God
93-592: (Redirected from Santa Maria Assunta Church ) Churches consecrated to Santa Maria Assunta (Assumption of Mary) include: Santa Maria Assunta, Acerra cathedral Santa Maria Assunta, Acqui Terme Cathedral Santa Maria Assunta, Altamura , Province of Bari, Puglia Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, Aquileia , a church in Aquileia, province of Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia Santa Marija , Ghaxaq , Malta Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta , Muggia Cremona Cathedral ,
186-469: A cathedral in Cremona, province of Cremona, Lombardy Church of Santa Maria Assunta (Esine) , a church near Esine, province of Brescia, Lombardy Santa Maria Assunta, Gaeta cathedral Santa Maria Assunta, Guardialfiera . Province of Campobasso, Molise Maria Santissima Assunta, Gravina di Puglia co-cathedral , Province of Bari Santa Maria Assunta di La Verna La Verna basilica-sanctuary of in
279-752: A church in Castelfranco Emilia , province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Pietrabbondante , province of Isernia, Molise I Gesuiti, Venice , a religious building in Venice, Veneto Santa Maria Assunta, Genoa , a church in Genoa, Liguria Lucciana Cathedral , a cathedral in Lucciana, Haute-Corse, Corsica Saint-Florent Cathedral , a former cathedral in Saint-Florent, Haute-Corse, Corsica Santa Maria Assunta ,
372-604: A dogma in Munificentissimus Deus (1950). Although the Assumption was only recently defined as dogma , accounts of the bodily assumption of Mary into heaven have circulated since at least the 5th century, and by the 8th century Andrew of Crete and John of Damascus had declared belief in it. The Book of Revelation (12:1) has been interpreted as referring to it; with her coronation implying her previous bodily assumption to heaven. Before declaring
465-986: A feast called by the Scottish Episcopal Church simply "Mary the Virgin", and in the US-based Episcopal Church it is observed as the feast of "Saint Mary the Virgin: Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ", while other Anglican provinces have a feast of the Dormition – the Anglican Church of Canada 's Book of Common Prayer (1962), for instance, marks the day as the "Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary". The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission , which seeks to identify common ground between
558-602: A more profound understanding of the mystery of Christ, of the Church and of the vocation of man." Referring to this, Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke stated that the promotion of a fuller knowledge of the Virgin Mary is the "constant work of the Church". Early Christians focused their piety at first more upon the martyrs; but following that, they saw in Mary a bridge between the old and the new. The earliest recorded prayer to Mary,
651-406: A number of contexts, and in his address to the 2012 Mariological congress, Pope Benedict XVI stated that this study must be "understood and deeply examined from different and complementary viewpoints". Benedict also emphasized that the study of Mary cannot be performed in isolation from other disciplines and that Mariology is inherently related to the study of Christ and of the church, and expresses
744-558: A par with Christmas and Easter , and Pope Benedict XIV (1740–1758) declared it "a probable opinion, which to deny were impious and blasphemous". Scholars of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum "argued that during or shortly after the apostolic age a group of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem preserved an oral tradition about the end of the Virgin's life". Thus, by pointing to oral tradition, they argued for
837-475: A pope or ecumenical council (extraordinary universal Magisterium ), or those teachings infallibly taught to be revealed by the ordinary universal Magisterium. As in the case of the Immaculate Conception or the Assumption , these doctrines were held by the church prior to the date of official definition, but open for discussion. From the date of definition, they must be accepted by all members of
930-597: A presumed message that the Virgin Mary would have ordered him to communicate to the pope on the dogma of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary. It is said that Pius XII asked God, during the Holy Year of 1950, for a sign that could reassure him that the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was actually wanted by God and when Gilles communicated the message to Pius XII, the pope considered this message
1023-483: A strict fast on weekdays, with wine and oil allowed on weekends and, additionally, fish on the Transfiguration (August 6). The Assumption is important to many Christians, especially Catholics and Orthodox, as well as many Lutherans and Anglicans, as the Virgin Mary's heavenly birthday (the day that Mary was received into Heaven). Belief about her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen by some Christians as
