Mary, Mother of God: A Doctrinal Letter

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In times of curiosity and even confusion, many Christians ask why the Catholic faith places such profound emphasis on Mary, the Mother of God, when the Bible speaks relatively little of her. This letter seeks to clarify the Catholic Church’s doctrines about Mary—who she is, why she is honoured, and how her role developed—using Scripture, early Christian witness, and Church tradition. We will also address common misunderstandings, especially the claim that Catholics worship Mary in a way that contradicts biblical teaching. Through this exploration, may we come to appreciate Mary’s unique place in God’s plan and in the life of the Church.

Biblical Foundations for Marian Doctrines

Mary in Scripture: While Mary’s appearances in the Bible are few, they are full of meaning. In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel greets Mary with profound respect: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Gabriel’s honouring of Mary is notable—an angel sent by God shows her reverence. Mary’s own cousin Elisabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ... And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43). Elisabeth thus calls Mary “the mother of [her] Lord,” recognising the divine child Mary bears. From these passages, Catholics understand that honouring Mary is a deeply biblical impulse: “All generations will call me blessed,” Mary prophesies in her Magnificat (Luke 1:48). The Catholic tradition of esteeming Mary is seen as a direct fulfilment of Scripture. To “call Mary blessed” and give her special honour is nothing other than what the Bible itself foretold.

Mother of God (Theotokos): Catholic teaching calls Mary “Mother of God”, a title that often raises questions. It does not mean Mary is older than God or the source of Christ’s divinity. Instead, it is a way of safeguarding an essential biblical truth: Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one person. Scripture attests Jesus’ divinity (e.g. John 1:1, John 20:28) and also Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. By simple logic: if Jesus is God, and Mary is Jesus’s mother, then Mary is mother of God (in His incarnate form). To refuse this title, saying Mary is only mother of Jesus’s human nature, is to fall into the Nestorian heresy that split Jesus into two persons (one human, one divine). The Bible provides a basis in Elisabeth’s phrase “mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43), where “Lord” was a title used for God. Thus, the title Theotokos (Greek for "God-bearer") simply affirms “the one whom Mary bore in her womb is God in the flesh”. This truth was so central that the Council of Ephesus (AD 431) formally proclaimed Mary as Mother of God to defend Jesus’s identity.

Mary as the New Eve: From the first pages of Scripture, Catholics see hints of Mary’s role. After the fall of Adam and Eve, God promises a woman and her offspring will battle the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall crush your head” (Genesis 3:15). This verse, known as the Protoevangelium or “first gospel,” is read as a prophecy of salvation: Jesus is the woman’s seed who defeats Satan. Consequently, Mary is understood as that “woman” aligned against the serpent, pointing to her involvement alongside Christ in our redemption. Early Christians readily made this connection: “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience,” wrote St. Irenaeus in the 2nd century. For just as Eve, the “mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20), brought sin and death through disobedience, Mary’s yes to God brought forth Jesus, the source of life and grace. St. Jerome later echoed, “Death through Eve, life through Mary”. With this biblical “New Eve” parallel, the faithful understood Mary as a new spiritual mother to all who live in Christ.

Mary’s Perpetual Virginity: All Christians affirm Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus (cf. Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). But what about after Jesus’s birth? Some point to New Testament references to Jesus’s “brothers” (e.g. Mark 6:3) as evidence Mary had other children. The Catholic understanding is that these “brothers” were not other sons of Mary, but likely close relatives, such as cousins or kin. The languages of the Bible (Hebrew/Aramaic) often used the word “brothers” for any kin since there was no specific term for “cousin”. Indeed, an early Christian text, the Protoevangelium of James (c. 2nd century), indicates that Mary remained a consecrated virgin her whole life. This non-biblical document isn’t part of Scripture, but it shows that the belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity was present very early (by AD 120). The logic behind it is also tied to Scripture: Mary is seen as the new “Ark of the Covenant,” the sacred vessel of God’s presence (just as the ark carried God’s word and the manna, Mary carried the Word made flesh). In the Old Testament, the Ark was so holy it could not be touched or used for ordinary things (cf. 2 Samuel 6:6-7); by analogy, Mary’s womb, sanctified by God’s presence, was reserved for Jesus alone. Thus, Catholics hold that Mary remained ever-virgin, a sign of her complete devotion to God’s plan.

