7.

MARY, MOTHER OF GOD:

What is the history of the First Marian Dogma?
 The First Marian Dogma was defined by
the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. It was
declared against the heresy of Nestorius,
Patriarch of Constantinople, who had
objected that Mary should be called
“Mother of Christ” (Christotokos) and not
“Mother of God” (Theotokos).
 The dogmatic definition declared: “If
somebody does not believe that the
Immanuel is God, and that therefore the
Holy Virgin is Theotokos, since she
generated in the flesh the Word who is
God, be excommunicated.”

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 8. THE PERPETUAL VIRGINITY
What is the meaning of the Second Marian Dogma?
 The Dogma of the Perpetual
Virginity of Mary, solemnly
defined by the Council of Nicea
(325 AD), states that she
remained virgin for her whole
life.
 The Greek term for this dogma
is Aeiparthenos, which means
“Ever Virgin.” This implies that
Mary remained virgin before,
during, and after the birth of
Christ.

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 9. THE PERPETUAL VIRGINITY
Who are “the brothers and sisters” of Jesus?
 The “brothers and
sisters” of Jesus (Mark
3: 32), mentioned in
the Gospel are not
children of Mary, but
her relatives.
 The Greek word
adelphoi could mean
“brothers” or
“relatives,” or
“community
members.”

 If Jesus had real brothers and sisters, from the cross he should have entrusted
Mary to them, and not to St. John.

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 10. THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION:
What is the meaning of the Third Marian Dogma?
 The Dogma of the Immaculate
Conception says that the Virgin Mary was
conceived without the Original Sin, and
remained sinless for her whole life.
 It was solemnly declared by Pope Pius IX
on December 8, 1854, with the bull
Ineffabilis Deus.
 The title Immaculate derives from the
Latin words in and macula, meaning
“without stain.”
 We celebrate the Immaculate
Conception on December 8, exactly nine
months before the Nativity of Mary
(September 8).

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 11. THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION:
What are the three common errors about the
Immaculate Conception?
1. Mary is immaculate because she was conceived by the power of the
Holy Spirit. The truth is that Mary was conceived in a natural manner by
her parents, Joachim and Anne, but without the stain of the Original Sin.
2. Mary is immaculate because she is a virgin. Indeed, the fact that Mary
is immaculate has nothing to do with her virginity, lest we consider the
natural intercourse between husband and wife a sin.
3. Mary is immaculate, therefore she did not need a Savior. In truth, all
men need to be saved by Jesus; but in the case of Mary, salvation was
anticipated to her conception, so that Jesus Christ could be born from a
sinless and perfectly pure mother.

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate

 12. THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION:
What are the biblical proofs of the
Immaculate Conception of Mary?

 Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity

between you and the woman.”
This affirms the incompatibility
between Satan (sin) and Mary.
 Luke 1:28: “Hail Mary, full of
grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke
1:28). Being full of the grace of
God, she was immune from any
stain of sin.

Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate