In a significant move to clarify core Catholic belief, the Vatican has officially instructed the faithful to cease using the title 'co-redeemer' for the Virgin Mary, firmly stating that her son, Jesus Christ, alone is the saviour of humanity.
The directive comes from a decree issued by the Vatican's doctrinal office, which was personally approved by Pope Leo. The document puts an end to a long-running theological debate among church scholars, a discussion that has historically seen differing opinions even among popes.
Why the Vatican Issued the Decree
The central argument of the decree is that Jesus Christ saved the world through his sacrificial death on the cross. While it acknowledges that Mary paved the way for this redemption by giving birth to him, it states she was not a 'co-redeemer' or 'co-redemptrix'.
The document explains that using such titles for Mary 'creates confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith'. It further warns that this practice 'carries the risk of eclipsing the exclusive role of Jesus Christ' as the sole redeemer.
A United Papal Front Against the Title
The late Pope Francis was a vocal opponent of the 'co-redeemer' title. Back in 2019, he famously dismissed the idea as 'foolishness', arguing that Mary 'never wanted to take anything for herself from her son'.
His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, also stood against the title. Interestingly, Pope John Paul II, who led the church from 1978 until his death in 2005, was known to be a proponent. However, he notably stopped using the title publicly in the mid-1990s as scepticism within the church grew.
Cracking Down on Modern Devotional Excesses
Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, who leads the Vatican's doctrinal office, provided context for the decree. He wrote that it addresses questions about Marian devotion that have emerged in recent years, aiming to clarify what is acceptable.
He pointed to certain Marian reflection groups, publications, and new devotions that do not align with popular piety. Cardinal Fernández specifically highlighted devotional practices spread 'intensely through social media' as a potential source of confusion for Catholics.
Vatican experts see this as part of a broader effort to rein in exaggerated devotions. Iacopo Scaramuzzi, a Vatican correspondent, described the move as putting the brakes on 'the cult of the Madonna', a specific devotion especially embraced by conservative Catholics that is spreading online.
This action follows the Vatican's decision last year to tighten rules surrounding supernatural phenomena, including apparitions of the Virgin Mary. This crackdown aims to address scams and hoaxes that have proliferated in the age of social media.
Pope Francis himself warned in 2023 that apparitions of Mary 'are not always real', a comment believed to reference a situation where a woman drew thousands of pilgrims to a town near Rome to see a statue she claimed shed tears of blood. The Pope cautioned, 'When Marian devotion is too self-centred, it's not good.'
According to Robert Mickens, a Vatican expert based in Rome, this latest decree will be welcomed by progressive Catholics. He summed up the Church's position, stating, 'Mary's considered the most exalted of all human creatures but she's not semi-divine.'