Mary, Mother of All Believers: At the crucifixion, Jesus’s dying words to Mary and the Apostle John were deeply significant. Seeing his mother and “the disciple whom he loved” at the foot of the cross, Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son... Behold your mother” (John 19:26-27). In this poignant scene, John represents all beloved disciples. By entrusting Mary to John, Jesus gives Mary to all of us as a spiritual mother and gives us (in John) to Mary as her children. John took Mary “into his home,” indicating Christians should likewise “receive Mary” into their lives. The Bible’s final book, Revelation, offers a symbolic vision that aligns with this. In Revelation 12, we see a “woman clothed with the sun” who gives birth to a ruler (clearly Jesus). After the dragon (Satan) is thwarted, it says: “Then the dragon... went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” (Rev. 12:17). The woman’s offspring are described as faithful Christians. Who is this woman? Catholics read her as Mary, the mother of the Messiah, and at the same time a figure of the Church. In either case, the followers of Jesus are depicted as children of Mary. From such verses, the Church understands Mary to be, by God’s design, the spiritual mother of the Church and indeed of all who receive new life in Christ. This is why one of Mary’s titles is “Mother of the Church,” formally declared in 1964 by Pope Paul VI, affirming that as Mary gave birth to Christ, she also, in a spiritual sense, “gave birth” to us at the foot of the Cross when Jesus entrusted her to humanity.

Summary of Biblical Basis: It is ironic that Marian doctrines are sometimes dismissed as “unbiblical,” since many are rooted in scriptural principles or imagery. The table below summarises key Catholic Marian doctrines, their biblical or historical foundations, and their significance in the faith:

Mother of God (Theotokos)

Luke 1:43 – Mary called “mother of my Lord”; logic of Jesus as God. Proclaimed at Council of Ephesus (AD 431).

Affirms Jesus Christ’s divinity and unity of person. Honouring Mary as Theotokos safeguards true Christology.

Perpetual Virginity

Prophecy of “a virgin shall conceive” (Isaiah 7:14). No biblical mention of Mary having other children; “brothers” interpreted as kin. Early Church texts (Protoevangelium of James, ~AD 120) uphold lifelong virginity.

Highlights Mary’s complete devotion to God. Emphasises Jesus’s miraculous birth. Mary as Ark of the New Covenant implies a singular, sacred use.

Immaculate Conception

Luke 1:28 – Mary greeted as “full of grace” (kecharitōmenē) implying a singular grace. Seen in light of Genesis 3:15’s “enmity” between Mary and Satan (implying she was not under sin’s sway). Doctrine developed over centuries; defined 1854 by Pope Pius IX.

Mary was preserved from original sin from conception, through Christ’s merits, to be a pure mother for the Saviour. She is “all-holy,” a model of God’s saving grace reaching into human nature.

Assumption (Mary taken body and soul to heaven)

Implicit in Scripture: Mary is possibly the “woman” in Rev. 12 in heaven crowned with stars; Psalm 132:8 seen as foreshadowing (“Arise, Lord, you and the ark of your might” – the ark being Mary). An ancient belief (no relics of Mary’s body ever claimed); celebrated in liturgy by 6th century. Defined 1950 by Pope Pius XII.

Sign of Mary’s full redemption in Christ – she shares in Jesus’s Resurrection victory early. Affirms the dignity of the human body destined for glory. Mary’s heavenly assumption also underlines her role as Queen of Heaven, reigning with Christ.

Mary as Spiritual Mother (Mother of the Church)

John 19:26–27 – Jesus gives Mary to John as mother, and John to Mary as son. Rev. 12:17 – Mary (“the woman”) has other offspring, identified as Christians. Title “Mother of the Church” used by early Fathers (St. Ambrose, 4th c.) and officially by Pope Paul VI (1964).

Indicates Mary’s ongoing maternal care for the faithful. She intercedes for and nurtures the people of God as their mother in the order of grace. Encourages believers to form a relationship with Mary, as with a caring mother figure given by Christ.

Queen of Heaven

Revelation 12:1 – Mary seen “clothed with the sun” and wearing a crown of 12 stars (royal imagery). 1 Kings 2:19 – the Queen Mother in Davidic tradition sits at king’s right hand, prefiguring Mary’s queenship next to Christ the King. Traditional title in Church prayers (e.g. “Hail, Holy Queen”).

