The Feast of Mary of the Southern Cross is first celebrated. The day is a solemnity across the Diocese. The date of September 1st was chosen because it is the anniversary of the taking possession of the Cathedral by our first bishop and it is eight days before the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary and therefore would create an octave. It is also the first official day of Spring in Australia and it is a day when no other feast is celebrated in Australia.