annunciations

Annunciations, in Christian usage, primarily refers to the Annunciation—the biblical event in which the Angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive and bear the Son of God. The term comes from Latin annuntiatio, “a bringing news.” In the Gospel of Luke (1:26–38) the angel greets Mary, she consents with her fiat, and the Incarnation is foretold.

Liturgical observances center on the Feast of the Annunciation, celebrated on March 25 in many Western churches and observed on different dates in other traditions. The feast emphasizes the moment of the incarnation and Mary’s role in salvation history. In Catholic doctrine, Marian devotion highlights the annunciation as a model of obedience to God, while Orthodox and many Anglican and Lutheran communities mark the event within their own liturgical calendars and hagiographies.

The Annunciation is one of the most enduring subjects in Christian art. Throughout medieval and Renaissance Europe, and in later periods as well, artists depicted Gabriel and Mary in intimate, symbol-rich compositions. Common motifs include Gabriel’s message, Mary’s humility, the lily representing purity, and the Holy Spirit as a dove. Notable treatments include works by Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, and Sandro Botticelli, among many others. The theme has also influenced music, theology, and devotional literature, reinforcing the doctrine of the Incarnation.

In broader usage, “annunciations” can refer to multiple announcements or messages, but in Christian contexts the term typically denotes the single biblical event or its many artistic representations.