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It all starts with her. In the Catholic Church, the Virgin Mary is one of the most venerated figures of all time. In the New Testament, she is at the origins of the history of salvation. Indeed, it is to her that God, after having been silent for nearly 400 years, sends the angel Gabriel. The message is clear. She has been chosen by God for a project that will completely change the course of history. This story finds its source in the Gospels. However, over the decades and centuries, the story of the Virgin Mary has been enriched, thus establishing a tradition of Marian devotion that survives to this day. In this article, we return to the truth about the story of the Virgin Mary. Where does she come from? How does she participate in the unfolding of the story of the Gospel? What are the traditions and doctrines woven around her person? What is the impact of her person and her story on Christian practice, culture and religion? We invite you on a journey of rich discoveries. Let's go.
At the outset, it should be noted that the name "Mary" comes from the Roman lexicon. In truth, the real name is rather "Myriam", since we are here in a Jewish context. Mary had been raised according to the Jewish tradition, practices and beliefs of that time which date back to the first century of this era. Even if, at the time, Palestine was besieged by the Romans in a context of political-religious tensions, daily life beat to the rhythm of Judaism. That being said, let's talk about the family and childhood of the Virgin Mary.
Of course, in the Gospels that you may have already read, there is silence on this aspect of her life. However, the apocryphal writings reveal that she was born to a father named Joachim and a mother named Anne. They were both pious Israelites. Since her childhood, Joachim and Anne had dedicated their daughter to God.
It is the Gospel of Luke that offers us, in its first chapter, a clear overview of the story of the Annunciation. This event will be considered the most famous of her life. She is announced by the Angel Gabriel that she will soon be pregnant with a son whose name will be Jesus, a work that will be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. The humble young girl accepted the mission without batting an eyelid and in a response marked by piety: "I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word."
But as the Gospels of Matthew and Luke indicate, Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was conceived. And this doctrine is fundamental to Christianity. This mystery of virginity is considered a divine miracle and confirms the identity of Jesus as the son of God. Even today, the Catholic and Orthodox churches believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary, while Protestant denominations consider that she had several children by Joseph, after the birth of Jesus.
In the four gospels, Mary's life is never mentioned outside of that of Jesus. She is only seen in scenes where Jesus is present. Mary receives, with Joseph, the visit of wise men and shepherds in Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus. She is again seen with Jesus when the family had to flee to Egypt on God's instructions in order to escape Herod who tried to kill the baby Jesus in whom he already perceived a future.
Mary is also seen at the wedding at Cana, in John 2:1-12. In this episode, she brings Jesus the news of the lack of wine, which triggered Jesus Christ's first public miracle.Here, Mary positions herself as an intercessor and the instigator of the servants' faith in Jesus and in his ability to perform miracles.
Mary is also seen at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, hence the emblem known on the christian jewelry like this cross necklace. We are in John 19:25-27. Mary is shown, dismayed, standing near John, near the cross on which her son was nailed. There, we see Jesus saying to John, his disciple, "Behold your mother" and to his mother, "Woman, behold your son." Some understand this statement as establishing Mary as the spiritual mother of all Christians.
To this day, on August 15 of each year, the Catholic and Orthodox Church celebrates the Assumption, which is considered the commemoration of the elevation of the Virgin Mary. Indeed, Christian tradition has established that Mary was taken up to heaven at the end of her life on earth. The Assumption is strongly anchored in the tradition of the Catholic and Orthodox Church. If the Gospels do not give any details on such an event, we find in the apocryphal writings, enough to fill this lack of information on the life of Mary.
One of these writings, the Protevangelium of James, for example, returns to the details relating to the birth, the youth of Mary as well as the course of her betrothal with Joseph. Obviously, one cannot attribute to these accounts an absolute historical certainty, it must however be noted that they have exercised a considerable influence on the Christian tradition. It is in fact these writings which have inspired the artistic representations that we have today of Mary, in particular these images where we see her holding the Child Jesus in her arms. These writings have also influenced Marian devotion.
It was during the Middle Ages that Marian devotion really took off. It was during this period that we witnessed the creation of hymns, prayers and initiatives such as festivals organized in honor of the Virgin Mary. For example, it is in honor of the Virgin Mary that Gothic cathedrals were built. You should perhaps take a tour of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to convince yourself of this.
However, this abundance of artistic representations and Marian devotions would diminish in the 16th century. This trend is attributed to the great Protestant Reformation launched by reformers such as Martin Luther who denounced the excess into which the church had fallen in the cult it devoted to Mary. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) took an interest in the issue and reinforced the tradition of Marian devotion in the Catholic Church.
This devotion to Mary would be strengthened over the years by the multiplication of Marian apparitions. The Virgin Mary is said to have belonged to individuals and groups, which has further encouraged modern Marian devotion and strengthened the faith of several million Christians throughout the world.
For example, Bernadette Soubirous, then aged 14, is said to have witnessed 18 Marian apparitions in Lourdes between February 11 and July 16, 1858 in the grotto of Massabielle. Also at the site of Fatima, 3 little shepherds witnessed 6 Marian apparitions recorded from May 13, 1917. These different apparitions led to the cementing of the faith of thousands of Christians throughout the world and encouraged the building of sanctuaries and the organization of pilgrimages.
Declared in 1854 by Pope IX as a dogma, the Immaculate Conception is different from the virginal conception. The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that Mary was conceived without original sin, which means she is pure and healthy. In other words, since her birth, she had already been prepared since her birth was the mother of Jesus, the Savior.
Although Protestant churches continue to oppose it, the Catholic and Orthodox churches support the doctrine of perpetual virginity. This doctrine posits that Mary is an eternal virgin, whether before or after the birth of Jesus. Based on the traditions of the Church, this belief is one of the elements that would serve to justify her total submission and devotion to God.
This doctrine was born in 431. It was during the Council of Ephesus. Mary is declared mother of God, which means that she gave birth to the incarnation of God. This declaration of Mary as Theodoros was intended to affirm the divinity of Jesus. This belief occupies a central place in Marian theology and attributes to Mary a fundamental importance in the mystery of the incarnation of the heavenly divinity.
As Marian devotion was cemented in the church, the Virgin Mary became a rich source of inspiration in the field of art, especially for great names in art such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, etc. Indeed, in their paintings, sculptures, and stained glass windows, we saw in their works an abundance of representations of the Virgin with the Child Jesus, the Assumption, the Pieta, etc. The artists of the Middle Ages and those of the Renaissance clearly drew their inspiration from Marian theology through works that continue to fascinate to this day.
In the field of music, too, the influence of Marian doctrines is no longer evident. Whether Gregorian compositions or modern musical works, the figure of Mary has been a great source of inspiration. You have probably listened to Schubert's Ave Maria, or Bach's Magnificat. These are some examples of the translation of Marian devotion through music.
What about literature and poetry? The Virgin Mary has also been celebrated in these areas. History will remember for a long time the wonderful passage that Dante Alighieri made on the Virgin Mary. In addition, authors continue to this day to be interested in the humanity and divinity of Mary through their works.
Highly cherished in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and even in some Anglican churches, Marian feasts offer Christians who espouse Marian doctrine the opportunity to show their veneration for the Virgin Mary. These liturgical celebrations dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, honor specific aspects of her life, her role in the history of the salvation of humanity, and her virtues. Of the additional information on the main Marian festivals.
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