The Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple: Historical Origins

Each year on November 21, the Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary — an ancient feast with a unique and sometimes uncertain history.

According to tradition, Mary’s parents brought her to the Temple to consecrate her to God. The feast honors the devotion of Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, and also honors Mary’s purity. The Church also sets aside a specific feast honoring Joachim and Anne on July 26 every year.

The Church’s historical knowledge of the feast dates back to the apocryphal gospels, which the Church does not consider to be part of the canon of scripture. A legend in the Protoevangelium of James (from the 2nd century) tells the story of a 3-year-old Mary visiting the temple in Jerusalem, where her parents dedicated her to the service of God and to consecrated virginity. Joachim and Anne consecrated her in fulfillment of a promise they made to God following their long struggle with childlessness.

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