The Annunciation

Annunciation by Paolo de Matteis (1712)

And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.  And, behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."  Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"  And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.  And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, has also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.  For with God nothing shall be impossible."  And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

Too further accentuate the humanity of Jesus, the church places this feast exactly 9 months before the birth of Christ on Christmas, the term for a human pregnancy. Jesus is conceived today on this Solemnity of the Annunciation of Mary by the Angel Gabriel.