The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Four).

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unless otherwise stated.

Santa Maria Maggiore, the first Marian Church in Rome. 

Originally built between 430 A.D. and 440 A.D.

Piazza Esquilino with Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy.

Photo: March 2006.

Source: Own work.

Author: Sixtus.

Permission: GFDL.

(Wikimedia Commons)

In the 17th- and 18th-Centuries, writings by the Saints, coupled with Papal encouragements, increased the growth of Marian devotions, and gave rise to the definition and declaration of new Marian Doctrines.

Marian culture continues to be developed within the Catholic Church. For instance, in 1974, after four years of preparation, Pope Paul VI issued the Apostolic Letter Marialis Cultus. In this document (which was sub-titled "For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary"), Pope Paul VI not only discussed the history of Marian devotions, but overviewed their rationale and provided suggestions for their future direction, emphasising their theological and pastoral value.

Multitudes of Views and Perspectives.

Throughout the centuries, Catholics have viewed the Virgin Mary from a multitude of perspectives, at times derived from specific Marian attributes, ranging from Queenship to Humility, and, at times, based on cultural preferences of events taking place at specific points in history.

An example, of the cultural adaptation of perspective, includes the view of the Virgin Mary as a Mother with Humility (rather than a Heavenly Queen), as the Franciscans began to preach in China, and its similarity to the local Chinese motherly and merciful figure of Kuanyin, which was much admired in South China.

Madonna of Mercy.

Artist: Sano di Pietro (1405–1481).

Date: 1440s.

Current location: Unknown Private collection.

Source/Photographer: http://www.aiwaz.net/gallery/sano-di-pietro/gc343.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Another example is Saint Juan Diego's account of the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, in 1531, as a tanned Aztec princess, who spoke in his local Nahuatl language. The clothing of the Virgin of Guadalupe image has been identified as that of an Aztec princess.

Other views, such as the Virgin Mary as a "miracle worker", have existed for centuries and are still held by many Catholics today. Instances include the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, which continues to be venerated today as the Patron of Poland, and Our Lady of Lourdes, which receives millions of pilgrims per year. However, the Vatican has generally been reluctant to approve of modern miracles, unless they have been subject to extensive analysis and scrutiny.

Development of Marian Doctrines.

Throughout the centuries, the growth of Marian devotional and venerative practices has been parallelled by the definition of specific Marian Doctrines by the Magisterium.

Apart from the title of Mother of God, which holds Mary as Theotokos, two specific Doctrines relate to the birth of Jesus and the Virginity of Mary. These are distinct Doctrines, which were defined and declared as Dogmas at different times.

Title: The Pieta.

Artist: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

Date: 1876.

Source/Photographer: [1].

Author: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

(Wikimedia Commons)

Since the 4th-Century, Roman Catholics have believed in the Virgin Birth of Jesus, namely that Jesus was miraculously conceived through the action of the Holy Spirit, while Mary remained a virgin. This was decided at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Going beyond the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the Doctrine of Perpetual Virginity of Mary holds that, before giving birth to Jesus, and even thereafter, Mary remained a virgin all her life. This dates back to the Council of Constantinople in 533 A.D.

Two separate Doctrines address the Virgin Mary's conception and death. The Doctrine of Immaculate Conception states that Mary was conceived without Original Sin, namely, that she was filled with Grace from the very moment of her conception in her mother's womb.

The Immaculate Conception was proclaimed a Dogma, Ex Cathedra, by Pope Pius IX, in 1854, as the first definitive exercise of Papal Infallibility. The Dogma of the Assumption of Mary states that she was assumed into Heaven, Body and Soul. This was also defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic constitution derived from Vatican II in 1964, declared that the Lord had consecrated Mary as "Queen of the Universe", reflecting the contemporary expansion of knowledge regarding outer space.

PART FIVE FOLLOWS.