Did the Blessed Virgin Mary die?

[Seagirt]

In the premier issue of Envoy magazine (1997), Fr. Hugh Barbour, O.Praem., stated on page 49 that, in the document Munificentissimus Deus (1950), Pius XII mentions Mary’s “death” several times. Also he says, the Church’s liturgy in the Coptic and Byzantine rites make explicit mention of our Lady’s death.

I always thought that the whole purpose of the dogma of the Assumption was that Mary did not face an ordinary death and was assumed into heaven like Elijah and perhaps Moses and some others in Scripture. Explain, please.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I have not read the article to which you refer, so I cannot comment on it. However, I can say that Pope Pius XII, in Munificentissimus Deus, does not define that the Blessed Virgin died, only that she “completed the course of her earthly life” (MD 44). Only the specific definition of the Assumption in paragraph 44 of Munificentissimus Deus is the infallible proclamation; the rest of the document is commentary. Although many theologians believe that the Virgin Mary did die, the Church is officially silent on the matter.

That Mary was assumed into heaven does not mean that she could not have died, anymore than Jesus’ Ascension meant that he could not have died. The Assumption means that, after Mary’s earthly life was over, her body and soul were glorified and raised into heaven. If she died, then her body was not allowed to corrupt in the grave but was reunited to her soul and assumed into heaven by God. This reunion and glorification of body and soul is the resurrection of the body that all of us look forward to at the end of time.

Recommended reading:

Immaculate Conception and Assumption