Recognises Mary’s exalted status in heaven as first among the saints (as Solomon’s mother was honoured in the kingdom). As Queen Mother, Mary acts as an intercessor – in 1 Kings, the king listened to his mother; so Catholics believe Christ the King heeds Mary’s pleas for us.

Mediatrix & Intercessor (Mary’s role in distributing graces)

Implied by Mary’s intercession in John 2:1-11 (Wedding at Cana) – Jesus performs his first miracle at her request. Typology of Queen Mother as advocate (1 Kings 2:19–20). Church teachings (e.g. Vatican II) call Mary “Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix” (though “in subordinance to Christ” as the one Mediator).

As Christ’s closest follower and mother, Mary cooperates in Christ’s work. “Mediatrix” means God distributes grace through her maternal intercession (just as at Cana Jesus blessed the couple via Mary’s request). This underlines the communion of saints – that those in heaven can pray for us – and does not detract from Christ’s sole mediatorship but showcases the power of his grace in his saints.

Witness of the Early Church

From the very dawn of Christianity, Mary held a place of honour among believers. Historical evidence from the early Church shows that Christians venerated Mary and reflected deeply on her role, even as their primary worship was directed to Christ. This reverence is not a medieval invention, but can be traced to apostolic times:

• New Testament Church: The Acts of the Apostles notes Mary was present praying with the disciples in the upper room after Jesus’s Ascension (Acts 1:14). This hints that Mary already served as a unifying motherly presence among the first Christians.

• Catacomb Art (1st–3rd centuries): In the Roman catacombs, where early Christians practiced their faith underground, fresco paintings of Mary have been found dating as early as late 1st or 2nd century. These images depict scenes like the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi, indicating the significance of Mary in Christ’s life. Strikingly, one fresco in the Catacomb of St. Agnes shows Mary positioned between the Apostles Peter and Paul, with arms outstretched. In early Christian symbolism, Peter and Paul together represented the universal Church (Jew and Gentile, authority and evangelisation united). Mary’s prominent place between them is interpreted as portraying her as “Mother of the Church” even at that nascent stage. Early Christians painted Mary not just as a historical figure, but as a continuing motherly presence safeguarding the Church.

• Early Prayer and Intercession: The faithful in the catacombs apparently invoked Mary’s intercession. Her image appears on tombs and vaults where Christians prayed for protection. The very earliest known prayer to Mary, found on an Egyptian papyrus dated around AD 250, begins: “We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever-glorious and blessed Virgin.”. This ancient prayer (Sub Tuum Praesidium) proves that by the 3rd century, Christians addressed Mary as Theotokos (“Mother of God”) and sought her help as a caring mother. This undermines the claim that Marian devotion arose much later; clearly, the earliest Christians already believed in Mary’s powerful intercession.

• The Church Fathers: The theological understanding of Mary blossomed in the writings of the Church Fathers (2nd–5th centuries). We have already mentioned St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180) who taught Mary as the New Eve whose obedience untied Eve’s knot of disobedience. Even earlier, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155) contrasted Mary’s faith with Eve’s disobedience, teaching that through Mary, humanity received its Savior, as through Eve it inherited death. These parallels show that within a century of Christ, Christian teachers recognised Mary’s unique cooperation in God’s plan.

By the 4th century, St. Ambrose of Milan called Mary “Mother of Salvation,” saying: “Eve is called mother of the human race, but Mary Mother of Salvation.”. St. Jerome (4th c.) used the succinct phrase: “Death through Eve, life through Mary”. Such statements were not controversial novelties; they reflected a ”glad assertion” common to many early Fathers, as a later Council (Vatican II) observed. Mary’s cooperation with Jesus in the work of saving humanity was a consistent theme: she was never seen as equal to Christ, but as subordinate and obedient, a new Eve alongside the new Adam (Christ).

