Immaculate Conception Doctrine Turns 150
The Catholic Church’s doctrine on the Immaculate Conception turned 150 years-old today. And while millions of Catholics are attending mass and celebrating the holiday, theologians wonder if the average layman understands the meaning of it all
The Catholic Church’s doctrine on the Immaculate Conception turned 150 years-old today, Wednesday, December 08, 2004. And while millions of Catholics are attending mass and celebrating the holiday, theologians wonder if the average layman understands the meaning of it all.
The Immaculate Conception, contrary to what many suppose, is the belief that Mary, the mother of Christ, was conceived without the original sin. The meaning of the dogma has been often confused with the Virgin Birth – the belief that Mary birthed Jesus Christ as a virgin.
The Virgin Birth is upheld by most major Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches; however, only the Catholic Church believes in the Immaculate Conception.
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"It's very easy to garble this with the virginal conception of Jesus," said the Rev. David Poecking, who organized three seminars on the topic at St. Paul Seminary in East Carnegie.
Mary's conception of Christ is marked nine months before Christmas. But "confusion is compounded by the fact that the church tends to use the virginal conception reading on the Immaculate Conception holy day," Poecking explained to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The doctrine on the Immaculate Conception stems from a verse in Luke 1, where the angel Gabriel refers to Mary as “Hail Mary, full of grace.” While the “full of grace” passage has been debated both theologically and linguistically, the Catholic Church has traditionally believed it to mean that Mary has not been affected by the original sin. The original sin refers to the sin committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden; most traditional churches believe this sin has been passed down to all people – the Catholic Church believes only Mary was exempted from this sin.
The U.S. bishops dedicated America to the Immaculate Conception in 1846, and in 1854, the belief was proclaimed dogma – only one of two “infallible declarations” made by a pope in post-medieval history.
Whether or not the average Catholic pilgrim knows the meaning behind this holiday, millions are expected to attend mass commemorating the holiday around the world. Pope John Paul II in Rome called for Catholics to renew their “devotion to Mary” for the “peace and salvation of all people.”
"The Immaculate Conception is lighthouse for humanity in every time. At the start of the third millennium, it is the beacon to show us the way to believe and hope in God," the pontiff pope told thousands of pilgrims who gathered at St. Peter’s square for the address.
In lieu of the 150 year observance, the Catholic Church scheduled a special concert led by Montserrat Caballe. Later, John Paul will travel to central Rome for a second celebration of the Immaculate Conception.
