In Orthodox Christianity, the Nativity of the Theotokos is a Major Feast Day celebrated annually on September 8th, commemorating the birth of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. This feast is the first major celebration in the Orthodox liturgical year, marking the beginning of the process of salvation that culminates in Christ's incarnation. The feast is based on the second-century apocryphal work, the Book of James (Protevangelion), which recounts the story of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, and their childless status until an angel announced their miraculous conception of a daughter whose name would be known throughout the world.