Pope Leo has approved a new Vatican decree effecting sweeping changes to some titles used by Catholics to ascribe Mary, mother of Jesus as a “co-redemptrix” and “mediatrix”.
For several centuries, Catholics have prayed to Mary to intercede on their behalf with the use of rosary beads, believing that birthing Jesus Christ takes her up several rungs on the divination hierarchy.
However, in the decree issued on Tuesday, the Vatican noted that Mary only played a subordinate role in salvation.
“Given the necessity of explaining Mary’s subordinate role to Christ in the work of Redemption, it is always inappropriate to use the title ‘Co-redemptrix’ to define Mary’s cooperation,” the text reads.
“This title risks obscuring Christ’s unique salvific mediation and can therefore create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith… it does not serve the faith of the People of God and becomes unhelpful.”
The Vatican said neither the church nor Mary can replace or perfect the redemptive work of Jesus.
On calling Mary a “mediatrix”, the decree clarified that the biblical account on Christ’s exclusive mediation is conclusive.
The text acknowledged that Mary played a real mediatory role in enabling Christ’s birth as his mother, but underscored that she played her part “in a clearly subordinate manner”.
The Vatican stated that both positions were not new, adding that the late Pope Francis expressed his clear opposition to using the titles on at least three occasions.
“Christ is the Mediator, the bridge that we cross to turn to the Father. He is the only Redeemer: there are no co-redeemers with Christ. He is the Mediator par excellence,” Francis had said in 2021.
“He is the Mediator. Each prayer we raise to God is through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, and is fulfilled thanks to his intercession,” Francis had said in 2021.
Once, Francis described the idea of granting Mary the title of “co-redeemer” as “foolishness”.
