
Mariology is the
Christian theological study of
Mary, mother of
Jesus
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
. Mariology seeks to relate
doctrine
Doctrine (from , meaning 'teaching, instruction') is a codification (law), codification of beliefs or a body of teacher, teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a ...
or dogma about Mary to other doctrines of the
faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...
, such as those concerning Jesus and notions about
redemption,
intercession and
grace.
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
Mariology aims to place the role of the historic Mary in the context of scripture, tradition and the teachings of the Church on Mary.
[''The encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 3'' by Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley 2003 pp. 403–404.][Rahner, Karl 2004 ''Encyclopedia of theology: a concise Sacramentum mundi'' p. 901.][Hillerbrand, Hans Joachim. ''Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Volume 3 2003''. p. 1174.] In terms of social history, Mariology may be broadly defined as the study of devotion to and thinking about Mary throughout the history of Christianity.
There exist a variety of Christian (and non-Christian) views on Mary as a figure ranging from the focus on the
veneration of Mary in
Roman Catholic Mariology to criticisms of "mariolatry" as a form of idolatry. The latter would include certain
Protestant objections to Marian devotion. There are also more distinctive approaches to the role of Mary in
Lutheran Mariology and
Anglican Marian theology.
As a field of theology, the most substantial developments in Mariology (and the founding of specific centers devoted to its study) in recent centuries have taken place within Roman Catholic Mariology.
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
concepts and veneration of Mary are integral to the rite as a whole, (the theotokos) and are mostly expressed in liturgy. The veneration of Mary is said to permeate, in a way, the entire life of the Church as a "dimension" of dogma as well as piety, of
Christology
In Christianity, Christology is a branch of Christian theology, theology that concerns Jesus. Different denominations have different opinions on questions such as whether Jesus was human, divine, or both, and as a messiah what his role would b ...
as well as of
Ecclesiology
In Christian theology, ecclesiology is the study of the Church, the origins of Christianity, its relationship to Jesus, its role in salvation, its polity, its discipline, its eschatology, and its leadership.
In its early history, one of th ...
. While similar to the Roman Catholic view, barring some minor differences, the Orthodox do not see a need for a separate academic discipline of Mariology, as the Mother of God is seen as the self-evident apogee of God's human creation.
A significant number of Marian publications were written in the 20th century, with theologians
Raimondo Spiazzi and
Gabriel Roschini producing 2500 and 900 publications respectively. The
Pontifical Academy of Mary and the Pontifical Theological Faculty
Marianum in Rome are key Mariological centers.
Diversity of Marian views

A wide range of views on Mary exist at multiple levels of differentiation within distinct Christian belief systems. In many cases, the views held at any point in history have continued to be challenged and transformed. Over the centuries,
Roman Catholic Mariology has been shaped by varying forces ranging from ''
sensus fidelium'' to
Marian apparitions to the
writings of the saints to reflection by theologians and papal
encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally fr ...
s.
Eastern Orthodox theology calls Mary the ''
Theotokos'', which means God-bearer. The
virginal motherhood of Mary stands at the center of
Orthodox Mariology, in which the title ''Ever Virgin'' is often used. The Orthodox Mariological approach emphasizes the sublime holiness of Mary, her share in redemption and her role as a mediator of grace.
[Rahner, Karl 2004 ''Encyclopedia of theology: a concise Sacramentum mundi'' pp. 393–394.][''The encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 3'' by Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley 2003 p. 409.]
Eastern Orthodox mariological thought dates as far back as Saint
John Damascene who in the 8th century wrote on the mediative role of Mary and on the
Dormition of the Mother of God. In the 14th century, Orthodox Mariology began to flourish among Byzantine theologians who held a cosmic view of Mariology, placing Jesus and Mary together at the center of the cosmos and saw them as the goal of world history.
More recently Eastern Orthodox Mariology achieved a renewal among 20th century theologians in Russia, for whom Mary is the heart of the Church and the center of creation.
However, unlike the Catholic approach, Eastern Orthodox Mariology does not support the
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
of Mary.
Prior to the 20th century, Eastern Orthodox Mariology was almost entirely liturgical, and had no systematic presentation similar to Roman Catholic Mariology. However, 20th century theologians such as
Sergei Bulgakov began the development of a detailed systematic Orthodox Mariology. Bulgakov's Mariological formulation emphasizes the close link between Mary and the
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...
in the mystery of the Incarnation.
