Establishment of the Dogma of Mary's Perpetual Virginity

[Ron_Conte]

When was the teaching that Mary was ever-virgin first established as dogma?

Of course, I believe this teaching, and I know that it is the infallible teaching of the universal magisterium. But some persons claim that a dogma must have been taught by a solemn definition of the Roman Pontiff, or by the solemn definition of an Ecumenical Council. So which Pope used papal infallibility to define it as a dogma, or which Council?

Ron Conte

 

[John_Henry]

But some persons claim that a dogma must have been taught by a solemn definition of the Roman Pontiff, or by the solemn definition of an Ecumenical Council.

Those persons would be wrong. The ordinary and universal magisterium of the Church can result in something being a dogma. And I believe that is the case for Mary’s perpetual virginity.

 

[Verbum]

Hi Ron,

The subject is treated at length at campus.udayton.edu/mary/questions/faq/faq18.html

Here are two important quotes :

The official acts of the Fifth Ecumenical Council held at Constantinople in 553 refer to Mary as aeiparthenos (i.e. ever-virgin). For example, an anathema against the ‘three chapters’ condemns those who deny:
that nativity of these latter days when the Word of God came down from the heavens and was made flesh of holy and glorious Mary, mother of God and ever-virgin, and was born from her …

Though not an Ecumenical Council, the Lateran Council of 649 convened by Pope Martin I also issued an important statement affirming Mary’s lifelong virginity:
If anyone does not, according to the Holy Fathers, confess truly and properly that holy Mary, ever virgin and immaculate, is Mother of God, since in this latter age she conceived in true reality without human seed from the Holy Spirit, God the Word Himself, who before the ages was born of God the Father, and gave birth to Him without corruption, her virginity remaining equally inviolate after the birth, let him be condemned.

Though not formally defined, this truth is considered de fide (of faith), because it is believed throughout the Church and throughout the centuries by Christians and their bishops in communion with the pope. Any Catholic willingly and knowingly denying the perpetual virginity of Mary would commit a grave sin against faith and put his/her salvation in danger.

Verbum

 

[NotWorthy]

The ProtoEvangelium of James (circa 120AD) may be the oldest known text that speaks of Mary as ever-virgin. But some other Church Fathers attested to this belief, as well.

Origen

"The Book [the Protoevangelium] of James [records] that the brethren of Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former wife, whom he married before Mary. Now those who say so wish to preserve the honor of Mary in virginity to the end, so that body of hers which was appointed to minister to the Word . . . might not know intercourse with a man after the Holy Spirit came into her and the power from on high overshadowed her*. And I think it in harmony with reason that Jesus was the firstfruit among men of the purity which consists in [perpetual] chastity, and Mary was among women. For it were not pious to ascribe to any other than to her the firstfruit of virginity*" (*Commentary on Matthew *2:17 [A.D. 248]).

Hilary of Poitiers

“If they [the brethren of the Lord] had been Mary’s sons and not those taken from Joseph’s former marriage, she would never have been given over in the moment of the passion [crucifixion] to the apostle John as his mother, the Lord saying to each, ‘Woman, behold your son,’ and to John, ‘Behold your mother’ [John 19:26–27), as he bequeathed filial love to a disciple as a consolation to the one desolate” (Commentary on Matthew 1:4 [A.D. 354]).

Athanasius

“Let those, therefore, who deny that the Son is by nature from the Father and proper to his essence deny also that he took true human flesh from the ever-virgin Mary” (*Discourses Against the Arians *2:70 [A.D. 360]).

Epiphanius of Salamis

“We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things, both visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God . . . who for us men and for our salvation came down and took flesh, that is, was born perfectly of the holy ever-virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit” (*The Man Well-Anchored *120 [A.D. 374]).

“And to holy Mary, [the title] ‘Virgin’ is invariably added, for that holy woman remains undefiled” (Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 78:6 [A.D. 375]).*