• Council of Ephesus (AD 431): This ecumenical council is a landmark in Marian doctrine. The Patriarch Nestorius had objected to calling Mary Theotokos, suggesting she be called Christotokos (Mother of Christ) to assert she was mother of Christ’s humanity only. The Church, led by St. Cyril of Alexandria and others, condemned Nestorius’s teaching and solemnly defended the title “Mother of God” for Mary. The council’s declaration was greeted with jubilation by the Christian faithful: according to accounts, the crowds in Ephesus celebrated in the streets at the affirmation of Mary’s divine motherhood. This reaction shows how loved Mary was in the popular piety of the time. Notably, the council’s focus was deeply Christological—affirming Mary as Mother of God upheld the truth that Jesus is one person who is fully God and fully man. From then on, Marian devotion grew even more. As Vatican II noted, “after the Synod of Ephesus the devotion of the People of God toward Mary marvellously increased in veneration and love... according to her own prophetic words: ‘All generations shall call me blessed.’”.

• Ongoing Early Devotion: By the 4th and 5th centuries, references to praying to Mary and praising her abound. St. Gregory of Nazianzus (4th c.) and St. Ephrem the Syrian (4th c.) both composed prayers or hymns exalting Mary. St. Augustine (late 4th–early 5th c.) taught that Mary’s holiness was so exceptional that, in discussing sin, “I will not have any question at all about Mary, in order to honour fully the Lord”, implying her complete sinlessness in his view. This hints at the germ of the Immaculate Conception belief: by Augustine’s time, Mary was thought to have been kept free from sin by God’s grace.

Furthermore, early Christians saw Mary as an intercessor in heaven. St. Irenaeus himself referred to Mary as an “Advocate” for Eve, meaning Mary’s obedience and prayer helped undo Eve’s sin. By A.D. 350, St. Gregory Thaumaturgus depicted Mary interceding from heaven for people on earth. By the late 4th century, St. Ambrose and St. Epiphanius give explicit examples of direct prayer to Mary. Therefore, the practice of asking Mary and the saints to pray for us was well-established long before the medieval period. This practice is grounded in the understanding that those in heaven are alive in Christ and can pray for us (cf. Heb. 12:1, Rev. 5:8).

In summary, the early Church unanimously honoured Mary as the Blessed Mother of God and our powerful intercessor. They did not hesitate to extol her virtues and her crucial role in salvation history, always to better exalt Christ, her Son. As one modern summary of patristic thought concludes: “One cannot read the early Church Fathers without noticing their deep honour for the Virgin Mary.” All the great Fathers – Athanasius, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and others – strongly upheld teachings like Mary’s perpetual virginity and divine maternity. Even the leaders of the Protestant Reformation (like Luther and Calvin) at first agreed with these ancient beliefs about Mary, a telling witness to how universal such doctrines were in Christian history.

Development of Marian Doctrine through History

Over the centuries, Catholic doctrine about Mary developed gradually, always in harmony with Scripture and earlier Tradition. The Church often clarified Marian doctrine in response to specific challenges or to deepen understanding of the mystery of Christ and His work. Below is a brief historical overview of how major Marian doctrines and devotions evolved:

• Biblical Era & Patristic Consensus: In the time of the apostles and Church Fathers (1st–5th c.), the core of Marian teaching was already present: Mary as Virgin Mother of God, the New Eve, ever-virgin, most blessed among women, and a heavenly intercessor. For example, Church Father St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th c.) plainly taught that Mary is the “Virgin Mother of God” in his catechetical lectures. There was virtually no dispute on these points in the united early Church. Marian feasts, like the Annunciation and Dormition (Assumption), began to be celebrated by at least the 5th–6th centuries in both East and West.

• Middle Ages: Medieval Christianity greatly deepened Marian devotion. Prayers like the Hail Mary (combining the angel’s greeting from Luke 1:28 and Elisabeth’s words from Luke 1:42) became popular. By the 12th century, the Rosary developed as a meditative prayer centred on Christ’s life with Mary as our companion in prayer. Theological discussion about Mary’s conception without sin intensified. Although belief in Mary’s Immaculate Conception (her freedom from original sin from the first moment of life) was widespread, it wasn’t formally defined yet. Theologians like John Duns Scotus (13th c.) helped articulate how Mary could be saved pre-emptively by Christ (receiving the fruits of redemption at her conception) – they used the analogy of a person being saved from falling into a pit as opposed to being pulled out after falling. Over time this view prevailed.

