Immaculate Conception, December 8
The Church holds that Mary was preserved from original sin from the first moment of her conception, a dogma defined by Pius IX in 1854. The Immaculate Conception is the patronal feast of the United States and a holy day of obligation there. The National Shrine in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to it.
On the General Roman Calendar, December 8 is a solemnity: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Name days on December 8
In countries that keep name days, December 8 is the day for people named Concepta.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Concepta | December 8 |
December 8 on the calendar
December 8 is the 342nd day of the year (the 343rd in a leap year), with 23 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | Saturday |
| 2030 | Sunday |
Keeping December 8
December 8 falls during Advent. As a solemnity, it ranks among the highest celebrations of the year: the Mass includes the Gloria and the Creed, and some solemnities are holy days of obligation. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Concepta, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around December 8
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| December 5 | St. Sabbas |
| December 6 | St. Nicholas |
| December 7 | St. Ambrose |
| December 9 | St. Juan Diego |
| December 10 | Our Lady of Loreto |
| December 11 | St. Damasus I |
The day before, December 7, is the day of St. Ambrose. The day after, December 9, belongs to St. Juan Diego. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.