Vatican Clarifies Mary's Role as Devotion Intensifies

The Vatican has issued a new directive this week clarifying that Catholics should not refer to Mary as "co-redeemer" with Jesus, in response to a rising trend of intense Marian devotion amplified by social media. The decree, approved by Pope Leo, emphasizes that Jesus alone is responsible for humanity's redemption through his death on the cross. While acknowledging Mary's role in giving birth to Jesus, the document states she did not share in the act of redemption itself. This clarification puts an official end to a long-simmering theological debate within the Catholic Church, one that has seen disagreement even among popes, the Guardian reports.

The late Pope Francis and his predecessor, Benedict XVI, both rejected the "co-redeemer" title, with Francis calling it "foolishness" in 2019. "She never wanted to take anything for herself from her son," Francis said in 2019, per Reuters. Although John Paul II was once a supporter, he stopped using the term publicly in the 1990s as skepticism grew. The Vatican's decree warns that the "co-redeemer" label risks confusing the core tenets of Christian faith and could overshadow Jesus' unique role, per the Guardian.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, who leads the Vatican's doctrinal office, explained that Tuesday's move was prompted by questions about the boundaries of Marian devotion, especially as unconventional practices and claims of miracles have spread online. The Vatican has recently become more vigilant about reports of supernatural phenomena and reputed miracles, tightening oversight to combat what it sees as scams or misguided fervor.