Protestant views on Mary vary from denomination to
denomination. They focus generally on interpretations of Mary in the
Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
, the
Apostles' Creed, (which professes the Virgin Birth), and the Ecumenical
Council of Ephesus, in 431, which called Mary the
Mother of God. While some early Protestants created Marian art and allowed limited forms of Marian veneration, most Protestants today do not share the
veneration
Veneration (; ), or veneration of saints, is the act of honoring a saint, a person who has been identified as having a high degree of sanctity or holiness. Angels are shown similar veneration in many religions. Veneration of saints is practiced, ...
of Mary practiced by Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox.
Martin Luther's views on Mary,
John Calvin's views on Mary,
Karl Barth's views on Mary and others have all contributed to modern Protestant views.
Anglican Marian theology varies greatly, from the
Anglo-Catholic (very close to
Roman Catholic views) to the more
Reformed views. The
Anglican Church
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
formally celebrates six Marian feasts,
Annunciation
The Annunciation (; ; also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord; ) is, according to the Gospel of Luke, the announcement made by the archangel Gabriel to Ma ...
(25 March),
Visitation (31 May), Day of Saint Mary (
Assumption or
dormition) (15 August),
Nativity of Mary (8 September),
Our Lady of Walsingham (15 October) and
Mary's Conception (8 December). Anglicans, along with other Protestants, teach the Marian dogmas of
divine maternity and the
virgin birth of Jesus
In Christianity and Islam, it is asserted that Jesus of Nazareth was conceived by his mother Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary solely through divine intervention and without sexual intercourse, thus resulting in his Virgin birth (mythology), virgin bir ...
, although there is no systematic agreed upon Mariology among the diverse parts of the
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is a Christian Full communion, communion consisting of the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, ...
. However, the role of Mary as a mediator is accepted by some groups of modern Anglican theologians.
Lutheran Mariology is informed by the
Augsburg Confession and honours Mary as "the most blessed Mother of God, the most blessed Virgin Mary, and the Mother of Christ."
The
Smalcald Articles, a
confession of faith of the
Lutheran Churches, affirm the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary.
The
Oriental Orthodox Churches
The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 50 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches adhere to the Nicene Christian tradition. Oriental Orthodoxy is ...
regard Mary as the highest of saints and the Theotokos.
It celebrates various Marian feast days.
A better mutual understanding among different Christian groups regarding their Mariology has been sought in a number of
ecumenical meetings which produced common documents.
Outside Christianity, the
Islamic view of the Virgin Mary, known as ''Maryam'' in Arabic, is that she was an extremely pious and chaste woman who miraculously gave birth while still a virgin to the prophet Jesus, known in Arabic as ''
Isa''. Mary is the only woman specifically named in the
Qur'an
The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
. The
nineteenth chapter of the Qur'an, which is named after her, begins with two narrations of "miraculous birth".
Development

The
First Council of Ephesus in 431 formally approved devotion to Mary as ''Theotokos'', which most accurately translated means God-bearer;
[''Mary, Mother of God'' by Carl E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson 2004 p. 84.] its use implies that Jesus, to whom Mary gave birth, is God.
Nestorians preferred ''Christotokos'' meaning "Christ-bearer" or "Mother of the Messiah" not because they denied Jesus' divinity, but because they believed that since God the Son or ''Logos'' existed before time and before Mary, Jesus therefore took divinity from God the Father and humanity from his mother, so calling her "Mother of God" was confusing and potentially heretical. Others at the council believed that denying the Theotokos title would carry with it the implication that Jesus was not divine.
The council of Ephesus also approved the creation of icons bearing the images of the Virgin and Child. Devotion to Mary was, however, already widespread before this point, reflected in the fresco depictions of
Mother and Child
A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestat ...
in the Roman catacombs. The early Church Fathers saw Mary as the "new Eve" who said "yes" to God as Eve had said "no". Mary, as the first Christian
Saint
In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
and Mother of Jesus, was deemed to be a compassionate mediator between suffering mankind and her son, Jesus, who was seen as King and Judge.
In the East, devotion to Mary blossomed in the sixth century under official patronage and imperial promotion at the
Court of Constantinople. The popularity of Mary as an individual object of devotion, however, only began in the fifth century with the appearance of apocryphal versions of her life, interest in her relics, and the first churches dedicated to her name, for example,
S. Maria Maggiore in Rome. A sign that the process was slower in Rome is provided by the incident during the visit of
Pope Agapetus to Constantinople in 536, when he was upbraided for opposing the veneration of the ''theotokos'' and refusing to allow her icons to be displayed in Roman churches. Early seventh-century examples of new Marian dedications in Rome are the dedication in 609 of the pagan
Pantheon as ''Santa Maria ad Martyres'', "Holy Mary and the Martyrs", and the re-dedication of the early Christian ''titulus Julii et Calixtii'', one of the oldest Roman churches, as
Santa Maria in Trastevere. The earliest Marian feasts were introduced into the Roman liturgical calendar by
Pope Sergius I (687–701).