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#17327972893111116-612: A theology closer to Catholicism sometimes believing in a bodily assumption whilst most Protestants do not. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary was retained by the Lutheran Church after the Reformation . Evangelical Lutheran Worship designates August 15 as a lesser festival named "Mary, Mother of Our Lord" while the current Lutheran Service Book formally calls it "St. Mary, Mother of our Lord". Within Anglicanism
1209-453: Is King; but Mary, too, as Mother of the divine Christ, as His associate in the redemption, in his struggle with His enemies and His final victory over them, has a share, though in a limited and analogous way, in His royal dignity. For from her union with Christ she attains a radiant eminence transcending that of any other creature; from her union with Christ she receives the royal right to dispose of
1302-750: Is a Romanesque-style church in Villa Basilica, Tuscany, Italy [REDACTED] Index of articles associated with the same name This set index article includes a list of related items that share the same name (or similar names). See also [ edit ] Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (disambiguation) Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_churches_consecrated_to_Santa_Maria_Assunta&oldid=1240221956 " Categories : Set index articles Lists of churches in Italy Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
1395-423: Is a field in which deeply felt pious beliefs of the faithful and hagiography may conflict with theological and critical historical reviews of beliefs and practices. This conflict was recognized as early as the year 1300 by William of Ware who described the tendency of some believers to attribute almost everything to Mary. Bonaventura warned against Marian maximalism: "One has to be careful as to not to minimize
1488-462: Is a later version of the Virgin Mary's Dormition, probably from sometime after the early seventh century, one of the apostles, often identified as Thomas the Apostle , was not present at the death of Mary but his late arrival precipitates a reopening of Mary's tomb, which is found to be empty except for her grave clothes. Finally, Mary drops her girdle down to the apostle from heaven as testament to
1581-535: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Santa Maria Assunta The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church . Pope Pius XII defined it on 1 November 1950 in his apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus as follows: We pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God,
1674-543: Is inherently related to the Christological dogma of the hypostatic union which relates the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "Mary is truly 'Mother of God' since she is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself." According to Catholic teaching, sourced in the John 1:1-14 , Mary did not create the divine person of Jesus, who existed with
1767-512: Is most clear is that her body was not left on earth to corrupt. When responding to Pope Pius XII following the circulation of Deiparae Virginis Mariae , a large number of Catholic bishops pointed to the Book of Genesis ( 3:15 ) as a scriptural basis. In Munificentissimus Deus (item 39) Pius XII referred to the "struggle against the infernal foe" as in Genesis 3:15 and to "complete victory over
1860-426: Is ongoing and since the beginnings it has continued to be shaped by theological analyses, writings of saints , and papal statements , e.g. while two of the dogmas are ancient, the other two were defined in the 19th and 20th centuries; and papal teachings on Mary have continued to appear in recent times. In parallel to the traditional views, since the late 19th century, as Marian devotion became more pronounced in
1953-598: Is the systematic study of the person of Mary, mother of Jesus , and of her place in the Economy of Salvation in Catholic theology . According to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception taught by the Catholic Church, Mary was conceived and born without sin , hence she is seen as having a singular dignity above the saints, receiving a higher level of veneration than all angelic spirits and blessed souls in heaven. Catholic Mariology thus studies not only her life but also
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#17327972893112046-565: The Sub tuum praesidium , is dated to around the year 250. In Egypt the veneration of Mary had started in the 3rd century and the term Theotokos was used by Church Father Origen . The Renaissance period witnessed a dramatic growth in Marian art . Masterpieces by Botticelli , Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael were produced in this period. In the 16th century, the Council of Trent confirmed
2139-627: The Council of Chalcedon (451), made known to the Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria , who wished to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened upon the request of St. Thomas , was found empty; wherefrom the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to heaven. Some scholars argue that the Dormition and Assumption traditions can be traced early in church history in
