<P> Mary's special position within God's purpose of salvation as "God - bearer" (Theotokos) is recognised in a number of ways by some Anglican Christians . All the member churches of the Anglican Communion affirm in the historic creeds that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, and celebrates the feast days of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple . This feast is called in older prayer books the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary on February 2 . The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin on March 25 was from before the time of Bede until the 18th century New Year's Day in England . The Annunciation is called the "Annunciation of our Lady" in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer . Anglicans also celebrate in the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin on 31 May, though in some provinces the traditional date of July 2 is kept . The feast of the St. Mary the Virgin is observed on the traditional day of the Assumption, August 15 . The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin is kept on September 8 . </P> <P> The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is kept in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, on December 8 . In certain Anglo - Catholic parishes this feast is called the Immaculate Conception . Again, the Assumption of Mary is believed in by most Anglo - Catholics, but is considered a pious opinion by moderate Anglicans . Protestant minded Anglicans reject the celebration of these feasts . </P> <P> Prayers and venerative practices vary a great deal . For instance, as of the 19th century, following the Oxford Movement, Anglo - Catholics frequently pray the Rosary, the Angelus, Regina Caeli, and other litanies and anthems of Our Lady that are reminiscent of Catholic practices . On the other hand, Low - church Anglicans rarely invoke the Blessed Virgin except in certain hymns, such as the second stanza of Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones . </P> <P> The Anglican Society of Mary was formed in 1931 and maintains chapters in many countries . The purpose of the society is to foster devotion to Mary among Anglicans . The high - church Anglicans espouse doctrines that are closer to Roman Catholics, and retain veneration for Mary, e.g., official Anglican pilgrimages to Our Lady of Lourdes have taken place since 1963, and pilgrimages to Our Lady of Walsingham have gone on for hundreds of years . </P>

The biography of mary the mother of jesus