The Immaculate Conception Of The Virgin Mary
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
--The Hail Mary, said on the majority of the rosary beads
Who is the virgin Mary? Why do Christians revere her? And why is that inevitable "Virgin" always before her name?
No woman's sexual status has been more hailed, contested or celebrated than that of "the Virgin Mary," the woman who Christians and Catholics believe to be the mother of the son of God, Jesus Christ. The lore and belief of the Virgin Mary, and the Immaculate Conception, is one of the central mysteries to the Roman Catholic church, and a miracle to most who believe in the coming of God's son, Jesus.
Historical/Biblical Teachings
Many think that "Immaculate Conception" refers to the fertilization of the Christian God's son, Jesus, inside Mary's body, without sexual intercourse. But what many secular people do not know is that Catholics believe that Mary first had to be born "without sin," or, through an Immaculate Conception, in order to be a vessel for God's son: thus, the Immaculate Conception. But this is not to say that Jesus was not born to a virgin, because in Catholic belief, Jesus' conception was also "immaculate."
So how was Christ conceived if Mary did not have sex? That question embodies one of the mystical aspects surrounding the birth of Jesus. According to Catholic teachings, Mary was to be betrothed to Joseph of Arimathea. Before they were married, Mary was found to be pregnant. Of course, women were required to be virgins until their wedding night, so Joseph refused the marriage. But an angel came to him and explained that Mary had not been unfaithful, and that the conception was a holy one. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit visited Mary and impregnated her, causing her to have a virgin conception.
In addition, Catholics believe that not only did Mary come from a virgin and give birth to a son as a virgin, but also that she remained a virgin for the rest of her life. Her and her husband, Joseph, are believed, through teachings and scripture, to have never consummated their marriage, because then Mary would have been adulterous to her spiritual husband, the father of her child, the Holy Spirit.
The Bible reveals little more about Mary, without regards to the condition of her son's conception. She is revered because she was "pure," and gave birth in a non-sexual manner. She is regarded by Catholics as the mother of all.
Worship Of Mary
Some Christians think Catholicism lends itself to idol worship, a practice expressly forbidden in the Bible, through the Ten Commandments. It may appear that way because Catholics recognize saints, often make "graven images" of these saints, and pray to various ones for specific purposes. Mary would by far be the most widely used image.
In almost any Catholic church one can find a statue representing the mother of Jesus. There are usually candles near that image. On certain days honoring her memory, flowers are "offered" to Mary's statue. In the church that this author grew up in, May was the month of Mary, and during that month there was always a swath of blue silk wrapped around her image, flowers were placed at her feet, incense was burned and candles were lit in her memory.
Below are some of the specific days that the Church honors Mary:
- Dec. 8: Celebrates her conception by her mother Saint Anne.
- Sept. 8: Celebrates Mary's birth.
- Nov. 21: celebrates Mary's Presentation to the Temple.
- Aug. 15: The Assumption of Mary: Mary was believed to have been taken into heaven intact, both body and soul.
Present Day Mary: Sightings
All around the world, from centuries ago to modern days, people have claimed to see apparitions of Mary come back to earth. The prevalence of these claims is undeniable. The Catholic Church has recognized and accepted some of the appearances Mary has made to her followers.
Why, in the belief of followers, is Mary appearing again on earth? Followers say that sometimes she has a special, specific message for the visionaries; other times, she merely shows her visage to inspire hope, or to convey comfort. Below is a list of some of the more well-known appearances of Mary, where the church has built honorary basilicas in honor of her appearance:
- Our Lady of the Snows
Location: Italy
Appeared To: John of Rome & wife
Date: 352 - Our Lady of Walsingham
Location: England
Appeared To: Richeldis de Faverches
Date: 1061 - Our Lady of the Rosary
Location: Spain
Appeared To: Dominic de Guzman
Date: 1208 - Our Lady of Guadalupe
Location: Mexico
Appeared To: Juan Diego
Date: 1531 - Our Lady of Knock
Location: Ireland
Appeared To: Fourteen Witnesses
Date: 1879 - Our Lady of Fatima
Location: Portugal Appeared To: Three Children Date: 1917
Weeping statues, stigmata and other visions of Mary are believed to have appeared all the way up to present day, with many sightings being in America.
The Pope, An Assassination Attempt, And The Virgin Mary
There was an assassination attempt made on Pope John Paul II in 1981, in which the pontiff was hit by bullets three times, critically wounding him.
The pope credited his survival to the Virgin Mary. More so, he and the church claim that the assassination attempt was foretold in a vision to three children through the appearance of the virgin in 1917. This vision was said to reveal three future events, and is known as the secret vision of Fatima.
The secret of Fatima frightened many church officials and Catholics. One man even hijacked a plane in 1981 in an attempt to make church officials reveal the third secret of Fatima, which many feared foretold the end of the world.
Over time, the church revealed two of the secrets that the Virgin Mary is believed to have told the children. But it did not disclose to the third until recently, which the church said, was to have been the foretelling of the attack on the pope.
So, who is the Virgin Mary? Did she really exist? Why does she continue to attract followers? Of course, the answers to these questions depend very much on whom one is asking them. But there is no denying the influence of her image and her story, even on today's culture.
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