2232-604: The Holy Spirit without participation of any man (de fide). The Greek term Aeiparthenos (i.e. "Ever Virgin") is attested to from the early 4th century. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (item 499) includes the term Aeiparthenos and referring to the dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium (item 57) states: "Christ's birth did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." Virginity during birth This means that Mary gave birth without losing her corporal virginity (de fide) and her corporal integrity
2325-752: The Immaculate Heart of Mary , a concept which was embraced by Pope John Paul II in the 20th century as the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary . The two Marian dogmas of Immaculate Conception and Assumption were established by popes in the 19th and 20th century. Pope Pius XII issued the Dogma of the Assumption and the Second Vatican Council declared Mary to be the Mother of
2418-629: The Latin word assūmptiō , meaning 'taking up'. Pope Pius XII expressed in his encyclical Munificentissimus Deus the hope that the belief in the bodily assumption of the virgin Mary into heaven "will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective", while the Catechism of the Catholic Church adds: "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of
2511-981: The Old Catholic Churches , the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Oriental Orthodox Church , the Assyrian Church of the East , the Ancient Church of the East , the Independent Sacramental Movement , Anglo-Catholicism , and other High church Protestants continue to revere Mary as the greatest saint . The study of Mary and her place in the Catholic Church has been undertaken from a number of perspectives and within
2604-471: The brothers of Jesus , but never "sons of Mary", suggesting to the patristic writers a broader family relationship. Apart from the four Marian dogmas listed above, the Catholic Church holds a number of other doctrines about the Virgin Mary which have been developed by references to Sacred Scripture, theological reasoning and church tradition. The doctrine that the Virgin Mary has been crowned Queen of Heaven goes back to certain early patristic writers of
2697-522: The 17th century alone. Popes have fostered the veneration of the Blessed Virgin through the promotion of Marian devotions, feast days , prayers , initiatives, the acceptance and support of Marian congregations, and, the formal recognition of Marian apparitions such as in Lourdes and Fátima . Popes Alexander VII and Clement X both promulgated the veneration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and
2790-628: The Age to Come. The Resurrection of the Body ... has in her case been anticipated and is already an accomplished fact. That does not mean, however, that she is dissociated from the rest of humanity and placed in a wholly different category: for we all hope to share one day in that same glory of the Resurrection of the Body that she enjoys even now. Views differ within Protestantism, with those with
2883-465: The Areopagite . The Euthymiac History , from the sixth century, is cited by John of Damascus, which narrates how Mary was assumed into heaven. John of Damascus set out what had become the standard Eastern tradition, that "Mary died in the presence of the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened, upon the request of St Thomas, was found empty; wherefrom the Apostles concluded that her body
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2976-517: The Assumption a dogma in Munificentissimus Deus in 1950, in the encyclical Deiparae Virginis Mariae (1946) Pope Pius XII obtained the opinion of Catholic bishops, and based on their overwhelming support (1210 among the 1232 bishops) proceeded with the dogmatic definition. The consensus of Magisterial teaching and liturgy affirms that Mary suffered death before her assumption, but this is not always accepted as settled doctrine. What
3069-557: The Assumption is celebrated on 15 August and the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics celebrate the Dormition of the Mother of God (or Dormition of the Theotokos, the falling asleep of the Mother of God) on the same date, preceded by a 14-day fasting period. Eastern Christians believe that Mary died a natural death, that her soul was received by Christ upon death, that her body was resurrected after her death and that she
3162-560: The Assumption is the " Six Books Dormition Apocryphon ", so- called on account of its division into six separate books. It dates almost certainly to the middle of the fourth century, if not perhaps even earlier. Most significantly, the Six Books Dormition Apocryphon provides compelling evidence for an early cult of the Virgin nearly a century before the events of the Council of Ephesus. The Greek Discourse on
3255-519: The Assumption of Mary is accepted by some, rejected by others, or regarded as adiaphora ("a thing indifferent"). The doctrine effectively disappeared from Anglican worship in 1549, partially returning in Anglo-Catholic tradition during the 20th century under different names. A Marian feast on 15 August is celebrated by the Church of England as a non-specific feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
