Theotokos (Greek: Θεοτόκος) is a title of
Panagia (Greek: Παναγία, fem. of panágios, pan- + hágios, the All-Holy, or the Most Holy; pronounced Greek pronunciation: [panaˈʝia]) (also transliterated Panaghia or Panajia), in Medieval and Modern Greek, is one of the titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity.
Nestorius of Constantinople rejected the title Theotokos for the mother of the incarnated Word. He insisted that Mary as a human being could give birth only to a human being, and not to God. He persisted in calling the Virgin Mary Christotokos.
The Church, with the Bible, gives Virgin Mary the titles of Queen of angels, Queen of patriarchs, Queen of prophets, Queen of apostles, Queen of martyrs, Queen of confessors, Queen of virgins, Queen of all saints, Queen of peace ... but the only title she gives to herself in the Bible is the "humble servant of the Lord ...
1. Theotokos - Mary's first and most important title means "God bearer." The title, defined by the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., refers to the Virgin Mary as the Mother of the incarnate Son of God.
It states that Mary is called Queen of Heaven because her son, Jesus Christ, is the king of Israel and the heavenly king of the universe; indeed, the Davidic tradition of Israel recognized the mother of the king as the queen mother of Israel.
In the Orthodox view, devotion to Mary is considered an important element of Christian spirituality, and indifference to her by other Christian denominations is troubling to the Orthodox. Orthodox theologian Sergei Bulgakov called denominations that do not venerate the Virgin Mary "another type of Christianity".
Within the Orthodox and Catholic tradition, Mother of God has not been understood, nor been intended to be understood, as referring to Mary as Mother of God from eternity — that is, as Mother of God the Father — but only with reference to the birth of Jesus, that is, the Incarnation.
Contrary to popular belief in Protestantism, the Eastern Orthodox Church does not worship the Virgin Mary. Rather, we hold her in high esteem and give her the honor and reverence she deserves as a role model for all Christians and as the bearer of God. Her position as the Theotokos gives her incredible influence.
The Eastern Orthodox Churches teach that while Mary "inherited the same fallen nature, prone to sin" as with other humans, "she did not consent to sin through her free will." Due to being conceived in ancestral sin, Mary still needed "to be delivered by our Savior, her Son" according to Eastern Orthodox teaching.
The Hail Mary prayer of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Byzantine Rite Catholic Churches is similar to the first part of the Latin Church form, with the addition of a very brief opening phrase and a short concluding phrase. It is well known and often used, though not quite as frequently as in the Western Church.
Mary is the Theotokos, the one who gave birth to God. This single word sums up the meaning of Luke's phrase: 'Mother of the Lord' (Lk 1:43) and represents a counterpoint to John's teaching that the 'Word was made flesh' (Jn 1:14). Usually the term is translated into English as 'Mother of God'.
According to their researches, the attention paid to Mary is extreme, and may not only distract from the worship of God, but actually be idolatry.
The difference in the theological concepts concerning mankind's nature and the result of sin as they relate to Virgin Mary, “Panagia” for Orthodox theology and “Immaculate Conception” for Roman Catholic theology, rests mainly on two terms that are commonly used in the ecumenical discussion between Orthodoxy and Roman ...
Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians pray 'to' Mary (i.e. 'invocate'). Anglican tend to pray 'with' her (i.e. 'comprecate'). With her, we pray that we may bring birth to God's word in the world.
Annunciation marks when Mary said 'Yes' to God.
Virgin Mary: The Orthodox faith rejects the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, in which Jesus' mother was conceived without "original sin." Orthodox Christians do not accept the Catholic concept of original sin, which is what makes the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary seem ...
The Virgin Mary is honored because she is Theotokos the Mother of God not of His divinity, but of His humanity, yet of God in that Jesus Christ was, in the theology of the Church, both God and Man, at one and the same time, in the Incarnation. Therefore, the honor given Mary is due to her relationship to Christ.
My Mistress, Theotokos, look down on me, I humbly pray thee, with thy merciful eye and despise me not, who am all in darkness, all in filth, all immersed in the mire of passions, terribly fallen and unable to stand. Do thou take pity on me and grant me a helping hand, lift me up out of sinful depths, O my Joy!
Intercession of the Saints is a Christian doctrine held by the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East and Catholic churches, and some Anglicans. The practice of praying through saints can be found in Christian writings from the 3rd century onward.
Mary's life on earth was 60 years. She spent 12 years of them in the Temple, 30 years in the house of St Joseph, and 14 years in the care of St. John..." It is "generally" agreed upon that her life span was 60 years. So perhaps she entered the Temple after the age of three but in the "Coptic Book of Saints, Vol.
Mother of God: The Council of Ephesus decreed in 431 that Mary is Theotokos ("God-bearer") because her son Jesus is both God and man: one Divine Person with two natures (divine and human). This name was translated in the West as "Mater Dei" or Mother of God. From this derives the title "Blessed Mother".
Mary's name in the original manuscripts of the New Testament was based on her original Aramaic name מרים, transliterated as Maryam or Mariam. The English name Mary comes from the Greek Μαρία, a shortened form of the name Μαριάμ. Both Μαρία and Μαριάμ appear in the New Testament.
The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception.
Catholics do not pray to Mary as if she were God. Prayer to Mary is memory of the great mysteries of our faith (Incarnation, Redemption through Christ in the rosary), praise to God for the wonderful things he has done in and through one of his creatures (Hail Mary) and intercession (second half of the Hail Mary).