During the Middle Ages, devotion to the Virgin Mary as the "new Eve" lent much to the status of women. Women who had been looked down upon as daughters of
Eve
Eve is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and there ...
, came to be looked upon as objects of veneration and inspiration. The medieval development of
chivalry
Chivalry, or the chivalric language, is an informal and varying code of conduct that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood, with knights being members of ...
, with the concept of the honor of a lady and the ensuing knightly devotion to it, not only derived from the thinking about the Virgin Mary, but also contributed to it. The medieval veneration of the Virgin Mary was contrasted by the fact that ordinary women, especially those outside aristocratic circles, were looked down upon. Although women were at times viewed as the source of evil, it was Mary who as mediator to God was a source of refuge for man. The development of medieval Mariology and the changing attitudes towards women paralleled each other and can best be understood in a common context.
Since the
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
, some Protestants accuse Roman Catholics of having developed an un-Christian adoration and worship of Mary, described as ''
Marianism'' or ''
Mariolatry'', and of inventing non-scriptural doctrines which give Mary a semi-divine status. They also attack titles such as ''
Queen of Heaven
Queen of Heaven () is a title given by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy, to Mary, mother of Jesus, and, to a lesser extent, in Anglicanism and Lutheranism. The title has long been a tradition, included in prayers and devotional literat ...
'', ''Our Mother in Heaven'', ''Queen of the World'', or ''Mediatrix''.
Since the writing of the
apocryphal Protevangelium of James, various beliefs have circulated concerning Mary's own conception, which eventually led to the Roman Catholic Church dogma, formally established in the 19th century, of Mary's
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
, which exempts her from
original sin
Original sin () in Christian theology refers to the condition of sinfulness that all humans share, which is inherited from Adam and Eve due to the Fall of man, Fall, involving the loss of original righteousness and the distortion of the Image ...
.
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox teaching also extends to the end of Mary's life ending with the Assumption of Mary, formally established as dogma in 1950, and the Dormition of the Mother of God respectively.
As a theological discipline
Within
Lutheran Marian theology and
Anglican Marian theology the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
holds a place of honour.
In the
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
Church, a number of traditions revolve around the EverVirgin Mary and the ''Theotokos'', which are theologically paramount concepts.
As an active theological discipline, Mariology has received a larger amount of formal attention in
Roman Catholic Mariology based on the
four dogmas on Mary which are a part of Roman Catholic theology. The
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
document ''
Lumen gentium
, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2 ...
'' summarized the views on
Roman Catholic Mariology, its focus being on the
veneration of the Mother of God. Over time, Roman Catholic Mariology has been expanded by contributions from
Liberation Theology, which emphasizes popular Marian piety, and more recently from
feminist theology, which stresses both the equality of women and gender differences.
While systematic Marian theology is not new,
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...
is credited with promoting the theological study of Mary on a large scale with the creation or elevation of four papal Mariological research centres in Rome, e.g. the
Marianum. The papal institutes were created to foster Mariological research and to explain and support the Roman Catholic veneration of Mary. This new orientation was continued by Popes
John XXIII
Pope John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death on 3 June 1963. He is the most recent pope to take ...
,
Paul VI and
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
with the additional creation of the ''Pontifica Academia Mariana Internationale'' and the ''Centro di Cultura Mariana'', a pastoral center to promulgate Marian teachings of the Church, and the ''Societa Mariologica Italiana'', an Italian mariological society with an interdisciplinary orientation.
Theology
There are two distinct approaches as to how Mariology might interact with conventional theological treatises: one is for Marian perspectives and aspects to be inserted into the conventional treatises, the other is to offer an independent presentation.
[ The first approach was followed by the Church Fathers and in the Middle Ages, although some issues were treated separately. This method has the advantage that it avoids isolating Mariology from the rest of theology. The disadvantage of this method is that it cannot assess Mary to the full extent of her role and her person, and the inherent connections between various Mariological assertions can not be highlighted.][ The second method has the disadvantage that it may impose the limitations of isolation and at times overstep its theological boundaries. However, these problems can be avoided in the second approach if specific reference is made in each case to connect it to the processes of salvation, redemption, etc.][''Mariology'' by Michael Schmaus in the ''Encyclopedia of Theology: A Concise Sacramentum Mundi'' by Karl Rahner (28 December 2004) pp. 901–902.]
Methodology
As a field of study, Mariology uses the sources, methods and criteria of theology, beginning with the Marian reference in the Apostles' Creed. In Mariology the question of scriptural basis is more accentuated. In Roman Catholic Mariology, the overall context of Catholic doctrines and other Church teachings are also taken into account. The Marian Chapter of the Vatican II
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilic ...
document, ''Lumen gentium
, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2 ...
