Mother of God

(In this series titled The Many Faces of Mary, Sacaria Joseph, an Indian Jesuit, explores the various titles of Mary as prayed in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The goal is to celebrate her unique role in salvation history. Each article will highlight the doctrinal significance of a specific title and connect it to contemporary Christian life. – Editor)

One of the most cherished Marian prayers in the Catholic Church is the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is commonly called the Litany of Loreto, as it was first adopted and popularised at the Marian shrine of Loreto in Italy. Composed in the Middle Ages, the prayer received the formal recognition of the Church only in 1587 when Pope Sixtus V gave it his seal of approval. The litany brings together a rich collection of titles that embody the identity of Mary, her mission, and her spiritual role in the life of the Church.

Immediately after the opening invocation, “Holy Mary,” and the request to “pray for us,” the litany invokes Mary as the “Holy Mother of God.” This title precedes all other titles to acknowledge the fundamental role of Mary as the Mother of God.

“Mary – Mother of God” is the first Marian dogma proclaimed by the Church. Interestingly, this dogma emerged as the outcome of a Christological controversy. The title speaks as much about who Jesus is as it does about who Mary is.

To understand this, we turn to Nestorius, a fifth-century monk from Antioch who later became Patriarch of Constantinople. Nestorius objected to calling Mary the “Mother of God” (Theotokos in Greek). In his view, Mary gave birth only to the human nature of Jesus, not to His divine nature. He argued that the divine Logos, the eternal Word of God, could not have been born of a woman. For this reason, Nestorius preferred to speak of the human Jesus simply as “Christ” and was comfortable with calling Mary the “Mother of Christ” (Christotokos in Greek), but not Theotokos.

His position effectively implied that there were two separate persons in Jesus, one divine and one human. This view contradicted the orthodox faith, which teaches that Jesus Christ is one divine Person, the Son of God, who possesses two distinct natures, divine and human, united without confusion or division. Nestorius’ proposition reduced this union to a merely moral or external association, rather than the true and inseparable unity of natures in the one Person of Christ.

Those opposed to the view of Nestorius, especially, St. Cyril of Alexandria, accused him of splitting Christ into two persons. To settle the dispute, the Council of Ephesus (431) was convened.  The council condemned the teaching of Nestorius as heresy and solemnly affirmed that Jesus Christ is one divine person, fully God and fully man. Therefore, Mary can rightly be called the ‘Mother of God’ (Theotokos).  

On 1 January, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.’ This liturgical event, which also marks the beginning of the new year, is both deeply theological and profoundly pastoral. It honours her unique role of Mary in the mystery of the Incarnation while entrusting the year ahead to her maternal care, inviting the faithful to begin their journey rooted in grace, peace, and hope

Scriptural and Creedal Roots

Scripture itself testifies to the role of Mary as Mother of God. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). St. John’s Gospel declares that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). These passages show that the eternal Word of God did not merely inhabit a man, but truly took on flesh in the womb of Mary.

The Nicene Creed, recited at every Sunday Mass, echoes this truth: Jesus Christ is “consubstantial with the Father… and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” Thus, the creed itself affirms what the litany celebrates – Mary is the Mother of God.

Unique Role of Mary in Salvation History

The motherhood of Mary is not simply biological. It is a divinely ordained vocation that she embraced at the Annunciation. Through her consent, God entered human history in the person of Jesus. By conceiving the Son of God in her womb, Mary became the living temple of God.

As the Mother of God, she is also the Mother of the Redeemer. The mandate of John 19:27 made her the Mother of all believers. Her unique participation in salvation history continues through her maternal care and intercession for the Church.

According to tradition, after the Ascension of Christ, Mary continued to nurture the early Church with her maternal love and presence, affirming that her mission did not conclude with the birth or Ascension of Christ but continues to unfold in the life of the Church.

Mary as a Model for Christian Life

The title “Mother of God” not only reveals who Mary is, but it also reveals who Christians are called to be. Mary lived a life of profound simplicity. Born into a humble family in Nazareth, her life, from her quiet years to her courageous presence at Calvary, is a testament to her unwavering faith. Her obedience, trust, and humility make her the highest model of discipleship. By echoing her ‘fiat’ or “let it be done to me according to your word,” believers are invited to say ‘yes’ to the will of God in their own lives.

Devotion to ‘Mother of God’

The prevailing devotion to Mary as Mother of God affirms the Christian faith that God is not a distant entity, but One who entered human history through her. This title safeguards the truth of the Incarnation and reassures believers of the intimate presence of God in family life, in human struggle, and in the daily journey of faith.

Invoking Mary as Mother of God draws the faithful to her protective intercession and to the deepest mystery of Christian life that God became man so that humanity might share in His divine life.

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary wisely places the invocation “Holy Mother of God, pray for us” at the very start, inviting Christians to entrust their lives, families, and communities to her maternal care. Likewise, the Church begins each new year under the mantle of Mary, affirming both the divinity and humanity of Christ, and calling believers to peace, hope, and renewed faith.