​This is a “dilemma” about which many articles have been written on the Internet in recent years, and the question is: is it not shameful to say “Happy birthday!” On August 15, people with the name Maria or Maryana, given that we are talking about death, commemoration, and therefore we have no reason for joy?

Question: When we say “Happy Birthday” to Saint Mary, it appears every year at this time and it is important because more than 2.2 million Romanians celebrate their birthday, of which more than 1.8 million are women and 400,000 men. Almost 1.4 million Romanians bear the name Maria, and over 300,000 Romanians have the name Marian in their registry.

Feast of the Most Holy Theotokos

In the Orthodox calendar, the Mother of God is commemorated on 9 days, starting with the Annunciation in March and ending with the “Conception of the Most Holy Mother of God by Saint Anna” at the end of December.

Two days of these nine are the most famous, they are on the “border” between the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

On August 15, Christians celebrate the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos (popularly known as the Great Mother of God), and on September 8, the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (Little Mother of God).

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the holiday of her transmigration with her body to heaven. The Orthodox Church speaks of the Assumption of the Mother of God as a “transition” to the incorruptible. The term “ascension” is used, not resurrection or ascension, because the Mother of God ascended to heaven not by her own power, but by the divine power of her Son.

The Church celebrates the Nativity of the Mother of God on September 8, which is the first major holiday of the church year (the year that begins on September 1). It was fixed on the eighth day of the church year, because the number eight symbolizes the day of eternity, endless life (source crestinortodox.ro).

So do we say Happy Birthday or not? Could we be seriously wrong?

It is impossible to give an unequivocal answer and the topic has caused disputes and controversies, because there are people who believe that on August 15, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, only the dead are commemorated, and the name day should only be celebrated on September 8, when the Mother of God was born.

There are priests who spoke publicly and said that the “Assumption of the Mother of God” means the transfer of her body to heaven, that is, her resurrection, that is, the transition to life, so we have reasons to rejoice and can calmly say “Happy.” Birthday” and August 15, not only September 8.

People who are not very concerned about religion will not be upset if we say “Happy Birthday” on August 15, because without knowing the theological context and interpretations, they have no reason to worry.

Some of the practicing believers may take this greeting with distrust, considering it inappropriate, but in most cases there should be no problem to say to Mary, Mariana or Maryana: “Happy birthday!”. even in the middle of August.