3348-635: The Catholic Church as contained specifically in the Deposit of Faith and owed supernatural faith in itself ( de fide credenda ). There are four Marian dogmas specifically defined by the Magisterium among a large number of other dogmas and doctrines about the Virgin Mary – for example, the Annunciation of Mary is dogma because it is in the scriptures, but it has not been formally defined by
3441-408: The Catholic Church, a number of other perspectives have been presented as a challenge to Catholic Mariology. Other Christian views see Catholic Mariology as unbiblical and a denial of the uniqueness of Christ as redeemer and mediator, and modern psychological interpretations see Mary as similar to mythical goddesses ranging from Diana to Guan Yin . Nonetheless, Christians in the Catholic Church ,
3534-637: The Catholic tradition of paintings and artworks in churches, resulting in a great development of Marian art and Mariology during the Baroque Period . During the Reformation , the Catholic Church defended its Mariology against Protestant views. With the victory at Battle of Lepanto (1571) accredited to her, it "signified the beginning of a strong resurgence of Marian devotions." The baroque literature on Mary experienced unforeseen growth. More than 500 pages of Mariological writings were published during
3627-485: The Church . In his 2002 Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae , Pope John Paul II emphasized Louis de Montfort 's approach of viewing the study of Mary as a path to gaining a better understanding of the mystery of Christ. This is consistent with the emphasis of the bishops at the Second Vatican Council in not having a separate decree on Mary but rather describing her place in salvation history in Lumen gentium ,
3720-579: The Constitution on the Church. Marian Catholic dogmas present church teachings about Mary and her relation to Jesus Christ, held by the church to be infallible , and reflect the role of Mary in the economy of salvation. De Fide Definita or De Fide Credenda doctrines have the highest degree of dogmatic certainty. These doctrines come in several forms, namely the sacred scriptures and apostolic tradition and teachings which have been specifically defined as revealed by an extraordinary definition by
3813-674: The Dormition or The Book of John Concerning the Falling Asleep of Mary (attributed to John the Theologian ), is another anonymous narrative, and may even precede the Book of Mary's Repose . This Greek document, is dated by Tischendorf as no later than the 4th century. but is dated by Shoemaker as later. The New Testament is silent regarding the end of her life. In the late 4th century Epiphanius of Salamis wrote he could find no authorized tradition about how her life ended. Nevertheless, although Epiphanius could not decide on
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3906-532: The Dormition is less dogmatically than liturgically and mystically defined. Such differences spring from a larger pattern in the two traditions, wherein Catholic teachings are often dogmatically and authoritatively defined – in part because of the more centralized structure of the Catholic Church – whilst in Eastern Orthodoxy many doctrines are less authoritative. The Latin Catholic Feast of
3999-634: The Father from all eternity. This dogma states that Mary was assumed into heaven with body and soul. The Catechism (item 966) states: The Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things. Pope Pius XII discussed the Assumption in Deiparae Virginis Mariae (1946) and declared it
4092-527: The Feast as the Dormition. It seems, however, that there is much more evidence for the mortalistic position in the Catholic traditions (liturgy, apocrypha, material culture). Pope John Paul II expressed the mortalistic position in his public speech. Many theologians note by way of comparison that in the Catholic Church the Assumption is dogmatically defined, whilst in the Eastern Orthodox tradition
4185-453: The Magisterium. These four Marian dogmas include: Mary's motherhood of God ( Deipara in Latin) is a dogma of the Catholic Church. The term "Mother of God" appears within the oldest known prayer to Mary, the Sub tuum praesidium , which dates to around 250 AD: "Under thy protection we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God". This was the first specifically Marian doctrine to be formally defined by
4278-712: The Tuscan Apennines Naples Cathedral Orvieto Cathedral Ostuni Cathedral Piacenza Cathedral (Santa Giustina e Santa Maria Assunta) Santa Maria Assunta, Pisa cathedral , Tuscany Santa Maria Assunta, Randazzo basilica church , Sicily Santa Maria Assunta, Siena cathedral , Tuscany Santa Maria Assunta, Spoleto cathedral Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello basilica church , island near Venice, Veneto Santa Maria dei Carmini , formerly known as Santa Maria Assunta, Venice, Veneto Church of Santa Maria Assunta,
4371-539: The Virgin Mary, Begetter of God, the most pure bed and temple of the Holy Spirit, that is, her most holy body, was carried to heaven by angels. Orthodox Christians fast for fourteen days before the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, including abstinence from sexual relations. Fasting in the Orthodox Churches generally consists of abstinence from certain food groups; during the Dormition fast, one observes
