the lowly Mother of our Lord has always been a very strong tradition among all devout Christians; a belief which is prompted by reverence for the great mystery of the Incarnation, and confirmed by the universal consent of the Church. The term "brethren" of our Lord, which occurs in the New Testament means simply kindred, according to the Jewish use of the word.

   Two days are set apart to the honor of the Blessed Virgin, viz., The Feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, and the Feast of the Purification, February 2d. (See articles on these Festivals.)