The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is one of the prominent and significant holidays observed in Vatican City. Celebrated annually on December 8th, the occasion honors the belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It is a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics, requiring them to attend mass, and in many countries, it is a public holiday providing people a day off from work or school.
Vatican City, as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, observes the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with great reverence and devotion. The Pope leads a grand Holy Mass at St. Peter's Basilica to commemorate the occasion. Following the Mass, he pays homage to a statue of the Virgin Mary at Piazza di Spagna in Rome, by laying a bouquet of flowers to honor her.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception which this feast celebrates, holds that Mary, the mother of Christ, was conceived without the stain of original sin. Therefore, the holiday serves as a reminder of Mary's purity and the important role she played in the Christian faith. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is not only an important date on the Catholic Calendar in Vatican City, but also in many Catholic-dominated countries around the world.