4464-483: The ancient common traditions". The Protestant reformer Heinrich Bullinger believed in the assumption of Mary. His 1539 polemical treatise against idolatry expressed his belief that Mary's sacrosanctum corpus ("sacrosanct body") had been assumed into heaven by angels: Hac causa credimus ut Deiparae virginis Mariae purissimum thalamum et spiritus sancti templum, hoc est, sacrosanctum corpus ejus deportatum esse ab angelis in coelum. For this reason we believe that
4557-433: The apocryphal books, with Stephen J. Shoemaker stating: For instance, Baldi, Masconi, and Cothenet analyzed the corpus of Dormition narratives using a rather different approach, governed primarily by language tradition rather than literary relations, and yet all agree that the Obsequies (i.e., the Liber Requiei Mariae ) and the Six Books Dormition Apocryphon reflect the earliest traditions, locating their origins in
4650-399: The aspect of the Petrine office in a dual sense. This perspective on the duality of the roles of Mary and Peter highlights the subjective holiness of the heart and the holiness of the structure of the church. In this duality, the Petrine office logically examines the charisms for their theological soundness, while the Marian dual provides a balance in the spiritual and emotional sense via
4743-401: The basis of biblical or church tradition whether Mary had died or remained immortal, his indecisive reflections suggest that some difference of opinion on the matter had already arisen in his time, and he identified three beliefs concerning her end: that she had a normal and peaceful death; that she died as a martyr; or that she did not die. Even more, in another text Epiphanius stated that Mary
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#17327972893114836-411: The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." The dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium at the Second Vatican Council affirmed Mary as the Mother of God. "The Virgin Mary, who at the message of the angel received the Word of God in her heart and in her body and gave Life to the world, is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and Mother of the Redeemer." This dogma
4929-451: The church such as Gregory Nazianzen 's "the Mother of the King of the universe", and the "Virgin Mother who brought forth the King of the whole world", Prudentius 's the Mother marvels "that she has brought forth God as man, and even as Supreme King." and, Ephrem's , "Let Heaven sustain me in its embrace, because I am honored above it. For heaven was not Thy mother, but Thou hast made it Thy throne. How much more honorable and venerable than
5022-501: The church, formally affirmed at the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. This refuted the objection raised by Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople. Scriptural basis for the dogma is found in John 1:14 which states "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" and in Galatians 4:4 which states "God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law". Luke 1:35 further affirms divine maternity by stating: "The holy Spirit will come upon you. ... Therefore
5115-405: The concept by stating: "Who will dare to doubt that she, who was purer than the angels and at all times pure, was at any moment, even for the briefest instant, not free from every stain of sin?" Ineffabilis Deus (as well as Pope Pius XII's Munificentissimus Deus on the Assumption) also teaches the predestination of Mary, in that she was preserved from sin due to the role reserved for her in
5208-401: The dogma of Mary as the Mother of God. As mother of God, she participates in his salvation plan. The Catholic faith teaches that Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, reigns with a mother's solicitude over the entire world, just as she is crowned in heavenly blessedness with the glory of a Queen, as Pius XII wrote: Certainly, in the full and strict meaning of the term, only Jesus Christ, the God-Man,
5301-611: The dogma" of the assumption. The apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus mentions several Holy Fathers, theologians and Doctors of the Church who held the Assumption of Mary, among them are Adrian I , Sergius I , Leo IV , John of Damascus , Amadeus of Lausanne , Modestus of Jerusalem , Anthony of Padua , Albertus Magnus , Thomas of Aquinas (Angelic Doctor), Bonaventure (Seraphic Doctor), Bernardino of Siena , Robert Bellarmine , Francis de Sales , Peter Canisius , Francisco Suárez , among others. The apostolic constitution adds: "All these proofs and considerations of
5394-496: The economy of salvation. This predetermination of Mary's role in salvation was referred to in Lumen gentium (item 61) which stated that she was "Predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God." The definition in Ineffabilis Deus confirms the uniqueness of the Immaculate Conception as a gift from God to Mary, that Jesus might receive his body from one unstained by sin. This dogma states that Mary
