The Marian principle of the Church is centered around Jesus, the Son, who came into the world to manifest the Father and offer humanity the gift of salvation. However, for this gift to take effect, there must be at least one creature who represents humanity and accepts it with faith and availability.
Mary, through her "yes" to the incarnation and death of her Son, fulfills this role. In her acceptance, Mary becomes the beginning of the Church, serving as both its origin and her model. As a woman, Mary fulfills the prophecy of Genesis because only a woman can receive, bear, and give birth to a child. Thus, Mary is the New Eve, collaborating with and supporting the New Adam (Christ), and serving as the Mother of all human beings, particularly those who are born again through water and the Spirit.
Moreover, Mary, as the first believer, becomes the prototype of the believer. By observing her experience of faith, we can recognize the fundamental characteristics of a Christian believer.
During the Second Vatican Council, when the Church was deepening her understanding of her own mystery, the Marian principle was proposed as a counterbalance to the Petrine principle. The Petrine principle tended to identify the Church solely with her hierarchy, which is only a part of the Church. The Marian principle and the Petrine principle are interdependent, as one cannot exist without the other. However, the Marian principle holds a certain preeminence because without Mary's "yes," Peter would not have been able to pronounce his own
In the tumultuous post-conciliar years, when the feminist movement began advocating for women's access to the ministerial priesthood, this ecclesiological principle seemed to offer a fitting solution. On one hand, it recognizes the exceptional spiritual primacy of women due to Mary's divine motherhood. On the other hand, it protects the institutional male primacy through the analogy and symbolism of the sexes. If Christ is the Bridegroom, his institutional representative can only be male.
In his 1988 encyclical letter Mulieris Dignitatem, John Paul II clearly based his reflection on this symbolic ecclesiology. It allowed him to fully appreciate the feminine genius and promote the incorporation and participation of women at all levels of the Church and society. This was done without compromising the maternal prerogative unique to women and the male exclusivity regarding the ordained ministry.
Mary's experience of faith can be described by three key characteristics:
- Following Jesus, just as one follows a path to reach a destination.
- Discerning the message: she held everything in her heart and meditated on them.
- Accompanying: she was fully dedicated to accompanying Jesus so that he could fulfill what the angel had foretold (Lk 1:30-33), without coming between him and his Father.
Torreciudad: The Annunciation. Our Lady accepting her vocation. Fruit of the 1st Joyous Mystery: Humility
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