Mariological papal documents


Mariological papal documents have been a major force that has shaped Roman Catholic Mariology over the centuries. Mariology is developed by theologians on the basis not only of Scripture and Tradition but also of the sensus fidei of the faithful as a whole, "from the bishops to the last of the faithful", and papal documents have recorded those developments, defining Marian dogmas, spreading doctrines and encouraging devotions within the Catholic Church.
Popes have been highly influential for the development of doctrine and the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They made decisions not only in the area of Marian beliefs but also Marian practices and devotions. Before the twentieth century, Popes promulgated Marian veneration and beliefs by authorizing new Marian feast days, prayers, initiatives, and special privileges. Since Pope Leo XIII, Popes have promulgated Mariology also with encyclicals, apostolic letters and with two dogmas. This article reviews the major official teachings by the popes.

Background

Historically a Papal bull was "an Apostolic letter with a leaden seal." A papal bull is an official formal decree. In terms of formality, papal bulls and apostolic constitutions are above encyclicals, followed by apostolic letters. An apostolic constitution is the highest level of decree issued by the Pope, and is generally issued as a bull with the requisite formalities regarding seal and signature. By their nature, apostolic constitutions are addressed to the public, whereas encyclicals are usually addressed to patriarchs, primates, archbishops and bishops in communion with the Holy See.

Dogmas

The perpetual virginity of Mary

  • Dominici gregis - This papal bull was issued by Pope Clement VIII on 3 February 1603. It considered Marian piety the basis for Church and condemned a number of issues as errors, including the denial of the virginity of Mary.

Mother of God

This dogma was proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 and promulgated by Pope Celestine I. This dogma has attached to it the penalty of an anathema. It was promulgated during the Nestorian Heresy who state that Mary was just the "Christotokos" rather than the "Theotokos"

The Immaculate Conception


The Assumption

On Mary as Queen of Heaven

Mary, as intercessor for Peace

On the rosary

File:Coat of arms of Ioannes Paulus II.svg|thumb|100px|John Paul II Coat of arms with the Marian Cross
  • Rosarium Virginis Mariae - This Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II was issued on 16 October 2002. It deals with the Holy Rosary and views it as compendium of the Gospel message: The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. The letter reaffirms the Roman Catholic beliefs on the power of the rosary and states: Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer. Beginning with paragraph 19, Pope St. John Paul II introduces a new set of mysteries for meditation on the life of Christ into the traditional rosary; he calls them the Mysteries of Light or the Luminous Mysteries. These he adds after the Joyful Mysteries and before the Sorrowful and the Glorious Mysteries. The five Luminous Mysteries are: 1) The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, 2) His self-manifestation at the wedding at Cana, 3) His proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the call to conversion, 4) His Transfiguration, and 5) His institution of the Eucharist.

Sodality of Our Lady

Other documents