Greetings all,
I am looking to have an amicable discussion with those who venerate Mary the mother of Jesus. The purpose is to gather information on the subject with the view of presenting a study session to a wide range of believers.
As I understand it a Roman Catholic believer would agree with the below statement:
"In view of her dignity as the Mother of God and her fullness of grace, a special veneration is due to Mary. This is substantially less than the cultus latriae (= adoration) which is due to God alone, but it is higher than the cultus Duliae (= veneration) due to the angels and to the other saints. The special veneration thus given to Mary is called cultus hyperduliae" Fundementals of Catholic Dogma by Ott Ludwig
Can someone lead me to the Catechism where this type of veneration is stated? Any links to a Catholic library would also be helpful.
Is there a Scripture which states Mary should be praised?
It is widely understood that the treaching of Mary being the Mother of God was advocated by St. Cyril of Alexandria, at the Council of Ephesus (431) - Does the Church acknowledge this teaching was not taught, or held by the Apostles and was a later developement by the early Church fathers?
Thank you and look forward to the discussion.
Hi F2F,
I may be misunderstanding you so I have to ask a clarifying question: Do you not believe Jesus is God?
The quote from Ott Ludwig you provided does not say that "Mary should be praised". It says she is due "a special veneration". To venerate someone is to show great respect for them. Do you have great respect for Mary?
Also, you left out all the years BEFORE Cyril of Alexandria that Church leaders wrote that Mary was the mother of God. This teaching didn't start in 431AD.
Irenaeus “The Virgin Mary, being obedient to his word, received from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God” (
Against Heresies, 5:19:1
[A.D. 189]).
Hippolytus “[T]o all generations they [the prophets] have pictured forth the grandest subjects for contemplation and for action. Thus, too, they preached of the advent of God in the flesh to the world, his advent by the spotless and God-bearing (
theotokos) Mary in the way of birth and growth” (
Discourse on the End of the World 1
[A.D. 217]).
Gregory the Wonderworker “For Luke, in the inspired Gospel narratives, delivers a testimony not to Joseph only, but also to Mary, the Mother of God, and gives this account with reference to the very family and house of David” (
Four Homilies 1
[A.D. 262]).
“It is our duty to present to God, like sacrifices, all the festivals and hymnal celebrations; and first of all, [the feast of] the Annunciation to the holy Mother of God, to wit, the salutation made to her by the angel, ‘Hail, full of grace!’” (ibid., 2).
Peter of Alexandria “They came to the church of the most blessed Mother of God, and ever-virgin Mary, which, as we began to say, he had constructed in the western quarter, in a suburb, for a cemetery of the martyrs” (
The Genuine Acts of Peter of Alexandria [A.D. 305]).
“We acknowledge the resurrection of the dead, of which Jesus Christ our Lord became the firstling; he bore a body not in appearance but in truth derived from Mary the Mother of God” (
Letter to All Non-Egyptian Bishops 12
[A.D. 324]).
Methodius “While the old man [Simeon] was thus exultant, and rejoicing with exceeding great and holy joy, that which had before been spoken of in a figure by the prophet Isaiah, the holy Mother of God now manifestly fulfilled” (
Oration on Simeon and Anna 7
[A.D. 305]).
“Hail to you forever, you virgin Mother of God, our unceasing joy, for unto you do I again return. . . . Hail, you fount of the Son’s love for man. . . . Wherefore, we pray you, the most excellent among women, who boast in the confidence of your maternal honors, that you would unceasingly keep us in remembrance. O holy Mother of God, remember us, I say, who make our boast in you, and who in august hymns celebrate your memory, which will ever live, and never fade away” (ibid., 14).
Cyril of Jerusalem “The Father bears witness from heaven to his Son. The Holy Spirit bears witness, coming down bodily in the form of a dove. The archangel Gabriel bears witness, bringing the good tidings to Mary. The Virgin Mother of God bears witness” (
Catechetical Lectures 10:19
[A.D. 350]).
Ephraim the Syrian “Though still a virgin she carried a child in her womb, and the handmaid and work of his wisdom became the Mother of God” (
Songs of Praise 1:20
[A.D. 351]).
Athanasius “The Word begotten of the Father from on high, inexpressibly, inexplicably, incomprehensibly, and eternally, is he that is born in time here below of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God” (
The Incarnation of the Word of God 8
[A.D. 365]).
Epiphanius of Salamis “Being perfect at the side of the Father and incarnate among us, not in appearance but in truth, he [the Son] reshaped man to perfection in himself from Mary the Mother of God through the Holy Spirit” (
The Man Well-Anchored 75
[A.D. 374]).
Ambrose of Milan “The first thing which kindles ardor in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God? What more glorious than she whom Glory Itself chose?” (
The Virgins 2:2[7] [A.D. 377]).
Gregory of Nazianz “If anyone does not agree that holy Mary is Mother of God, he is at odds with the Godhead” (
Letter to Cledonius the Priest 101 [A.D. 382]).
Jerome “As to how a virgin became the Mother of God, he [Rufinus] has full knowledge; as to how he himself was born, he knows nothing” (
Against Rufinus 2:10 [A.D. 401]).
“Do not marvel at the novelty of the thing, if a Virgin gives birth to God” (
Commentaries on Isaiah 3:7:15 [A.D. 409]).
Theodore of Mopsuestia “When, therefore, they ask, ‘Is Mary mother of man or Mother of God?’ we answer, ‘Both!’ The one by the very nature of what was done and the other by relation” (
The Incarnation 15 [A.D. 405]).
Mary