• Defining Dogmas: The Catholic Church defined certain Marian doctrines as dogmas (essential beliefs) relatively late, but always as affirmations of what had long been believed:

  • In 1854, Pope Pius IX solemnly defined the Immaculate Conception of Mary. His decree, Ineffabilis Deus, declared that by a singular grace of Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Mary was kept free from all stain of original sin from her earliest moment. Importantly, Pius IX stressed this was “confirmation of a long-standing tradition”. Indeed, as far back as St. Augustine, Mary had been considered exceptionally holy; medieval saints and whole nations had fostered this belief. The definition came when it was timely to clarify Catholic teaching distinct from Protestant views on original sin and grace. The Immaculate Conception highlights that Mary is totally redeemed by Christ – more perfectly than any other human, she is “full of grace” from the start, entirely “fair and perfect” by God’s gift.

  • In 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary (in Munificentissimus Deus). He proclaimed that “the Immaculate Mother of God, ever-virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” This too was no new invention. Pius XII referenced the “universal agreement of the Church’s ordinary teaching authority” and the faithful’s longstanding belief. The Assumption had been celebrated in the Eastern Church since the late first millennium and was a cherished part of Catholic belief for centuries. A 7th-century saint, St. John Damascene, beautifully reasoned: “It was right that she who had kept her virginity… should keep her body incorrupt even after death… It was right that the Mother of God should be taken to her Son in heaven.”. The theological significance is that Mary shares in Jesus’s resurrection and foreshadows the destiny of the Church. She is also hailed as Queen at the King’s right hand in heaven, echoing Revelation 12’s crowned woman and the ancient Queen Mother tradition.

• Marian Titles: Across history, many titles have been given to Mary to express aspects of her role. Some of the most prominent include:

  • Mother of God (Theotokos) – affirmed by Council of Ephesus (431).

  • Our Lady – a common medieval address recognising Mary’s queenship and maternal care.

  • Queen of Heaven – rooted in Scripture and the idea of the Queen Mother; officially commemorated in the Feast of the Queenship of Mary (established 1954).

  • Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesiae) – used by Church Fathers like Ambrose and declared by Pope Paul VI at Vatican II (1964). Pope Francis added an annual feast day for Mary, Mother of the Church, celebrated after Pentecost.

  • Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix – these titles emerged in theological writings to describe Mary’s cooperation in Christ’s saving work. “Mediatrix of All Graces” reflects the belief that all blessings from Christ flow through Mary’s maternal intercession, much as life came through her giving birth to Jesus. “Co-Redemptrix” (literally “co-redeemer”) has been used to signify Mary’s unique participation in redemption (as the New Eve) – for instance, by standing with Christ at the cross and offering her maternal suffering in union with Him for our salvation. The Church has not formally defined “Co-Redemptrix” as dogma, to avoid confusion; Vatican II instead spoke of Mary as sharing in Christ’s work in a subordinate way. However, the sentiment behind the term is present in Church teaching about Mary’s active cooperation “with and under” Jesus from Incarnation to Calvary.

• Apparitions and Popular Devotion: Throughout history, many Catholics believe Mary has appeared in apparitions (such as Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima) at key moments, which has further enriched devotion to her. These are not doctrine per se, but they reinforce the image of Mary as a caring mother reaching out to the world, always pointing to prayer, repentance, and Jesus.

• Modern Times (20th century): The Second Vatican Council (1962–65) provided a balanced synthesis of Marian doctrine in Chapter VIII of Lumen Gentium. The Council Fathers deliberately placed the chapter on Mary within the Constitution on the Church, underlining that Mary is inseparable from the Church and from Christ’s mystery. They taught that Mary is “exalted above all angels and men” and “honoured with a special cult” (devotion) in the Church, distinct from adoration given to God alone. Vatican II reiterated that devotion to Mary always leads to Jesus and indeed “the more she is honoured, the more the Son is rightly known, loved and glorified”. Significantly, the Council also taught that true Marian devotion should avoid extremes – neither exaggeration nor neglect – and should stay within sound doctrine so as not to mislead other Christians about our beliefs. After Vatican II, Popes like St. John Paul II (who took Totus Tuus, “Totally Yours [Mary]” as his motto) continued to deepen Marian teaching. John Paul’s encyclical “Redemptoris Mater” (1987) emphasised Mary’s ongoing maternal role for the Church and called her “Mother of the Church” in an official way, echoing Paul VI. In 2018, Pope Francis added the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, to reinforce this doctrine for contemporary Catholics.

