## What is Mariology?
Mariology is the theological discipline that systematically and scientifically studies the person, mystery, and mission of Mary of Nazareth in the history of salvation. It is not about sentimental devotion or the accumulation of pious traditions but a theological science rooted in Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
The term derives from the Latin *Maria* and the Greek *logos* (word, study, reason): it is thus the rational and systematic study of Mary. The famous Latin expression *de Maria numquam satis* (“about Mary, never enough”) encapsulates the spirit of this discipline: there is always more to contemplate, understand, and receive from the Marian mystery.
## Frequently Asked Questions about Mariology
### What is the difference between mariology and Marian devotion?
Marian devotion is a form of piety, praying the Rosary, visiting shrines, celebrating Marian feasts. Mariology is the *theological science* that grounds this devotion, studying who Mary is in the light of faith and reason. Devotion without Mariology can become sentimental. Mariology without devotion can become sterile. The two belong to each other.
### Is mariology an autonomous discipline or part of Christology?
It is both. Mariology has its own object, Mary, but this object is inherently relational: Mary is only understood in relation to Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church. The Second Vatican Council, by integrating the chapter on Mary into its Constitution on the Church (*Lumen Gentium*) (cap. VIII), confirmed that mariology belongs to the heart of systematic theology, not to its periphery.
### What are the main topics of Mariology?
The main topics of Mariology include: the four Marian dogmas (Divine Maternity, Perpetual Virginity, Immaculate Conception, Assumption), mediation and co-redemption, Mary’s role in salvation history, Marian apparitions and their theological status, biblical and patristic Mariology, and the relationship between Mary and the Church. The Locus Mariologicus blog explores all these themes in depth.
### What are the four Marian dogmas?
The four Marian dogmas are: Divine Maternity (Mary as the Mother of God), Perpetual Virginity (Mary’s lifelong virginity), Immaculate Conception (Mary’s conception without original sin), and Assumption (Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven).
# The Catholic Church’s Definition of Four Truths About Mary:
1. **Divine Maternity**: Mary is truly the Mother of God (Theotokos), defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431.
2. **Perpetual Virginity**: Mary remained virgin before, during, and after childbirth.
3. **Immaculate Conception**: Mary was preserved from original sin since her first moment of conception, defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
4. **Assumption into Heaven**: Mary was assumed bodily and spiritually into heavenly glory, defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
## What is the Locus Mariologicus?
The *Locus Mariologicus* is an international center for Marian studies, a scholarly institution dedicated to the scientific study and dissemination of Marian theology in the Portuguese language. It offers graduate programs in Marianology, publishes research articles, organizes the *International Marian Symposium*, and provides access to academic resources. Its mission is to be a privileged *theological locus* for the Church and academia, serving the mystery of Mary.
### 5th International Marian Symposium:
*«If you do what I tell you»* · July 24-26, 2026, Santo Amaro Hotel, Fátima, Portugal. Featuring lectures by Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo, P. Carlos Cabecinhas, and P. João Paulo Quelhas. Rosary at the Chapel of the Apparitions, Holy Mass in the Prayer and Adoration Recital Hall. In-person and online participation available.
## Can One Study Marianology Online?
Yes. The *Locus Mariologicus* offers an online graduate program in Marianology and Marian Theology, allowing students worldwide to deepen their knowledge of this discipline with scientific rigor and academic support. The program combines classic sources from Tradition with recent contributions from international Marian research.
## Marianology in the Church’s Tradition
Marianology has its roots in the early centuries of Christianity. Early Church Fathers such as Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyon, Ambrose of Milan, already contemplated Mary as the new Eve, whose obedience undid the disobedience of the first woman. Medieval scholasticism, with figures like Albertus Magnus, Saint Bonaventure, and Thomas Aquinas, systematized the revealed data into a coherent theology. The controversy between Dominicans and Franciscans during the 13th and 14th centuries regarding the Immaculate Conception is one of the richest chapters in Marian history.
# Mariology in the 20th Century
In the 20th century, Mariology experienced notable development through the Magisterium of Pius XII (Mystici Corporis, 1943; Munificentissimus Deus, 1950), the Second Vatican Council (Lumen Gentium, cap. VIII, 1964), and the pontificates of Paul VI (Marialis Cultus, 1974) and John Paul II (Redemptoris Mater, 1987). These constitute the fundamental milestones in contemporary Mariological reflection.
## Deepen Your Mariology Studies
If this article has piqued your interest in systematic study of Mary, Locus Mariologicus offers the resources you need: academic articles on our blog, a postgraduate program in Mariology, and the International Mariology Symposium. *De Maria numquam satis* (Never enough of Mary).
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## 5th International Mariology Symposium – Fátima 2026
### Join us for an immersive experience!
**Dates:** July 24-26, 2026
**Venue:** Hotel Santo Amaro, Fátima, Portugal
**Format:** In-person (limited spots) and online
#### Highlights:
– Lectures by Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo, P. Carlos Cabecinhas, and P. João Paulo Quelhas
– Recitation of the Rosary at the Chapel of Appearances
– Adoration of the Holy Sacrament
– Celebration of Mass in the Prayer Enclosure
**Register now:** [Inscribe Yourself for the Symposium](https://curso.locusmariologicus.org/35/fatima2026)