'', includes twenty-six biblical references. They refer to the conception, birth and childhood of Jesus, Mary's role in several events and her presence at the foot of the cross
A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...
. Of importance to Mariological methodology is a specific Vatican II
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilic ...
statement that these reports are allegories with symbolic value but historical revelations, a point further emphasized by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
.
Organization
The treatment of Mariology differs among theologians. Some prefer to present its historical development, while others focus on its content (dogmas, grace, role in redemption, etc.). Some theologians prefer to view Mariology only in terms of Mary's attributes (honour, titles, privileges), while others attempt to integrate Mary into the overall theology of the salvation mystery of Jesus Christ.
Some prominent 20th century theologians, such as Karl Barth and Karl Rahner, viewed Mariology only as a part of Christology
In Christianity, Christology is a branch of Christian theology, theology that concerns Jesus. Different denominations have different opinions on questions such as whether Jesus was human, divine, or both, and as a messiah what his role would b ...
. However, differences exist between them, e.g. Hugo Rahner, the brother of Karl Rahner, disagreed and developed a Mariology based on the writers of the early Church, including Ambrose of Milan and Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...
among others. He viewed Mary as the mother and model for the Church, a view later highlighted by Popes Paul VI through Benedict XVI
Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, his resignation on 28 Februar ...
.
Relation to other theological disciplines
Christology
While Christology
In Christianity, Christology is a branch of Christian theology, theology that concerns Jesus. Different denominations have different opinions on questions such as whether Jesus was human, divine, or both, and as a messiah what his role would b ...
has been the subject of detailed study, some Marian views, in particular in Roman Catholic Mariology, see it as an essential basis for the study of Mary. Generally, Protestant denominations do not agree with this approach.
The concept that by being the "Mother of God", Mary has a unique role in salvation and redemption was contemplated and written about in the early Church. In recent centuries, Roman Catholic Mariology has come to be viewed as a logical and necessary consequence of Christology: Mary contributes to a fuller understanding of who Christ is and what he did. In these views, Mariology can be derived from the Christocentric mysteries of Incarnation: Jesus and Mary are son and mother, redeemer and redeemed.
Church history
Within the field of Church history, Mariology is concerned with the development of Marian teachings and the various forms of Marian culture. An important part of Church history is patristics or patrology, the teaching of the early Fathers of the Church. They give indications of the faith of the early Church and are analyzed in terms of their statements on Mary.
In the Roman Catholic context, patrology and dogmatic history have provided a basis for popes to justify Marian doctrine, veneration, and dogmas such as the Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
and the Assumption. Thus, in '' Fulgens corona'' and '' Munificentissimus Deus'', Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...
explained the two dogmas in terms of existing biblical references to Mary, the patristic tradition, and the strong historical faith of believers (''sensus fidelium'') using a deductive theological method.[''Lexikon der kath. Dogmatik'', Mariologie, 1988.]
Moral theology
Some scholars do not see a direct relation of Mariology to moral theology. Pius X, however, described Mary as the model of virtue
A virtue () is a trait of excellence, including traits that may be morality, moral, social, or intellectual. The cultivation and refinement of virtue is held to be the "good of humanity" and thus is Value (ethics), valued as an Telos, end purpos ...
, and a life free of sin, living a life which exemplifies many of the moral teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, Mary is often cited in this guise in pastoral theology and in sermons.
See also
* Josephology
*
* Mother of God ('' Theotokos'')
Notes
References
* Konrad Algermissen, ''Lexikon der Marienkunde, Regensburg'', 1967 (''Roman Catholic mariological Encyclopedia)''
* Remigius Bäumer, ''Marienlexikon, Eos, St. Ottilien'', 1992 ''(Roman Catholic mariological Encyclopedia)''
* W Beinert, ''Lexikon der katholischen Dogmatik'', Herder Freiburg, 1988 ''(Roman Catholic theological Encyclopedia)''
* Heinrich Kihn, ''Encyklopaedie und Methodologie der Theologie'', Freiburg, Herder, 1892''(Roman Catholic theological Encyclopedia)''
* Joseph Ratzinger, ''Introduction to Christianity'', 1968 ( Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI)
External links
All About Mary: An encyclopedic tool for information on Mary, the Mother of Christ
compiled by the University of Dayton's Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, the world's largest repository of books, artwork and artifacts devoted to Mary and a pontifical center of research and scholarship.
Pontifical Marian International Academy
University of Dayton – Guide to the Madonna: Mary in the Catholic Tradition course materials
{{Authority control
Christian terminology