Adoration of Mary

[Roger12345]

Is the adoration of Mary a carryover from pre-Christian mythologies, for example Isis in the Egyptian mythology?

 

[TimothyH]

Adoration is reserved for God alone. We don’t adore Mary. We venerate Mary.

We venerate Mary because she is a Queen. The mother of the king was always the Queen in the Old Testament. Jesus is the King of kings and Mary is His Queen.

We venerate Mary because she is the Mother of God. Jesus is God and Mary is His mother, prepared by God to be the one who would bring God in the flesh into creation.

We venerate Mary because she is the most perfect all that God has ever created, reflecting His glory and setting an example for us as the first Christian and premier Apostle of her son.

It has nothing to do with what pagan religions did before Christianity. We would still give glory to God for having created Mary and venerate Mary for what she is had those religions never existed.

-Tim-

 

[ahs]

“Adoration of Mary” would be idol worship…it is forbidden in all of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church.

Veneration of Mary comes from Jesus, who perfectly obeyed His Own commandment (since He’s God) to “honor thy mother and thy father…” We honor Mary because she bore Christ in her womb…carried our Savior. God honored Mary in a special way by bestowing this priveldge upon her, and so we imitate God by also honoring her. But don’t worry, you’ll never be able to honor her as much as Jesus does.

 

[anruari]

Catholics Don’t adore Mary.
Adoration is given to God alone.

Mary is the first and greatest of the Saints. She is the Queen of Heaven. She is our spiritual mother, as per the words of Jesus on the Cross. We ask her to pray for us. We honour her as our mother, and as Mother of the Church and as Mother of Christ. in fact as the "God-Bearer (Theotokos)… often translated into english as “Mother of God”
Jesus is God. Mary is his mother. therefore she is the Mother of God. - She bore God in her womb for 9 months and then gave birth to him. Nurses him at her breast for a few years and nurtured him until his death.

We venerate her. We respect her. We ask her to pray to her Son on our behalf - just as we would ask one another to pray for us… But to give her Adoration to give her that which belongs to God is gravely wrong and is far beyond any accepted practice in the Catholic or Orthodox church.

I would point out that the language used in some old texts can be confused in the translation - especially where words change their meaning:
e.g. in modern english the word “Worship” is reserved for the Adoration and Worship of God. In slightly older english this was a term used for the due respect given to many figures of authority and rank: especially in monarchies. hence why Judges have been addressed as “Your Worship”.

The catholic church defines her terms in Latin, as this was the language of diplomacy, learning and academics until the 1960’s. There in the Latin the church defines the word “Latria” as the adoration due to God.
Veneration: giving honour and respect to created creatures is: “Dulia” this would include the respect and honour you rightfully owe your natural parents, and give to important persons in certain social situations like a Judge, President or other dignitary.

The church sets the honour given to Mary apart with the word “Hyperdulia”. i.e. the highest form of “Dulia”. She as the bearer of Christ is the Arc of the New Covenant, and deserves a special place both here on earth and in the world to come.
But this is not and may never be the Adoration of “Latria”

 

[JerryZ]

Is the adoration of Mary a carryover from pre-Christian mythologies, for example Isis in the Egyptian mythology?

Can you tell us who or what religion is giving Mary Adoration?

Where do you find teachings of this religion that support your assertion?

Take you time responding.

Peace

 

[Genesis315]

Collyridianism was an obscure religion in the 4th century or so that adored Mary as a goddess. All we know of it comes from the writings of a Catholic bishop at the time name Epiphanius, who condemned it.

 

[PattiDay]

I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt that when you wrote the word ‘Adoration’ you used it without the knowledge that Catholics DO NOT adore Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. We are very clear on that, and we are very sensitive when someone accuses us about giving that which belongs to God alone to Mary. You did manage to raise some hackles, but don’t let that stop you from coming back and asking questions. You will get the Truth here, and sorry if you meant no ill will, but sometimes the Truth hurts.

 

[R_C]

…a carryover from pre-Christian mythologies…

Make no mistake, when you see other religions having elements of similarity with Christianity: this is not an index that Christianity “inherited” these elements from them, but, rather, that there is something about those elements that leads and predisposes the soul towards the divine revelation of the Christ.

The Catechism clearly summarizes this timeless truth as follows:

The Church’s bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race: All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city.

The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.”

 

[Goya]

I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt that when you wrote the word ‘Adoration’ you used it without the knowledge that Catholics DO NOT adore Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. We are very clear on that, and we are very sensitive when someone accuses us about giving that which belongs to God alone to Mary. You did manage to raise some hackles, but don’t let that stop you from coming back and asking questions. You will get the Truth here, and sorry if you meant no ill will, but sometimes the Truth hurts.

A much more charitable reply than I could muster.

 

[Roger12345]

I used the word “adoration” when I should have used “veneration”, sorry.
My point was not to be offensive, what I wanted to point out is that there is a similarity between mythologies around the world. Mary is the mother of God, Isis was also referred to as “The mother of God” in the Egyptian religion as she gave birth to Horus. Her husband, Osiris, was resurrected too, by the way, though not in the same way as Jesus.
There is a flood myth in virtually every culture from the Americas to Australia. I interpret this as evidence that something like it actually happened, but there is also the possibility of a universal conscious like Jung theorized.

 

[followingtheway]

Is the adoration of Mary a carryover from pre-Christian mythologies, for example Isis in the Egyptian mythology?

No because there is no adoration of Mary, there is a veneration of Mary, there is a high honor of Mary, but no there is no adoration of Mary.

 

[Roger12345]

There were 12 apostles. There are 12 Olympian Gods in Greek Mythology.

Also there is the issue of numbers, with 12, 7, and 40 repeatedly coming up in scripture.

I’m not saying that the bible is just another work of mythology, don’t get me wrong, but I’m pointing out that there is a similarity in world mythologies.