A virginal, royal, and divine maternity, brought about by the Holy Spirit

The Virgin Mary was proclaimed "Theotokos", "Mother of God", at the Council of Ephesus in 431. It was the Church's first Marian dogma.

Mary's divine maternity is the main reason we venerate her. This is demonstrated by the attitude of Elizabeth and John the Baptist at the Visitation (Luke 1:39-45), which is an extension of the Annunciation:

- John the Baptist is filled with the Holy Spirit;

- The Holy Spirit reveals to Elizabeth the mystery of Mary's maternity;

- Elizabeth acknowledges Mary as the Mother of the Lord.

- Mary is a mother yet remains a virgin (Lk 1:27). She affirms: "I have no relations with a man" (Lk 1:34).

- Hers is a royal maternity: her son is a descendant of David, and he will reign forever. Jesus' birth fulfills the promises of Nathan (2 Sam 7) and the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, which share these two elements: God's own initiative and his faithfulness.

As the mother of the Davidic messiah, Mary is the queen mother to whom the homage and veneration of the entire messianic people are addressed. The prince to be born of her is not only the son of David, but also the Son of God (note the progression between Lk 1:32 and Lk 1:35).

- Her maternity is achieved through the operation of the Holy Spirit, whose divine power enfolds the Virgin Mary in his shadow, just as the cloud covered the Ark of the Covenant and made the Lord present.

This virginal, royal, and divine maternity, the work of the Holy Spirit, is a source of awe and veneration for Mary's cousin Elizabeth, and for the Church: "And how is it that the mother of my Lord has come to me? (...) Yes, blessed is she who has believed in the fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord" (Lk 1:43-45).

Françoise Breynaert, in collaboration with Father Ignazio Calabuig

Marian Encyclopedia