Saint Paul, who never met Mary, placed her at the central point of Salvation History

Saint Paul did not witness the earthly life of Jesus, and probably never met the Virgin Mary, yet he knew who Jesus was and was therefore able to reflect on the fact that he had a mother.

The letter to the Galatians, written around 56 A.D., places the mother of Jesus at the central point in salvation history. This verse would deserve a whole chapter:

"But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the law, to redeem the subjects of the law, that he might confer upon us filial adoption." (Gal 4:4)

St. Paul probably heard about Mary from the apostles Peter, James and John (Gal 1:18 and Gal 2:9) whom he met early in his ministry, as well as from other itinerant disciples. We can sense the same Marian illumination in the letter to the Ephesians, and in the whole attitude and life of the great apostle.

Introduction F. Breynaert

Marian Encyclopedia