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"In pagan mythology, it often happened that a certain goddess would be presented as the mother of some god. For example, the supreme god, Zeus, had the goddess Rhea as his mother. This context perhaps helped Christians to use the title "Theotókos ", "Mother of God", for the Mother of Jesus. It should nevertheless be noted that this title did not exist but was created by Christians to express a belief which had nothing to do with pagan mythology, belief in the virginal conception in Mary's womb of the One who had always been the eternal Word of God." ~from
CHURCH PROCLAIMS MARY MOTHER OF GOD by Pope John Paul II.
Taken from: L'Osservatore Romano, Weekly Edition in English,4 December 1996, page 11. L'Osservatore Romano is the newspaper of the Holy See.
"A pronouncement of an early Church Council, The Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., insisted "If anyone does not confess that God is truly Emmanuel, and that on this account the holy virgin is the "Theotokos" (for according to the flesh she gave birth to the word of God become flesh by birth) let him be anathema." (The Council of Ephesus, 431 AD)" ~From Mother of God (Theotokos) by Deacon Keith Fournier on the Catholic Online website. To see many more images of Mary and read many related articles, visit the website.
