Every year on December 8th, Spain celebrates ‘La Inmaculada Concepción,’ or the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This is a deeply rooted Catholic holiday and official public holiday. Celebrated exactly 9 months before her birth on September 8th. This day reflects centuries of religious tradition. On this page, discover the meaning, customs and how this special day is observed across Spain.
What
La Inmaculada Concepción is a Catholic tradition that celebrates the immaculate conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The feast takes place exactly nine months before her birth, on September 8th. It’s one of the most important celebrations in the Catholic Church, as Mary was chosen to give birth to Jesus.
According to this belief, Mary is the only person in history who was conceived without original sin. While every human is said to be born ‘stained’ by sin, Mary was immaculately conceived, making her pure enough to bear Christ. For this reason, Jesus’ birth was untouched by inherited sin.
This dogma is not recognized by the Protestant Church, which does not celebrate the Immaculate Conception, since it is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible.
In Spain, many women are named ‘Inma,’ a short form of ‘Inmaculada,’ in honour of this sacred event.
When
This feast is celebrated each year on December 8th.
Confusion
La Inmaculada Concepción is often confused with the ‘Annunciation’ (La Anunciación de María in Spanish), but these are two very different events.
‘The Immaculate Conception’ celebrates the moment when Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin. ‘The Annunciation,’ on the other hand, marks the moment when Jesus was conceived and that is, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God.
So while the Annunciation is about Jesus’ creation, the Immaculate Conception is about Mary’s conception, pure and untouched by sin, according to Catholic belief.
Valencia
Valencia doesn’t celebrate ‘La Inmaculada Concepción’ in a special way. Most people have days off and most of them have a long weekend. They will spend this day with their family.
Good to know
- Just before La Inmaculada Concepción, Spain celebrates another national holiday: ‘Constitution Day’ (Día de la Constitución), held every year on December 6th. Because only one workday usually falls between the two holidays, many people combine them and take the whole week off or at least enjoy a long weekend.
- A lot of shops are closed, so if you want to explore the city than it will be a perfect day for a tour!