Hyperdulia and the Theotokos

[Little_Boy_Lost]

Hi Ya’ll,

I have heard over the years from Latin Catholics the term “Hyperdulia” applied to the veneration given to the Theotokos. In all my reading, I’ve never once heard that term used by any Orthodox saints. I was wondering if this is a misuse of Greek by Latin theology and if there is any distinction at all? I find it hard to really think the Church would separate Mary from the Communion of Saints.

Thanks!

 

[twf]

The Latin Church does NOT separate Our Lady from the communion of saints. She is the greatest of the saints and the queen of the saints, but that does not mean that she isn’t a saint! Is the queen of a nation greater than her subjects? Yes. Is she of a different race than her subjects - a different type of being? No. The same goes for Our Lady…
The Eastern Churches do not use the term “hyperdulia”, but they certainly do give the Theotokos a special degree of veneration and honor above that of other saints - that is evident in their liturgy which actually tends to be much more Marian than the Roman Rite (aside from the Latin Church’s many Marian feasts and memorials). Notice that the term of hyperdulia - while dulia is owed to the angels and saints; the Latin Church does not grant Our Lady a completely separate category of devotion, but rather a greater degree of the same. It is important to note that while Our Lady is owed hyperdulia, the Blessed Trinity is given latria, which is a completely separate category from dulia, not simply a greater degree thereof. While there may be differences in emphasis, I think the concept of giving Mary special honor above the other saints, which is what we mean when we speak of “hyperdulia” is common to both West and East. My Byzantine brothers and sisters pray the following at every divine liturgy:

Remembering our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.

and

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and mother of our God.** More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim,** without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.

(emphasis added)

 

[Alexander_Roman]

The Most Holy Virgin Mary is honoured above all Angels and Saints owing to her role and identity as the Mother of God the Word Incarnate.

Just as she nurtured the Body of Christ 2000 years ago, so too she now nurtured the Body of Christ which is the Church by her loving and powerful intercession from heaven. Our Lord Himself indicated that it is His Will that she exercise such a motherly ministry at the Wedding at Cana in Galilee when He allowed His mother to change His schedule for His public ministry!

The Byzantine liturgical offices invoke her very frequently. In Christ, we are established in a definite relationship with those who have gone ahead of us to be with Christ in Heaven. Salvation is always mediated in Christ and we, as disciples of Christ, likewise share in that mediation and in bringing others to Christ and closer to Christ.

Alex

 

[UnworthyApostle]

O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, O holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God’s sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion forever and ever world without end. Amen.
-St.Ephrem

I found this prayer attributed to St.Ephrem from the Syriac tradition. It expresses many honoring titles to the Theotokos such as "O pure and immaculate “,“the hope of the hopeless and sinful”, and " advocate at the hour of death and judgment”. These, and many of Ephrem’s other poems, extoll the Blessed Mother in a way to rival St.Alphonsus de Ligouri, which may indicate “hyperdulia”. God Bless.

P.S.- I think the diffrence between the East and West in terms of hyperdulia is that the West sought to define it formally while the East just lets it mull through expression, and is therefore more of an implication.

 

[Little_Boy_Lost]

So would “Hyperdulia” be a term the East would use to describe this type of veneration?

 

[iohanne]

I actually don’t understand why hyperdulia is necessarily Western. The Latin word “hyperdulia” is a direct borrowing from a Greek prefix “hyper-” and the Greek word “douleia” - the same way that “latria” comes from the Greek “latreia.”

 

[Vico]

So would “Hyperdulia” be a term the East would use to describe this type of veneration?

Second Council of Nicea expressed that adoration (latria) was proper to God, and was not the same as what was given to icons, etc.

“Certainly this is not the full adoration {latria} in accordance with our faith, which is properly paid only to the divine nature, but it resembles that given to the figure of the honoured and life-giving cross, and also to the holy books of the gospels and to other sacred cult objects.”

catholicfidelity.com/the-second-general-council-of-nicaea-787/

 

[mardukm]

The seventh Ecumenical Council consistently distinguished the Theotokos from the other Saints in its acts. Eg:

I ask for the intercession of our spotless Lady the Holy Theotokos and those of the holy and heavenly powers, and those of all the Saints.

Likewise also the venerable images of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the humanity he assumed for our salvation; and of our spotless Lady, the holy Theotokos; and of the angels like unto God; and of the holy Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs and of all the Saints - the sacred images of all these I salute and venerate.

Blessings,
Marduk