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L ‘December 8 always fallsImmaculate Conception, a day of celebration that officially begins Christmas time. In fact, according to tradition, the tree and the manger are decorated precisely on this day.
Although it is a day of celebration also recognized by the Italian State, the feast of December 8 has catholic origins, and is related to the cult of Mary. This is what is celebrated, what are the traditions and in which countries this festival occurs.
What holiday is December 8? What is celebrated
On December 8, theImmaculate Conception, a festival that has its origin in the Christian translation of our country. During this feast day, Catholics are called to celebrate what is called a religious dogma, which is a fundamental and indisputable principle, according to which it is established that the mother of Jesus was conceived without original sin and that therefore she was pure, unlike all other men.
The Catholic Church in fact establishes that every man, at the moment of birth, is stained by original sin, this belief is due to Adam and Eve, who according to what is related by the Holy Scriptures disobeyed God by eating the apple, and assigning all their offspring to be born with this guilt. Only with the sacrament of baptism We are once again pure and without sin according to the precepts of the Catholic Church.
The Immaculate Conception of Mary arrived formally made official in 1854 with a papal bull signed by Pope Pius IX entitled beyond, with which it was established that the mother of Jesus was born pure and was conceived in the womb completely devoid of sin, and therefore immaculate. The document was issued on December 8 and has been a holiday ever since.
In which countries is December 8 celebrated?
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is not felt so much in foreign countries as in Italy, for this reason it is not celebrated much in Europe and in the world. In fact, this anniversary is celebrated only in some countries that have had a history strongly linked to the Catholic tradition, including the Spain, the Portugal, malt, the Principality of Monaco, l ‘Austria and in some cantons of Switzerland.
In other European countries, however, it is the feast of St nicolas, or Santa Claus, which instead is celebrated two days before, on December 6.
How to celebrate December 8: customs and traditions
December 8, despite being a holiday of religious origin, is also a holiday recognized by the Italian State and provides for the closure of offices, companies and schools. During this day they repeat many traditions from north to south of the boot, but the most widespread is undoubtedly the one linked toChristmas tree and to cradle.
Starting with the Immaculate Conception, the Christmas period officially enters the heart of the festivities, which is why the Christmas tree and the nativity scene are also decorated. The reason why this date was chosen is probably purely practical, being the first useful date to dedicate oneself to this practice without taking up space to work, in fact in Milan it is one day earlier, during Sant’Ambrogio celebrations, the patron saint of the city.
Usually on this day the Christmas markets, especially in northern Italy, which this year will not be able to take place, in the different towns and villages, while in some regions of south-central Italy, such as Abruzzo, Puglia and Umbria, the fires and the typical pancakes are prepared.