Through this long development, one sees a consistent thread: every Marian doctrine or title has the purpose of illuminating something about Jesus Christ or about the destiny of the Church. For example, calling Mary “Mother of God” defends Christ’s divinity; her Immaculate Conception highlights the power of His grace; her Assumption previews the resurrection of the faithful. Far from distracting from Jesus, authentic Marian doctrine “always looks to Christ, the source of all truth, sanctity and piety”. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (para. 971) beautifully summarises: “This very special devotion [to Mary]… differs essentially from the adoration given to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration.”. In other words, venerating Mary rightly understood increases our worship of God.

Responding to Common Misconceptions

Finally, we must address a concern held by some of our fellow Christians, particularly in certain Protestant communities: the fear that Catholics “worship” Mary in a manner contrary to the first commandment (“Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, Exodus 20:3-5). This misunderstanding can be deep, but let us clarify Catholic teaching point by point:

• Worship vs Veneration: The Catholic Church wholeheartedly agrees that worship (adoration) belongs to God alone. Adoring any creature as God would indeed be a grave sin (idolatry), and the Church has consistently condemned this. What Catholics give to Mary (and the saints) is not adoration but veneration – a profound honour and love as members of God’s family. In Latin theology, different terms clarify this: latria means the worship due only to God; dulia means the honour given to saints; and a special hyperdulia (literally “extra honour”) is reserved for Mary due to her unique role as Mother of God. St. Thomas Aquinas and many theologians have taught this clearly. So, no Catholic is taught to worship Mary as a goddess — rather, we honour her as Jesus’s mother and as the greatest of His disciples. In doing so, we imitate Christ Himself, who honoured His mother perfectly (fulfilling the commandment to honour father and mother). When a Catholic kneels in prayer at a statue of Mary or sings a hymn in her honour, it is an act of love and reverence, not an acceptance of Mary as divine. We believe Mary, being in heaven, “exalted above all angels and men” by God, prays for us – just as we might ask a holy friend on earth to pray for us. The medium of prayer (speaking to a heavenly figure) might look to outsiders like worship, but the intention and understanding distinguish it. As one Catholic writer explains, “In our prayer, we ask Mary to intercede for us with her Son. And He will listen, because Scripture says: ‘the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’ (James 5:16)”. Mary is the ultimate “righteous person” (by God’s grace), so we value her intercession, much as St. Paul urged Christians to pray for one another.

• Biblical Sanction for Honouring Mary: Critics say Marian devotion is “not in the Bible” or even “anti-biblical.” We have already seen multiple scriptural affirmations of Mary’s blessedness. Far from forbidding honour to Mary, the Bible foreshadows and endorses it:

  • In Luke 1:48, as mentioned, Mary predicts, “All generations will call me blessed.” Neglecting Mary or refusing to call her blessed would mean ignoring this inspired prophecy. The Catholic Church, in every generation, calls Mary “blessed” — literally in prayers like the Hail Mary, we say “blessed are you among women” (quoting Luke 1:42).
    

  • The angel Gabriel honoured Mary with a unique greeting (Luke 1:28) — “Hail, full of grace” — a title given to no other. If an angel sent by God can venerate Mary in this way, then certainly we humans can too, without fear of offending God. It was God’s own initiative to elevate this humble maiden of Nazareth.
    

  • When Elisabeth calls Mary “the mother of my Lord”, she is effectively acknowledging Mary’s exalted role. The Holy Spirit inspired Elisabeth’s exclamation (Luke 1:41-43), so God himself led her to honour Mary’s presence. The Church continues that Spirit-led honour.

Additionally, the Bible gives precedents for reverencing holy people or objects without idolatry. For example, in the Old Testament, people bowed before the Ark of the Covenant, not as a god but as a sacred vessel of God’s presence. Mary, seen as the living Ark, is treated with similar reverence as the one who bore God’s presence in Christ. Under the monarchy, the king’s mother was given great honour (1 Kings 2:19 shows King Solomon bowing to his mother Bathsheba and seating her at his right hand). Jesus is the true King of Kings, and following that biblical pattern, Catholics honour Mary as the Queen Mother in Christ’s Kingdom.

