Today Orthodox Christians celebrate the great Christian holiday - the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. Among the people it is also called the Most Pure. \n \nAccording to the Bible, the Virgin Mary was born in Nazareth to elderly parents who dreamed of a child but could not have one until they promised to give the child to the service of God. Since then, the Most Pure has traditionally been considered a women's holiday, when a woman should be honored as a continuer of the family line. Expectant mothers on this day ask the Theotokos for health and happiness for their children, newlyweds expect relatives as guests. And unmarried girls gather love potion herbs. \n \nThe first mentions of the celebration of the Nativity of the Theotokos date back to the second half of the 5th century. At approximately the same time, the holiday was included in the church calendar. \n \nThe church services on this day are full of joyful tones, as if it were Christ's Nativity or His bright Resurrection. The main motives of this joy are the end of the childlessness of the righteous Joachim and Anna, the beginning of our salvation, and the special role and significance of the Theotokos for the salvation of the human race. \n \nAt the end, the Church calls all the faithful to the stichera of Vespers, so that they may give due honor to the Mother of God: "Come all ye faithful and let us come to the Child, for she is born who even before her conception was chosen to be the Mother of our God. She is born and the Church clothes herself in her majesty. She is the holy temple that contains the Godhead, the virginal vessel, the royal chamber. Giving honor to the Savior, we sing of the Nativity of the All-Immaculate Virgin." \n