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BASIC MARIOLOGY – MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

 

Mariology is the study of Mary and her role in salvation history, focussing on her place in Catholic doctrine and tradition.

 

Arguably the most well-known woman in scripture, Mary Mother of God plays a prominent role in our salvation story from the moment the angel Gabriel greets her as being “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), to the foot of the cross where she faithfully stays with her dying son (John 19:25), to her glorious assumption into heaven to be crowned as Queen Mother of the universe (Revelation 12:1-6).

 

Catholics show such great love for Mary that we are often accused of worshipping her, which is not true – we honour and revere her for her vital role in God’s salvation plan for us, and we ask for her to pray with us to her son, Jesus, with whom she has a strong motherly bond.

 

 

Catholic Marian Dogmas

We will not go into all details of Mary’s story – for that you can read the gospels – but instead, here we will focus on only four key aspects of Mary’s life which are central and quite unique to the Catholic Church. These aspects are called dogmas – revealed truths that the Church has outlined and requires members to believe. The importance of these dogmas is shown in the fact that two of them were declared as “ex cathedra” statements by the Pope – the only two such statements so far in the history of the Church.

 

Dogma 1: The Immaculate Conception (CCC 491-492)

Mary’s story actually begins long before we are introduced to her in the Bible – with her immaculate conception. Many mistake the term “immaculate conception” to refer to Jesus being conceived in Mary’s womb, but it actually refers to Mary’s conception without the stain of original sin, in preparation for her role as the Mother of God.

 

Church tradition holds that Mary’s parents, Sts Joachim and Anne, were a devout but elderly couple who were childless for many years, which brought them much sorrow and shame in their Jewish community. One day, after being rejected from offering a temple sacrifice due to his childlessness, Joachim went into the desert to pray and fast for 40 days. At the same time, Anne stayed at home and also prayed to God for a child. An angel then appeared to both of them separately, announcing that Anne would conceive a child. Shortly after, Mary was miraculously conceived by her elderly parents, similar to how St John the Baptist would also later be conceived by the elderly Zechariah and Elizabeth.

 

The Immaculate Conception means that from the first moment of her existence, Mary was free from original sin, by the unique grace of God. She remained so throughout her life, as is reflected in the greeting by the angel Gabriel “Hail Mary, full of grace” (Luke 1:28). Being in this state of grace, Mary is able to without hesitation respond to the statement that she will conceive the Son of God with the words “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38), which is also called her “fiat”. Because of her willing and lifelong instant submission to God, Mary is sometimes referred to as the “New Eve” – contrasting Eve, who was the “mother of all the living” but brought death into the world by disobeying God, Mary is the “mother of all the redeemed”, bringing life into the world through Christ and by fully obeying God.

 

The Orthodox Church rejects this dogma because they hold a different view of the concept of original sin, but generally see Mary as “all-holy”. Protestants reject the dogma, believing that Mary was a sinner like all other humans. In 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception as Catholic dogma (required belief) in the form of the first of only two “ex-cathedra” proclamations made by a pope so far. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated each year on 8 December, as a holy day of obligation. In some cultures, the day is traditionally celebrated by making cinnamon cookies, based on an old source that referred to Mary smelling as sweet as cinnamon.

 

Dogma 2: Mary Mother of God (CCC 495)

The next key aspect of Mary’s story is when she gives birth to Jesus and becomes Mother of Jesus. But the Catholic Church goes further to call her “Mother of God” of “God-bearer” (“Theotokos” in Greek). Other faiths or even Christians often argue that because she did not give birth to God Himself, she cannot be His mother. However, she did give birth to Jesus Christ, who though he was one divine person, has two natures – fully God and fully man. Jesus is also considered the second person of the Holy Trinity as God the Son, who is one with God the Father (and the Holy Spirit). So Mary did not just give birth to a man, she gave birth to God made flesh. She is not the source of Jesus’ divinity, but because she gave birth to Him who is fully divine, and she is not the source of God, but the mother of the divine person Jesus in His human nature.

 

The title of Mary as “Theotokos” (“God-bearer”) was formally affirmed at the Council of Ephesus (the Third Ecumenical Council) in 431 AD. The dogma is supported in Holy Scripture by verses such as Luke 1:43 where Elizabeth calls Mary “the mother of my Lord”, with the original Latin using the term “Kyrios” – a title used only for God. Today, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant Christians generally accept this dogma. Catholics celebrate the solemnity (holy day of obligation) of Mary, the Holy Mother of God on 1 January. Traditional celebrations usually include placing flowers at Marian statues, or processions during which Marian statues are carried through the streets, followed by the faithful.

 

Dogma 3: Perpetual Virgin (CCC496 AND 499)

Catholic teaching is that Mary remained a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. This means that she conceived of the Holy Spirit (not sexual relations), Jesus’ birth did not violate her physical virginity, and that she had no other biological children. This is seen as both a sign of God’s continued grace in Mary’s life, but also of her total devotion to Him throughout her life.

 

While Catholics, the Orthodox and even early Protestants like Luther and Calvin believe in Mary’s perpetual virginity, most modern Protestants argue that verses like Mark 6:3 that refer to the “Brothers and sisters of Jesus” means that she had other children. However, the ancient Semitic use of “brothers” is actually for any close relatives or even somewhat extended family.

 

The Catholic Church officially declared Mary’s state of perpetual virginity as dogma at the Lateran Council in 649 AD, where Pope Martin I stated “The holy and ever-virgin and immaculate Mary conceived without seed, gave birth incorruptly, and after his birth preserved her virginity inviolate”.

 

Dogma 4: Assumption into heaven (CCC 966)

The last of the official Catholic Marian dogmas relates to the end of Mary’s time on earth. The Church teaches that “Mary, the Mother of God, at the end of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. Though not explicitly described in Scripture, the Assumption is supported by Sacred Tradition, early Christian writings, and Catholic liturgy.

 

Interestingly, Catholic dogma affirms the event of the Assumption, but does not give details about the event itself, which we only get from early Christian writings. The traditional account is that after Jesus ascended to heaven, Mary stayed with the apostle John, to whom Jesus entrusted her while he was dying on the cross (John 19:27). When her time on earth was complete, Mary entered a peaceful “falling asleep (dormition)”, while the apostles were gathered around her. She was then placed in a tomb, and her body (without decay or sin) and soul then assumed into heaven, accompanied by angels. Some texts indicate that the apostle Thomas (who did not believe in Christ’s resurrection until he saw him and touched His wounds) only arrived 3 days after Mary’s death and asked to see her tomb, which they then found empty, except for her burial clothes. At that moment, Mary appeared to Thomas and gave him her veil as a sign.

 

Though there are some variations in the details of whether Mary died or not, and the part about St Thomas, both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches believe in the Assumption. This dogma was declared official by Pope Pius XII in 1950, as the second of the two “ex-cathedra” proclamations of the Catholic Church so far. The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August, as a holy day of obligation. The Eastern and Orthodox Churches extend this into a period of fasting (the dormition fast) in the two weeks leading up to the feast, which is celebrated with preparations of cloud-themed foods such as meringues and cotton candy.

 

 

Popular prayers to Mary

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

 

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.

 

 

Final thought

The idea of Mary as such an important figure in our salvation history is often difficult for even practicing Catholics to understand, and even more so for recent converts or Protestant Christians. However, as many have already found, building a relationship with Mary Mother of God allows us to not only follow her example (as a child naturally does with their mother), but also to enter absolute union with Jesus and accept a life of humility and in service of God. How can we then not echo the words of the archangel Gabriel ins proclaiming “Hail Mary, full of grace”.