• “No Graven Images” Issue: Some object to statues or icons of Mary, citing the commandment against carved images (Exodus 20:4). The Church’s response is that this commandment forbids idols—images worshipped as gods. It does not forbid religious art categorically; God himself commanded images in the Temple (cf. Exodus 25:18-20, the golden cherubim). When Catholics kneel before a statue of Mary, the statue is only a visual aid to focus the mind on the person it represents in heaven. The honour given passes to Mary herself, and beyond Mary to God who created and sanctified her. Just as having a photo of one’s mother doesn’t mean one worships the paper image, having a statue of Mary doesn’t mean the marble or plaster is a god. We use such images to lift our hearts to the prototypes in heaven (this was clearly explained by the Church in the early councils sanctioning icons).

• Mary and the First Commandment: The first commandment teaches “You shall have no other gods before me.” Catholics fully assent to this: we have no other god but the Holy Trinity. Mary is not God, but God’s greatest creature. Everything she is, she owes to His grace. In Mary, we see the perfect example of a human response to God’s gifts. Thus, venerating Mary ultimately glorifies God — we are praising the Master who made such a masterpiece of grace. When someone marvels at a beautiful painting, the praise goes to the artist; so honouring Mary’s holiness gives credit to the Divine Artist. As the Catechism says, “Mary’s function as mother of men... in no way obscures or diminishes the unique mediation of Christ but rather shows its power. ...[Her] influence flows from the superabundance of Christ’s merits”. We honour Christ by honouring His mother; we follow His own example (John 19:26-27, as Jesus provides for Mary and commends her to us).

• “Unbiblical” Doctrines Clarified: Some Marian doctrines are not explicitly spelled out in the Bible, it is true. But neither are doctrines like the Trinity or the precise canon of Scripture – those are accepted by Protestants based on sacred Tradition and the Church’s teaching authority. Catholicism holds that Divine Revelation comes through both Scripture and Apostolic Tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15), under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Marian doctrines developed as the Church reflected on the implications of Scripture and the lived faith. For instance, the Assumption is nowhere narrated in the Bible. But by the apostolic age’s end, there is no record or veneration of Mary’s bones or tomb as there is for other saints, and an ancient oral tradition (especially in the East) held that her body was glorified. Over centuries, this belief, consistent with Mary’s being “full of grace” (hence not subject to the corruption of death in the usual way), was affirmed by the Church. Similarly, the Immaculate Conception is drawn from understanding Mary as the New Eve (Eve was created immaculate before the fall, Mary likewise was conceived immaculate in view of the new creation in Christ) and from the angel’s greeting “full of grace” (Luke 1:28) which suggests a singular grace from the start. None of these doctrines contradict Scripture; rather, they flow from or complement Scripture. They were often taught in seed form by early Christians and prayerfully defined when needed to clarify the faith.

It’s worth noting that the Protestant Reformers themselves did not initially reject many of these doctrines. Martin Luther held remarkably high views of Mary; he believed in her perpetual virginity and even her Immaculate Conception. Luther wrote that Mary was “the highest woman” and that “there’s no woman like her” in purity and holiness. John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli likewise spoke of Mary with great reverence, maintaining some Catholic Marian traditions (like perpetual virginity). It has been only in later centuries that some Protestant communities, focusing on avoiding anything seen as “Catholic,” reduced attention to Mary drastically. In doing so, they departed not only from Catholic teaching but also from their own founders’ views and from 15 centuries of shared Christian heritage. Our goal in ecumenical dialogue is to show that honouring Mary is anchored in the Incarnation of Christ and was part of ancient Christian worship, and that it by no means diminishes the adoration of God.

• Holiness, Not Idolatry: Some critics label Marian devotion “unholy,” fearing it detracts from Jesus. The Catholic response is that nothing is holier than imitating Christ. Jesus devoted thirty years of His life to family life with Mary and Joseph before His public ministry. On the cross, He made a point to establish Mary as mother to all beloved disciples. If Jesus, in His perfect holiness, honours and loves Mary, then for us to do so is to share in His sentiments, not oppose them. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ in His saints – Mary being the foremost – so when we praise Mary, we believe the Spirit moves us to ultimately “rejoice in God our Saviour” just as Mary did (Luke 1:47). Indeed, every true Marian prayer ends with Christ: for example, the Hail Mary concludes “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us… now and at the hour of our death.” We ask her intercession so that we may be faithful to Jesus now and be led to Him at life’s end. The popular Marian motto “To Jesus through Mary” captures this well: Mary is a road, not the destination. She is like the dawn that heralds the rising Sun (Jesus).

