The Annunciation Luke 1:26–38
Gabriel announces that Mary has found favor with God and will give birth to Jesus.
Worship
Honoring the Mother of Our Lord and Remembering the 1977 Revelation
Celestial Church of Christ does not worship Holy Mary.
We honor and revere her as the woman chosen by God to bear Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Holy Mary's Day is a special annual observance within Celestial Church of Christ. It is held on the first Friday of July and commemorates the appearance of Holy Mary to Pastor-Founder Reverend Samuel Bilehou Joseph Oshoffa in 1977.
The observance forms part of the revealed history and worship life of Celestial Church of Christ.
Holy Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of Luke records that the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to Mary and declared:
“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.”
Luke 1:28
Mary was chosen by God to conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Her response reveals the humility and obedience that characterize her place in the Gospel:
“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38
Celestians therefore honor Holy Mary not because she replaces Christ, but because of the extraordinary grace and responsibility God bestowed upon her.
No. Worship belongs to God.
Jesus Christ remains the Savior, Redeemer, and center of the Christian faith. The honor given to Holy Mary must never be confused with replacing Christ or giving Mary the worship that belongs to God.
Mary herself points toward God. In the Magnificat she declares:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”
Luke 1:46–47
At the wedding in Cana she directs the servants toward Jesus:
“Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2:5
This captures an important part of the Celestial understanding of Holy Mary: Mary does not draw worship away from Christ. She points the worshipper toward Him.
Holy Mary's place of honor is expressed in Scripture: “For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).
The honor ultimately reflects the mighty work God accomplished through her: “For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (Luke 1:49).
Mary's presence unfolds across the life of Christ, from the Annunciation to the Cross.
Gabriel announces that Mary has found favor with God and will give birth to Jesus.
Elizabeth calls Mary blessed, and Mary responds with the Magnificat.
Mary gives birth to Christ and treasures the events surrounding His birth in her heart.
Simeon prophesies concerning Christ and tells Mary that a sword will also pierce her own soul.
Mary and Joseph search for Jesus and find Him in the Temple.
Mary brings the need to Jesus and tells the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Mary remains near Jesus during His crucifixion. Jesus tells her, “Woman, behold your son,” and tells the disciple, “Behold your mother.”
Celestial teaching draws attention to the biblical relationship between the woman, her Child, and the serpent.
Genesis 3:15 records the promise of enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between their offspring (Genesis 3:15).
Revelation 12 presents the image of a woman clothed with the sun, the moon beneath her feet, a crown of twelve stars, a male Child, and the dragon seeking to destroy Him (Revelation 12).
Within Celestial teaching, these passages help illuminate Holy Mary's place within the story of Christ and redemption. The victory itself belongs to Jesus Christ.
The significance of Holy Mary within Celestial Church of Christ predates the 1977 revelation.
The CCC Constitution records that the very first spiritual hymn given to the Church came through one of the early Prophetesses of the Church, Wolisata. The Constitution identifies this as CCC Hymn 762.
The hymn refers to Holy Mary as our mother and asks that she accompany and guide the Church.
This places Holy Mary within the spiritual history of CCC from its earliest days.
On July 15, 1977, Pastor-Founder Reverend S.B.J. Oshoffa experienced a significant spiritual revelation.
The CCC Constitution records that while in a trance, the Pastor-Founder saw himself ascending a number of steps. He eventually saw a fair-skinned woman dressed completely in blue.
Initially she appeared to be shielding something from his view. When he later returned to the place, she revealed what she was carrying: a Child with a crown upon His head.
The Pastor-Founder then understood the woman to be Holy Mary and the Child to be Jesus Christ.
Holy Mary pointed to the Child and identified Him as Jesus Christ.
The constitutional account emphasizes that Jesus is holy and that those who worship Him must walk in spiritual cleanliness.
The central teaching is therefore not merely about seeing Holy Mary. The revelation points toward:
The constitutional account also records that Holy Mary encouraged the Pastor-Founder not to be discouraged because of the color of his skin. Race was described as being of no significance in spiritual matters.
The message emphasized the condition of the heart:
“It is because of your clean mind that we dwell in you.”
