The Immaculate Virgin Conception of the Virgin Mary 

on the 15th because this date is clear to everyone by observation of the full moon. So, for example, if someone 

was traveling a long distance to Jerusalem for a religious feast, they would be able to tell by watching the 

phases of the moon approximately how soon the feast would begin. For this reason, the feast celebrating the 

completion of the rebuilding of the Temple Sanctuary most likely began about the time of the full moon, on 

the 15th of the month in the Jewish calendar. Therefore, Heshvan 15 is the most likely date for the start of this 

feast at the completion of the rebuilding of the Sanctuary. 

    Important celebrations in the Jewish faith usually lasted for 7 or 8 days, (e.g. the Feast of Tabernacles, 

Passover, Hanukkah). People traveled from all over Israel to attend important celebrations in Jerusalem. Since 

the journey to the feast might take several days to a week (one way), it made sense to have the celebration last 

about a week. The same reasoning applies to betrothal (wedding) ceremonies.   and Tobias' marriage was 

celebrated for seven days with great festivity.  (Tobit 11:19). And, according to Blessed Anne Catherine, 

Joseph and Mary's betrothal ceremony  lasted for seven or eight days. 

514

 Therefore, a celebration as 

important as the rededication of the Temple Sanctuary must have lasted for 7 or 8 days. 

    In 31 

B.C.

, Heshvan 15 coincided with Nov. 2, a Saturday.

515

 So, the last day of the rededication festival 

would then have been Friday, Nov. 8 (for a 7 day festival), or Saturday, Nov. 9 (for an 8 day festival). Blessed 

Anne Catherine indicates that Saints Joachim and Ann met in the passageway under the Temple at the end of 

the feast, which would then have been either Friday, Nov. 8, or Saturday, Nov. 9.

516

 When Joachim and Anne 

met at the very foundation of the Temple of Jerusalem, the Immaculate Virgin Conception of the Virgin Mary 

was accomplished by a miracle of God. 

    Before Saint Joachim met Saint Ann under the Temple, he offered a sacrifice to the priests of the Temple 

(two lambs and three young goats). Joachim then was taken by a priest to the altar of incense (the same place 

where Zechariah met the angel), and left there alone.

517

  He remained shut up in the Temple all night, praying 

with great and ardent desires. 

518

 Afterwards, some priests led Saint Joachim to the entrance of the passageway 

under the temple, where he met his wife, Saint Ann. Since Joachim was in prayer all night, they probably met 

in that passageway sometime in the morning. Therefore, the Immaculate Conception occurred in the morning, 

on either Friday, Nov. 8, or Saturday, Nov. 9, in the year 31 

B.C.

    Afterwards, Joachim and Ann were led by priests to the Temple above, which was open and decorated still. 

 Divine service was performed under the open sky. 

519

 Next, Joachim and Ann visited at a priest's house in 

Jerusalem, and then began the journey back to Nazareth. The day of the Immaculate Conception must also 

have been the last day of the festival, because Joachim and Ann left for home soon afterwards, on the same 

day. 

    If the Divine service, which Joachim and Ann attended after the Immaculate Conception, was a Sabbath 

service, then this last day of the festival was a Saturday. Joachim and Ann, being devout Jews would not have 

traveled on the Sabbath. They may have visited at the priest's house in Jerusalem until the close of the 

Sabbath, at sunset, and then begun their journey home. Similarly, Blessed Anne Catherine describes Saint 

Joseph and the Virgin Mary's journey to Bethlehem as beginning in the evening also.

520

 This line of reasoning 

places the Immaculate Conception on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 9. 

    On the other hand, if Joachim and Ann met early on the morning of Friday, Nov. 8, they could have begun 

their journey back to Nazareth before the Sabbath began at sunset. After attending a religious service  and 

visiting at the priest's house, they may still have had sufficient time left in the day to travel for several hours 

before the Sabbath began. In this case, the festival would have been 7 days long, instead of 8 days, and the 

Divine service mentioned by Blessed Anne Catherine would be a service on the last day of the feast, not the 

Sabbath service. Either of these scenarios is plausible. 

    According to Blessed Anne Catherine, the Holy Conception and Birth of Jesus Christ are each celebrated by 

the Church on the correct day of the month (the 25th), but one month later, than the date the actual events 

occurred. She places the Incarnation on Feb. 25, instead of the liturgical calendar's date of March 25, and she 

places Christ's Birth on Nov. 25, instead of Dec. 25. The Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception on the 

8th day of December, yet, according to the argument presented above, the Immaculate Conception occurred in 

early November. Perhaps the correct date for the Immaculate Conception is also on the same day of the 

month, but one month earlier, as was the case with Christ's Holy Conception and Birth. Furthermore, the date 

of the Virgin Mary's entrance into the Temple of Jerusalem, as one of the Temple virgins, was also Nov. 8 (see 

chapter 9). For these reasons, I hold that the Immaculate Conception occurred on Nov. 8, not Nov. 9.  

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