In Catholic teaching, Mary is never an alternative saviour or mediatrix apart from Christ. Rather, any role she has is entirely dependent on Jesus’s one mediation and given by His pleasure. The title “Co-Redemptrix,” rightly understood, doesn’t mean Mary redeems us as Christ does, but that she “cooperated in the Redeemer’s work” in an unparalleled way (by giving birth to Him, by suffering with Him at Calvary as foretold in Luke 2:35, etc.). All her privileges (Immaculate Conception, Assumption) were given by God to fit her for that service to Christ. So, Marian doctrine is Christocentric at heart. When a Protestant friend asks, “Why pay so much attention to Mary?”, a Catholic might answer: “Because Mary is the masterpiece of Christ’s redeeming work. She shows what His grace can accomplish. By loving her, we love the work of Christ; by following her, we follow Him better.” One Catholic saint, Maximilian Kolbe, aptly said: “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can’t love her more than Jesus did.”.

In summary, Catholics do not worship Mary; we honour her. We do so precisely because we worship Jesus as God. Mary’s greatness comes from her yes to God and her intimacy with Jesus. Neglecting Mary would actually impoverish our understanding of the Incarnation and the Church. As the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church states: “Mary, begotten as it were of the Father and of the Spirit, is a pre-eminent and altogether singular member of the Church… She is rightly honoured by a special cult (devotion) in the Church that is essentially different from adoration, which is given to the Incarnate Word and to the Father and the Holy Spirit”. This devotion to Mary, when properly understood, always leads to deeper worship of God.

Conclusion

In this letter, we have journeyed through Scripture, ancient Christian writings, and Church teaching to discover why Mary holds a central and irreplaceable place in Catholic faith. Though the Bible’s direct references to Mary are relatively few, they shine with significance and open onto vast spiritual insights. From her faith-filled “yes” at Nazareth to her presence at the Cross and in the early Church, Mary emerges as the perfect disciple – one who hears God’s word and keeps it (Luke 11:28), and who points others to her Son (“Do whatever he tells you,” she says in John 2:5). The early Church cherished Mary as a mother given to them by Christ, and across the ages, the Church has deepened in understanding that gift.

Catholics love and honour Mary because Jesus did so first. We call her Mother of God to defend the truth that our Saviour is truly God-made-man. We call her our Mother because we believe Jesus wanted His family of believers to have His own beloved mother caring for them. We acknowledge her as “all-holy,” “full of grace,” and “blessed among women,” never to rival God but to extol the marvels God has done in a human life open to His love. In Mary, we see the Church’s ideal image: a faithful bride of Christ, a loving mother to believers, and a humble servant of the Lord.

To our Protestant brethren, we extend an invitation to see Mary not as an obstacle but as a bridge – a living testimony to what the grace of Christ can accomplish. When misunderstandings are cleared, one can admire Mary as the greatest of the saints without any detriment to God’s glory. As scripture says, “those whom He justified, He also glorified” (Rom 8:30); Mary is the foremost example of one glorified by God’s grace. Honouring her simply acknowledges God’s work in her.

Let us, then, continue to call Mary blessed in every generation, fulfilling the Word of God. Let us never confuse the Creator with the creature, but neither let us ignore the masterpiece for fear of overshadowing the Artist. Mary’s own last recorded words in the Bible were “Do whatever he [Jesus] tells you” (John 2:5) – and indeed, her whole life’s message is to lead us to obedience and love of Christ. With that in mind, we confidently venerate Mary, not as a deity, but as the most devoted follower of God. We seek her prayers, just as St. Paul asked others for prayers, knowing that in the communion of saints, the love of Christ has knit us all together beyond death.

May the Mother of our Lord, who is also the mother given to us, guide us closer to Jesus. As we honour Mary’s role in salvation history, may our hearts be inflamed to worship Jesus Christ with even greater fervour, for all Marian doctrine and devotion, at its core, “always points to Christ, the source of all truth, sanctity, and piety”. Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, pray for us, that we may faithfully follow your Son in this life and rejoice with you in the next.

Yours in Christ,

✠ ✠ Felix Gibbins, OSB Cam
Archbishop Primus of the United Kingdom