Historický vývoj konceptu Máriinho materinského postoja k Cirkvi od reformácie až po Druhý vatikánsky koncil

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Autor/ Author: Ladislav Varga

In: Notitiæ historiæ ecclesiasticæ

ISSN: 1338-9572 (Print)

ISSN: 2730-0153 (Online)

Ročník/ Volume: 14

Číslo/ Issue: 2

Strany/ Page Range: 8-28

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2025

Jazyk/ Language: English

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract: 
This article explores the development of the Marian title “Mother of the Church” from the time of the Re-formation up to the beginning of the Second Vatican Council. This study analyzes the historical background and theological moments in which this title appeared in the works of significant theologians, focusing not only on the explicit use of the title but also on the broader understanding of Mary’s maternal attitude toward the Church and its members.
The work begins with an examination of the three main Reformers – Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Calvin. In Luther, the idea of Mary as the mother of believers appears, though her role is always subordinate to Christ. Zwingli emphasizes her exemplary faith, but the maternal relationship to the Church is absent. Calvin sees the Church as mother; for him, Mary is primarily the mother of Christ and a model of virtue.
In the Catholic tradition, the title “Mother of the Church” gradually develops. Peter Canisius, Francisco Suárez, Robert Bellarmine, and other theologians expand Marian devotion and attribute to Mary a maternal role toward the faithful, sometimes even toward the entire Church. The contributions of popes, especially Leo XIII and Pius X, are also significant, as they emphasize Mary’s spiritual mother-hood in relation to the members of the Church.
The document points out that explicit use of the title “Mother of the Church” was rare until the 20th century, even though Mary’s maternal role was often theologically emphasized. The development of the title culminates in 1964, when Pope Paul VI solemnly proclaimed Mary as Mother of the Church, making this title part of the Church’s life.
Thus, the study provides a comprehensive view of the theological, historical, and ecumenical aspects of the Marian title “Mother of the Church” in the period from the Reformation to the Second Vatican Council.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: Mother of the Church, development of Marian theology, maternal attitude, ecumenism, catholic tradition, reformation.

Citácia/ How to cite:

VARGA, Ladislav, 2025. Historical Development of the concept of Mary’s maternal attitude towards the Church from Reformation up to the Second Vatican Council. Notitiæ historiæ ecclesiasticæ. Online. Vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 8-28. ISSN 1338-9572 (Print). ISSN 2730-0153 (Online). Available from:

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.