Māras () or Māra Day (; sometimes referred to as the Great Māra Day or Mother Day) was a Latvian festival, devoted to Māra, an ancient deity,.
There are four Mara days: Winter Mara or Candlemass () on February 2nd; Spring Mara ( or ) on March 25; Summer Mara () on August 15 and Little or Autumn Mara () on September 8.
According to the solar calendar, Māras marks the midpoint between Jāņi, which is summer solstice, and Miķeļi, which represents the end of the harvest season. The actual date, likely, is the result of Christian influence, identifying Māra with Virgin Mary, whose devoted holiday (Assumption of Mary) is observed on 15 August.
See also
- Māra
- Virgin Mary
- Assumption of Mary