December 8 is the feast day of the Immaculate Conception, a Roman Catholic holiday that celebrates the belief that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin.
The Immaculate Conception indicates that Our Lady was preserved from the penalty of original sin from the moment of her conception.
The Virgin Birth means that Jesus was conceived and born, not of man, but by the Holy Spirit.
Roses and lilies have been symbols of Mary since earliest times. The rose, emblematic of her purity, glory and sorrow, was her attribute as Queen of Heaven and a symbol of her love for God and for Christ, her son.
nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary on 8 September.