5487-451: The event. This incident is depicted in many later paintings of the Assumption. Teaching of the Assumption of Mary became widespread across the Christian world, having been celebrated as early as the 5th century and having been established in the East by Emperor Maurice around AD 600. In a homily , John Damascene (675–749 AD), citing the third book of the Euthymiac History , records the following: St. Juvenal , Bishop of Jerusalem, at
5580-411: The ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. It leaves open the question of whether Mary died or whether she was raised to eternal life without bodily death. The equivalent belief in the Eastern Christianity is the Dormition of the Mother of God or the "Falling Asleep of the Mother of God". The word 'assumption' derives from
5673-435: The fall of mankind, by the seductive voice of the snake in the Bible, represents the fallen angel, Satan or "the devil". Similarly, the great dragon in Revelation 12 is a representation of Satan, identified with the serpent from the garden who has enmity with the woman. Therefore, in Catholic thought, there is an association between this woman and Mary's Assumption. Among the many other passages noted by Pope Pius XII were
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#17327972893115766-513: The final dogmatic development, rather than the point of origin, of these traditions. There is a large number of accounts of assumption of the Virgin Mary, published in various languages (including Greek, Latin, Coptic, Syriac, Ethiopic, Arabic). The standard Greek text is the one attributed to St John the Theologian (Evangelist). The standard Latin is that attributed to Melito of Sardis. Shoemaker mentions that "the ancient narratives are neither clear nor unanimous in either supporting or contradicting
5859-419: The following: The Bible mentions two prominent figures, Enoch and Elijah , who were taken up to heaven, serving as important precedents for the assumption of Mary. Enoch, referenced in the Book of Genesis , is noted for his intimate walk with God and is described as having been "taken" by God ( Genesis 5:24 ), an event that is also reported in the Epistle to the Hebrews ( Hebrews 11:5 ). Similarly, Elijah,
5952-505: The great prophet, was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, accompanied by a chariot of fire, as recorded in 2 Kings ( 2 Kings 2:11 ). In the 12th century, the German nun Elisabeth of Schönau was reportedly granted visions of Mary and her son which had a profound influence on the Western Church's tradition. In her work Visio de resurrectione beate virginis Mariae relates how Mary was assumed in body and soul into Heaven. On 1 May 1950 Gilles Bouhours (a marian seer) reported to Pius XII
6045-399: The historicity of the assumption and Dormition narratives. According to Antoine Wenger "the strikingly diverse traditions of Mary's Dormition and Assumption arise from ‘a great variety of original types’, rather than being the result of a progressive modification of a single, original tradition". Simon Claude Mimouni and his predecessors have argued that belief in the Virgin's Assumption is
6138-728: The holy Fathers and the theologians are based upon the Sacred Writings as their ultimate foundation." Father Jugie, expressed the view that Revelation 12 :1–2 was the chief scriptural witness to the assumption: And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child ... This passage, Epiphanius proposes, may indicate that Mary did not die as other human beings, but somehow remained immortal, although he makes clear his own uncertainty and refrains from advocating this view. Ultimately Epiphanius concludes: "[I] am not saying that she remained immortal. But neither am I affirming that she died." Since
6231-407: The honour of our Lord, Jesus Christ." Both minimalist and maximalist have always seen in Mary a sign of the Catholic Church and viewed her as a model for all Catholics. In the 20th century, Pope Pius XII , "the most Marian pope in Church history", warned against both exuberant exaggerations and timid minimalism in the presentation of Mary. The Vatican II dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium
6324-569: The hoped-for sign. Six months after the private audience granted to Gilles by the pope, Pius XII himself proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption of body and soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. Some Catholics believe that Mary died before being assumed, but they believe that she was miraculously resurrected before being assumed (mortalistic interpretation). Others believe she was assumed bodily into Heaven without first dying (immortalistic interpretation). Either understanding may be legitimately held by Catholics, with Eastern Catholics observing
6417-406: The inner coherence of these disciplines. Pope Benedict XVI has stated that Marian studies have three separate characteristics: first personalizing the church so it is not seen just as a structure but as a person, secondly the incarnational aspect and the relation to God, and third Marian piety which involves the heart and the emotional component. Mary's position in the church can be compared to
