It is possible that the practice of invoking the aid of the Mother of Christ had become more familiar to the faithful some time before any expression of it in the writings of the
Early Church Fathers. Christians' love for Mary intuited, frequently in anticipation, certain aspects of the mystery of
the Blessed Virgin, calling the attention of theologians and pastors to them. Venerative and devotional practices have often preceded formal theological declarations by the
Magisterium. The veneration of the Blessed Virgin takes place in various ways. Marian prayers and hymns usually begin with veneration (honor) of her, followed by petitions.
Theological basis for the veneration of Mary Veneration for Mary is based on the reference in the Gospel of Luke to Mary as the selected handmaid of the Lord who is greeted and praised by both
Elizabeth and the angel
Gabriel. God's work is further illuminated in the Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church such as the
Immaculate Conception and the
Assumption, and are, in the Catholic view, part of the apostolic tradition and divine revelation. Catholics distinguish veneration from worship.
Mary's role in salvation and redemption '', 1432 One of the components of the Catholic veneration of Mary is the focus on her participation in the processes of salvation and redemption. This has been explored by such writers as
Edward Schillebeeckx and
Adrienne von Speyr. John's Gospel records her presence at the beginning and end of Jesus' public life. Particularly significant is Mary's presence at the Cross, when she received from her dying Son the charge to be mother to the beloved disciple. Catholics interpret that through the disciple, Christ is giving care of Mary to all Christians.
Lumen gentium, the 1964 Dogmatic Constitution of the Church recognized, "all the salvific influence of the Blessed Virgin on men originates, not from some inner necessity, but from the divine pleasure. It flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on His mediation, depends entirely on it and draws all its power from it." In a singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the work of the Savior in giving back supernatural life to souls. "Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace." One of the first scholars to offer theological foundations on the subject of the
Immaculate Conception was the Franciscan
Duns Scotus who developed the concept that Mary was preserved from sin by the redemptive virtue of Jesus. Devotions to and the veneration of the Virgin Mary continued to spread, as she came to be seen as the helpful mother of Christians, and by the 15th century these practices had oriented many Catholic devotions.
Veronica Giuliani expressed how Mary's suffering in Calvary united her heart with that of Jesus as she suffered each torment along with him. The joint devotion to the hearts was formalized by Jean Eudes who organized the scriptural and theological foundations and developed its liturgical themes. The venerative aspects of the united nature of the two hearts continued through the centuries and in 1985 Pope
John Paul II coined the term
Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and in 1986 addressed the international conference on that topic held at
Fátima, Portugal. By the 18th century, the continued growth of Marian veneration had emphasized the role of the Virgin Mary in salvation. The Catholic focus on the role of Mary in salvation and redemption continued with
Pope John Paul II's 1987 encyclical
Redemptoris mater.
Mary as protectress and intercessor '' protecting a group of nuns under her mantle.
Sano di Pietro, 15th century. It was through Mary's intercession, through compassion for the hosts, at the marriage feast of Cana, that Jesus worked his first miracle. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs." The
Eastern Catholic Churches observe the feast of the
Intercession of the Theotokos in October. Catholic views of the Virgin Mary as refuge and advocate of sinners, protector from dangers and powerful intercessor with her Son, Jesus are expressed in prayers, artistic depictions, theology, and popular and devotional writings, as well as in the use of religious articles and images. The earliest known prayer to Mary, the
Sub tuum praesidium, ("Under your protection") dates from about the 3rd century, with more recent scholarship dating it from the 6th to 9th century C.E. The artistic depictions of the
Virgin of Mercy portray the role of Mary as the protector of Christians, as she shelters them under her mantle. The Virgin of Mercy depictions sometimes include arrows raining from above, with the Virgin's cloak protecting the people. Catholics have continued to seek the protection of Mary as the
Mother of Sorrows and relied on her intercession as the
Queen of Heaven since the
Middle Ages. Building on that sentiment, popes have entrusted specific causes to the protection of the Virgin Mary. Pope
Benedict XV entrusted the protection of the world through the intercession of Mary Queen of Peace during the
First World War. The
Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, also known as the order of
Our Lady of Ransom or
Order of Captives began in the 13th century in the
Kingdom of Aragon (Spain) to ransom captive Christians (slaves) held in Muslim hands. The order now focuses on the role of the Virgin Mary as the protector of captives and prisoners. The depictions of
Our Lady of Navigators arose from the prayers and devotions of Portuguese navigators, who saw the Virgin Mary as their protector during storms and other hazards. Prayers to Our Lady of Navigators are well known in South America, specially
Brazil, where its February 2 feast is an official holiday.
The Virgin of the Navigators, depicting ships under her mantle, is the earliest known painting whose subject is the discovery of the
Americas. 's 1810
Guadalupan flag Both
Miguel Hidalgo and
Emiliano Zapata flew flags of
Our Lady of Guadalupe as their protector, and Zapata's men wore the Guadalupan image around their necks and on their
sombreros. In 1979 ceremony Pope
John Paul II placed
Mexico under the protection of the
Virgin of Guadalupe. The prayer, the
Memorare begins: "Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help or sought Thy intercession, was left unaided."
Louis de Montfort taught that God appointed Mary as "the dispenser of grace", and to receive grace from God, one can receive it through the hands of the Blessed Virgin, as a child receives from a mother.
Development of Marian doctrines The theological development of devotion to Mary begins with
Justin Martyr (100–165) who articulated Mary's role in salvation history as the Second Eve. This was followed up by
Irenæus, whom
Herbert Thurston calls "the first theologian of the Virgin Mother". The doctrine of the
Immaculate Conception states that from the first moment of her existence Mary was without
original sin. This doctrine was proclaimed a dogma
ex cathedra by Pope
Pius IX in 1854. The dogma of the
Assumption of Mary, defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950, states that, at the end of her earthly life, her body did not suffer corruption but was assumed into heaven and became a
heavenly body.
Liturgical aspects In the first three centuries the emphasis was on the veneration of
martyrs, as a continuation of the yearly celebrations of their death, e.g. as noted in the early Christian text on the
Martyrdom of Polycarp. In the Eastern traditions Mariology developed through liturgical veneration within the framework of the feasts relative to the Incarnation. In the early part of the 3rd century,
Hippolytus of Rome recorded the first liturgical reference to the Virgin Mary, as part of the ordination rite of a bishop. Marian feasts appeared in the 4th century, and the feast of the "Memory of Mary, Mother of God" was celebrated on August 15 in Jerusalem by the year 350. Catholic liturgy is one of the most important elements of
Marian devotions. Many Marian feasts are superior to the feast days of the other saints. The liturgical texts of the Marian feast days all link Mary to Jesus Christ. ==History==