Immuculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception by Murillo, 1660, Museo del Prado, Spain.

In the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December, 1854, Pius IX pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin."

The person is truly conceived when the soul is created and infused into the body.Mary was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin at the first moment of her animation, and sanctifying grace was given to her before sin could have taken effect in her soul.


Today is a Holy Day of Obligation.

Image from Wikipedia. Copy from New Advent.