6510-434: The inner link between Marian doctrines and a fuller understanding of Christological themes. Given the Catholic perspective that the Church lives in its relation to Christ, being the Body of Christ, it also has a relation to his mother, whose study is the subject of Catholic Mariology. Pope Pius X in Ad diem illum stated: "there is no more direct road than by Mary for uniting all mankind in Christ." In Catholic theology
6603-422: The lack of sanctifying grace , and that she was instead filled with divine grace . The dogma of the Immaculate Conception is distinct from and should not be confused with the perpetual virginity of Mary or the virgin birth of Jesus ; for this dogma refers to the conception of Mary by her mother, Saint Anne , and not the conception of Jesus. The feast of the Immaculate Conception , celebrated on December 8,
6696-568: The mystery of Christ. Pope John Paul II discussed the "precise place of Mary" in the plan of salvation in the encyclical Redemptoris Mater and stated: "Following the line of the Second Vatican Council, I wish to emphasize the special presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and his Church. For this is a fundamental dimension emerging from the Mariology of the Council". Catholic theologians have also explored
6789-515: The necessary connection of Mariology with Christology. According to John Henry Newman : "Mariology is always christocentric". Pope Benedict XVI characterized the relationship by stating that "Christology and Mariology are inseparably interwoven" from their very beginnings. In his view, Mariology underscores the nexus of the mysteries of Christology and ecclesiology , and reflects they are intrinsically interwoven. Early Christians and numerous saints focused on this connection and popes highlighted
6882-646: The resurrection of other Christians." In some versions of the assumption narrative, the assumption is said to have taken place in Ephesus , in the House of the Virgin Mary . This is a much more recent and localised tradition. The earliest traditions say that Mary's life ended in Jerusalem (see Tomb of the Virgin Mary ). According to the Passing of the Blessed Virgin Mary , attributed to Joseph of Arimathea , which
6975-660: The second or third century. According to Shoemaker, the first known narrative to address the end of Mary's life and her assumption is the apocryphal third- and possibly second-century Liber Requiei Mariae ("The Book of Mary's Repose"). Yet numerous features indicate that the Liber Requiei Mariae , or the Obsequies of the Virgin , as the text is called in Syriac, is even older than this ancient manuscript alone would suggest. Another early source that speaks of
7068-624: The service of love that the office can never encompass. Mariology and the doctrine of office are thus not "side chapels" in Catholic teachings, but are central and integrating elements of it. As referenced in Pope Pius XII 's 1943 the encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi , her fiat gave consent for a spiritual marriage between the Son of God and human nature, thus giving humanity the means to salvation. Mary's rights (wedding feast at Cana), and Mary's love (fiat) are essential to salvation. Mariology
7161-470: The sin and death" as in the Letters of Paul as a scriptural basis for the dogmatic definition, Mary being assumed into heaven also seems to verify 1 Corinthians 15:54 : "Then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory". This dogma states that Mary was conceived without original sin . This means that from the first moment of her existence she was preserved by God from
7254-410: The study of Mary, while contributing to the study of Christ, is also a separate discipline in its own right, with an understanding of the figure of Mary contributing to a fuller understanding of who Christ is and what he did. The Congregation for Catholic Education has characterized the situation as follows: "The history of theology shows that an understanding of the mystery of the Virgin contributes to
7347-592: The symbol of the promise made by Jesus to all enduring Christians that they too will be received into paradise. The Assumption of Mary is symbolised in the Fleur-de-lys Madonna. The present Italian name of the holiday, Ferragosto , may derive from the Latin name, Feriae Augusti ("Holidays of the Emperor Augustus "), since the month of August took its name from the emperor. The feast
7440-622: The throne of a king is her mother." The Catholic Church often sees Mary as queen in heaven, bearing a crown of twelve stars in Revelation . Many popes have given tribute to Mary in this regard, for example: Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Earth, (Pius IX), Queen and Ruler of the Universe (Leo XIII) and Queen of the World (Pius XII) The theological and logical foundation of these titles rests in
7533-563: The time of the early Church Fathers, this image of "the woman clothed with the sun" has had a threefold symbolism: the ancient people of Israel, the Church and Mary. Many of the bishops cited Genesis 3:15 , in which God is addressing the serpent in the Garden of Eden , as the primary confirmation of Mary's assumption: I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel. Many scholars connect Jesus' usage of
