December 8 is NOT the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

This coming Dec 8 we will be celebrating one of the four key Marian dogmas (the Immaculate Conception) related to the most important Saint, Mary. Most Catholics would label December 8 as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Actually, it’s not a feast day. It’s a Solemnity.

So what’s the difference?

Feast days are not as important as solemnities because in the Catholic Faith we embrace the idea of hierarchy. We have a hierarchy of truths to delineate the most important doctrines as dogmas and we even have a hierarchy of the Saints with Mary, Saint Joseph and Saint John the Baptist being the most important. 

Mary is the greatest Catholic Saint. Mary, the Mother of God and Mediatrix of Grace, has been venerated since the beginning of Christianity. Joseph, the head of the Holy Family is considered a great model for fathers, Christians and is the patron saint of the universal church. John the Baptist, the patron saint of baptism and lambs served as the one man chosen by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. Other Saints whose days are considered solemnities are Saint Peter and Saint Paul, apostles and foundational fathers of the Catholic Church.

The definition of the word solemn is ‘formal and dignified’. When something or someone is more important they are more worthy of making a formality of their dignified status. Hence we call December 8 the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. That day honors the most important Saint and one of the most important dogmas. 

Whereas December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered important enough to celebrate as a Feast but it does not rise to the level of Solemnity. Amazing stories of Mary’s supernatural apparitions are sometimes approved by the Church (like Guadelupe) but they are not a part of the essential doctrine and dogmas in the Deposit of Faith. In the hierarchy of doctrine, days surrounding the Incarnation  and days surrounding the Paschal Mystery: suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord are usually Solemnities. The greatest Solemnity is Easter Sunday and in second place The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas). These are the only two holy days that are preceded by a whole penitential season of preparation: Lent and Advent.

The definition of Feast day is a day on which a celebration, especially an annual Christian one, is held. 

Note: All holy days of obligation are Solemnities but not all Solemnities are holy days of obligation..

 
The following days in the liturgical calendar rise to the level of Solemnity based on the important person or the holiest dogma…

Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God, Holy Day of Obligation
Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
The Baptism of the Lord

Ash Wednesday
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Divine Mercy Sunday

Ascension of the Lord 

Pentecost
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Day of Obligation

All Saints Day, Holy Day of Obligation
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day)
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King)

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Nativity of the Lord