La stanza di Anna. La nascita di Maria Vergine nell’arte

Artists and writers have used various mediums to depict the birth of the Virgin Mary because the Scriptures do not provide an account of the event. Vatican News reports that centuries of homilies, apocryphal texts, images, and poetry have filled this gap.

Artistic depictions include scenes from the Protoevangelium of James and domestic life portrayed by Giotto, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Ghirlandaio. Literary works, such as the poetry of Rilke, describe angels silencing their songs during the event.

The feast day on September 8 celebrates the unexpected birth of Mary. Pope Paul VI described her birth as an announcement, a prelude, a dawn, and a vigil for Christ.