7626-463: The two communions, released in 2004 a non-authoritative declaration meant for study and evaluation, the "Seattle Statement"; this "agreed statement" concludes that "the teaching about Mary in the two definitions of the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception , understood within the biblical pattern of the economy of hope and grace, can be said to be consonant with the teaching of the Scriptures and
7719-484: The veneration of her in daily life, prayer, hymns , art , music , and architecture in modern and ancient Christianity throughout the ages. The four Marian dogmas of Mother of God , Immaculate Conception , perpetual virginity , and Assumption form the basis of Mariology. However, a number of other Catholic doctrines about the Virgin Mary have been developed by reference to sacred scripture , theological reasoning and church tradition. The development of Mariology
7812-408: The whole of her life, making Jesus her only biological son, whose conception and birth are held to be miraculous. The doctrine of perpetual virginity is distinct from the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which relates to the conception of the Virgin Mary herself without any stain ( macula in Latin ) of original sin . Virginity before birth This means that Mary conceived by
7905-492: The word "woman" to call Mary instead of calling her "mother" as a confirmation of Mary being the "woman" described in Genesis 3:15. Mary was often seen as the " New Eve ", who crushed the serpent's head at the Annunciation by obeying the angel Gabriel when he said she would bear the Messiah (Luke 1:38). The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms that the account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, and that
7998-419: Was a virgin before, during and after giving birth ( de fide ). This oldest Marian doctrine, (also held by Lutheran , Eastern Orthodox , and Oriental Orthodox , and many other Christians ) affirms Mary's "real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made Man." Thus, by the teaching of this dogma , the faithful believe that Mary was ever-Virgin (Greek ἀειπάρθενος ) for
8091-460: Was established in 1476 by Pope Sixtus IV , but the dogmatic definition came from Pope Pius IX in his constitution Ineffabilis Deus , on December 8, 1854. The dogma states that Mary possessed sanctifying grace from the first instant of her existence and by a special and unique gift of God was free from the lack of grace caused by the original sin from the beginning of human history. In Fulgens corona (item 10) Pope Pius XII reaffirmed
8184-552: Was introduced by Bishop Cyril of Alexandria in the 5th century. In the course of Christianization , he put it on 15 August. In the middle of August, Augustus celebrated his victories over Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra at Actium and Alexandria with a three-day triumph . The anniversaries (and later only 15 August) were public holidays from then on throughout the Roman Empire. Catholic Mariology#Dogmatic teachings Schools Relations with: Catholic Mariology
8277-424: Was like Elijah because she never died but was assumed, like him. Other works that mention the assumption of Mary are the apocryphal treatise De Obitu S. Dominae , bearing the name of St. John, which belongs however to the fourth or fifth century. It is also found in the apocryphal book De Transitus Beatae Mariae Virginis , falsely ascribed to Melito of Sardis , and in a spurious letter attributed to Denis
8370-400: Was not affected by giving birth. The Catholic Church does not teach how this occurred physically, but insists that virginity during child birth is different from virginity of conception. Virginity after birth This means that Mary remained a virgin after giving birth (de fide). This belief of the church was questioned in its early years. The scriptures say little about this, mentioning
8463-417: Was specifically written in 1964 to avoid both Marian maximalism and minimalism. Pope John Paul II was also careful to avoid both maximalism and minimalism in his Mariology and avoided taking personal positions on issues which were subject to theological debate. Mariology is related to Christology (the study of Christ ) and in the Catholic theological and papal writings has been viewed as interwoven with
8556-546: Was taken up into heaven bodily in anticipation of the general resurrection . Orthodox tradition is clear and unwavering in regard to the central point [of the Dormition]: the Holy Virgin underwent, as did her Son, a physical death, but her body – like His – was afterwards raised from the dead and she was taken up into heaven, in her body as well as in her soul. She has passed beyond death and judgement and lives wholly in
8649-528: Was taken up to heaven." The feast of the Dormition , imported from the East and held annually on 15 August, arrived in the West in the early 7th century, its name changing to Assumption in some 9th century liturgical calendars. It is mentioned in a papal decree of Sergius I (687-701), who fixed a procession for the feast. Pope Leo IV (reigned 847–855) gave the feast a vigil and an octave to solemnise it above all others, Pope Nicholas I (858–867) placed it on
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