MARY, BLESSED VIRGIN, ARTICLES ON

The Encyclopedia contains articles devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary from a variety of perspectives: scriptural, theological, and devotional. Many of the articles blend these aspects, treating, for example, the scriptural background and theological meaning of a Marian dogma, or a scriptural event concerning Mary and the liturgical feast that celebrates it. The principal article on Mary in Scripture is mary, blessed virgin, i (in the bible); see also alma; proto-evangelium; nativity of mary; annunciation. In theology, the principal article is mary, blessed virgin, ii (in theology), a five-part article that discusses the holiness of Mary, her knowledge, her spiritual maternity, her relationship to the Church, and her mediation of grace. Related articles in theology include mother of god; virgin birth; immac ulate conception; assumption of mary; theotokos; mary, blessed virgin, queenship of; dormition of the virgin; mary in protestant-catholic dialogue. For the history and methodology of the theology of Mary, see mariology (see also mother of god). Mary has been the subject of several papal encyclicals: see munificentissimus deus; redemptoris mater. For her cult, see mary, blessed virgin, devotion to and mari an feasts; see also lourdes; fatima; immaculate heart of mary; guadalupe, our lady of; la vang, our lady of; our lady of the snow; miraculous medal; sorrows of mary. There are articles on rosary and hail mary, and an article on Mary in art (mary, blessed virgin, iconography of).

[g. f. lanave]