December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception

*This painting I did inspired by the Immaculate Conception.

This is the story of how it all began. This miraculous event is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope this story inspires, blesses you and finds you closer to God. Whether you believe in Christianity or not, I hope this lets you be more educated and perhaps opens your heart. May God be with you.

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.'

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'

'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'

The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.'

'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.' Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Mary and the Angel Gabriel

Mary and Elizabeth

Mary tells her Aunt Elizabeth she is with child

God Bless,
Annamaria

My Next Saint Painting Dedication: Saint Sofia

At times you will also see Saint Sofia depicted in a picture with her standing behind her 3 daughters who were also Martyrs.  You will also see her name as Sophia, Sofia and Sofiya.

Together they are commemorated on September 17

I will be painting Saint Sofia.  She is my daughter's Patron Saint.  I plan to frame it and hang it in her room.  Her story touches me deeply and is so very sad.  Please look up her story.  Here is a link at www.Catholic.org where you can find a little bit of the story.  She is the mother of the Saints: Faith, Hope and Love (you will also hear Love known as Charity).  Story of Saint Sofia Her church is located in Bulgaria and her Feast Day is August 1.  


These Saints were from Italy and were persecuted for their strong Christian faith in the 2nd century, during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Faith was only twelve years old; Hope, ten; and Love, nine—each was tormented and then beheaded, from the eldest to the youngest. Their mother, Sophia, mourned at their grave for three days, where she also fell asleep in peace. Because of her courageous endurance in the face of her daughters' sufferings, she is also counted a martyr. The name Sophia means "wisdom" in Greek; as for her daughters' names, Faith, Hope, and Love—they are Pistis, Elpis, and Agape in Greek, and Vera, Nadezhda, and Lyubov in Russian.


Wish me luck.  I hope that I can do her justice.

God Bless,
Annamaria