The Franciscans began celebrating the feast of the Visitation in the middle of the thirteenth century. It recalls Mary's loving concern for Elizabeth. As recounted by Luke, it is a story about two women. Like all Gospel stories, however, it is also a story about Jesus. Mary's loving concern is a human expression of the loving concern which Jesus showed for us in becoming man: It is a fruit of the Incarnation.

The choice of a date for a feast day is either a symbolic one, like Christmas, or is fixed in relation to other feasts. Thus we celebrate the Annunciation on March 25th, nine months before the feast of Jesus' birth. At the Annunciation, the angel told Mary that Elizabeth was already six months pregnant. So we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist on June 24th, six months after Christmas. The Franciscans originally chose to celebrate the Visitation on July 2nd: John was circumcised and named on the eighth day after his birth (Luke 1:59) Mary left soon after. So the Franciscans may, with great insight, have intended the feast to celebrate the naming of John in the presence of Jesus and Mary: Jesus and the two people who prepared his coming in different ways.