The Magisterium and Mary: the great Marian documents
The Magisterium of the Church and the great Marian documents
The Magisterium of the Church has produced a vast doctrinal corpus of great richness concerning Mary. From the dogmatic definitions of the Ecumenical Councils to the encyclicals of the modern Popes, the Church’s official reflection on Mary has been constant and progressive.
Ecumenical councils
The great conciliar landmarks: Ephesus (431) defines Mary as Theotokos. Chalcedon (451) confirms the Theotokos. Lateran (649) defines perpetual virginity. Vatican II (1964) Lumen Gentium chap. VIII, the integration of Mary into ecclesiology.
Papal dogmatic definitions
Two Popes defined Marian dogmas: Pius IX, in 1854, defined the Immaculate Conception in the bull Ineffabilis Deus. Pius XII, in 1950, defined the Assumption in the constitution Munificentissimus Deus. Both definitions followed a process of extensive consultation of the whole Church.
Marian encyclicals and exhortations
The most important papal documents: Laetitiae Sanctae (Leo XIII, 1893) on the Rosary. Ad Caeli Reginam (Pius XII, 1954) on the Queenship of Mary. Marialis Cultus (Paul VI, 1974) on the Marian cult. Redemptoris Mater (John Paul II, 1987) on Mary in the life of the Church. Rosarium Virginis Mariae (John Paul II, 2002) with the Luminous Mysteries.
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See also: How to Study the Marian Magisterium Systematically – The Complete Locus Guide
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This article grows out of the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. The Postgraduate Program in Mariology takes you to the same source, with academic guidance: Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium, from the first dogma to contemporary questions.
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