Holy Mary's Day carries a call toward inner holiness. A white Sutana alone is not enough. The worshipper must also seek:
Almost one year after the 1977 revelation, it was spiritually revealed that Holy Mary should receive due recognition within Celestial Church of Christ through an annual commemoration.
Pastor-Founder S.B.J. Oshoffa therefore declared:
THE FIRST FRIDAY OF JULY EVERY YEAR
AS HOLY MARY'S DAY
The Constitution directs that it be observed through a full congregational service throughout Celestial Church of Christ worldwide.
The first observance took place on Friday, July 7, 1978.
Holy Mary's Day is therefore not merely a local parish custom.
Holy Mary's Day is observed as a major congregational service. Prayer, Scripture, hymns, thanksgiving, and worship remain directed toward God.
The congregation especially remembers:
Some parishes may celebrate the day with greater festivity than others, but the constitutional observance belongs to the Church worldwide.
Celestial teaching also recognizes Holy Mary in connection with intercession.
At Cana, Mary recognized the need and brought the situation to Jesus. She did not claim the power to perform the miracle herself. Instead she said:
“Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2:5
Then Jesus performed the miracle.
Celestians may pray directly to God through Jesus Christ. Recognizing Holy Mary's intercessory place does not make her the Savior, Redeemer, or source of divine power.
At the Cross Jesus said to Mary, “Woman, behold your son,” then to the beloved disciple, “Behold your mother” (John 19:26–27).
The disciple then received Mary into his home.
Celestial teaching sees in this a profound expression of Mary's continuing maternal relationship with followers of Christ. She is therefore affectionately referred to within the Church as our mother.
No Marian shrine or statue formed part of the original revealed order of Celestial Church of Christ.
The high-ranking CCC official whose teaching forms part of the approved source material distinguishes original Celestial practice from later customs adopted in some places.
Pictures or portraits of Holy Mary may be displayed. However, placing statues of Mary within the principal altar arrangement was not part of the original order given to the Church by the Pastor-Founder.
Celestial worship should not create the impression that Mary is being worshipped, that a statue is required to approach God, or that Catholic Marian devotional practices are required CCC practice.
Other Christian traditions have their own historical devotional places and practices. Celestial Church of Christ has its own revealed spiritual order.
CCC was given The Mercy Land as a consecrated place of prayer and spiritual work.
Holy Mary's Day should therefore be understood within the spiritual identity of Celestial Church itself, rather than by duplicating every Marian practice found in another denomination.
The CCC constitutional account describes Holy Mary in the 1977 revelation as dressed from head to toe in blue.
Many Christian traditions also portray Mary in blue and white.
Do not create a rigid doctrine around the colors. The 1977 revelation records blue specifically. Other prophetic experiences may describe Holy Mary surrounded by light or appearing differently. These descriptions are best understood as imagery associated with heavenly glory, purity, peace, and divine presence — not as a required earthly uniform.
Within the prophetic life of the Church, some Prophets and Prophetesses report seeing Holy Mary in dreams or visions.
The high-ranking CCC official explains that her appearance may be associated with comfort, hope, intervention, maternal care, or help during spiritual difficulty.
Such experiences remain subject to spiritual discernment and the established prophetic order of the Church. A vision must not be used to create doctrine contrary to Scripture or the established order of CCC.
Holy Mary's Day may receive less attention in some parishes than other major CCC observances.
However, the day was specifically established following the revelation received by the Pastor-Founder. The first Friday of July should therefore be treated with reverence.
It is a day to remember Mary's faithfulness, God's grace, the holiness required of the worshipper, and above all, Jesus Christ, the crowned Child to whom Holy Mary pointed.
Perhaps no statement summarizes Holy Mary's place more clearly than her words at Cana.
“Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2:5
Holy Mary's Day does not call Celestians away from Christ. It calls us toward the Christ whom Mary carried, served, followed, and proclaimed.
She was highly favored. She called herself the servant of the Lord. She was present at His birth. She followed Him through His earthly ministry. She remained near Him at the Cross. And in the revelation given to the Pastor-Founder, she again pointed toward Jesus Christ and the call to spiritual cleanliness.
WE HONOR HOLY MARY.
WE WORSHIP GOD.
WE FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST.
Learn more about the worship life of Disciple Parish.