LUIGI GAMBERO, S.M. MARY AND THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought Translated by Thomas Buffer IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO Title of the Italian original: Maria nel pensiero dei padri della Chiesa © 1991 Edizione Paoline, S.R.L., Milan Cover art: Madonna and Child with Angels, detail Duccio Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia, Italy Scala/Art Resource, NY Cover design by Roxanne Mei Lum © 1999 Ignatius Press, San Francisco ISBN 0-89870-686-6 Library of Congress catalogue number 98-7e12 59 Printed in the United States of America Contents Abbreviations 15 Introduction 17 PART ONE FROM THE APOSTOLIC AGE TO THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA (325) Prologue 25 I THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS 27 Ignatius of Antioch 29 READINGS: Ignatian Prcifessions ifF aith 31 2 THE NEW TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA 33 The "Protoevangelium ofJ ames" 35 READING: The Virgin Birth according to the "Proto evangelium ifJ ames" 41 3 THE SECOND-CENTURY APOLOGISTS 43 Justin Martyr 44 Eve-Mary 46 Melito of Sardis 48 READING: Easter Homily 49 4 IRENAEUS OF LYONS 51 Recapitulation in Christ 52 Mary's Role in the Economy of Salvation 53 READING: The New Adam and the New Eve 57 5 BEGINNINGS OF MARIAN DOCTRINE IN THE LATIN CHURCH: TERTULLIAN 59 Tertullian's Personality 60 God Incarnate 61 Tertullian's Severity toward Mary 62 Mary Guarantees the Humanity of Christ 63 Mary Conceived Christ as a Virgin 64 Tertullian Denies Mary's Perpetual Virginity 65 READING: Mary the Virgin Earth 07 READING: In What Sense Mary Is Called "Woman JJ 68 6 TWO GREAT MASTERS OF THE SCHOOL OF ALEXANDRIA: CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA ANDORIGEN 69 Clement of Alexandria (d. ca. 2I5) 70 Origen (d. 253) 71 Mary, Mother of God 73 Mary, Virgin Mother 74 Mary, Ever-Virgin 75 Mary's Holiness 77 READING: Sub tuum praesidium 79 READING: Origen: My Soul Magnifies the Lord 79 READING: Origen: The Apostle John Receives Mary as His Mother 80 READING: Ori,gen: Mary, Humble and Lowly 81 7 MARY IN THE EARLY CHURCH IN ROME 82 Mary in the Art of the Catacombs 83 A Witness to the Apostolic Tradition: Hippolytus of Rome (d. 235) 85 Novatian, a Heretic Who Defends Mary's Maternity 88 READING: Hippolytus: Christ, Virginal Flower 90 READING: Hippolytus: Generated by the Father according to the Spirit, by His Mother according to the Flesh 90 8 THE END OF THE ANTE-NICENE ERA 92 READING: Gregory of Nyssa: Mary Appears to the Young Gregory the Wonderworker 93 PART TWO FROM THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA TO THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS (431) Prologue 97 l ATHANAS IUS OF ALEXANDRIA (d. 373) 99 An Important Anonymous Witness 100 Athanasius Defends Mary's Motherhood IOI The Virgin's Child Is God I03 Mary Ever-Virgin I03 READING: Mary Greets Elizabeth I05 READING: In Praise if the Blessed Virgin I06 2 EPHREM THE SYRIAN (ca. 306-373) 108 In Love with the Beauty of the Virgin I09 The Mystery of the Mother of God I I I The Exceptional Virgin I 13 Figure of the Church I I 5 Eve-Mary 116 READING: Marvelous Mother I I 8 3 EPIPHANIUS OF SALAMIS (d. 403) 120 His Polemical Mariology 122 The Ever-Virgin Mother of God 123 The New Eve 124 Mary's Earthly End 125 Devotion to the Virgin 127 READING: Deathfrom Eve, Lifefrom Mary I28 READING: Virginal Workshop if the Incarnation 13 0 4 CYRIL OF JERUSALEM AND THE JERUSALEM CAT ECHESES 131 Mary in Cyril's Catechetical Program 132 Mary, Virgin Mother of the Word Incarnate 133 Divine Character of Mary's Motherhood 136 The Virginal Birth of Christ 137 Mary, Wondrous Model of the Virginal Life 138 Mary and the Role of Women 139 READING: Mary, joseph's Virginal Spouse 139 5 THE CAPPADOCIAN FATHERS: BASIL OF CAESAREA (d. 379) 141 Mary, Workshop of the Incarnation 143 Mary's Virginity and the Faith of Christians 146 Marriage to]o seph 147 Mary as a Moral Figure 148 READING: Basil: Christ's True Birthfrom Mary 149 READING: Basil:joseph's Conduct toward Mary 150 6 GREGORY OF NYSSA (d. ca. 394) 151 Mary's Role in the Incarnation 153 The Wonder of Mary's Virginity 154 Zechariah, Martyr for the Sake of Mary's Virginity 156 Did Mary Take a Vow of Virginity? 157 READING: Christ, Chosen Fruit if Virginity 158 7 GREGORY NAZIANZEN (d. 390) 160 A Criterion of the True Faith 161 The Divine-Human Exchange 162 Virginal Temple of the Incarnate Word 163 Prayer to Mary 164 Mary, Model of the Virginal Life 165 READING: The Virginjustina Calls upon Mary 166 8 AMPHILOCHIUS OF ICONIUM (d. after 394) 168 READING: The New Eve Gives Birth to the Salvation if the World 169 9 JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (d. 407) 171 ] ohn Chrysostom and the Blessed Virgin 172 The Mystery of the God Incarnate 174 The Miracle of the Virgin Mother 175 Mary's Perpetual Virginity 177 Virginity Prefigured in the Old Testament 178 READING: Christ, Who Had No Father and No Mother 179 10 LATIN CHRISTIANITY: HILARY OF POITIERS (d. 367) 181 Hilary's Marian Thought 182 Christ's Genealogy according to Matthew 183 The Gospel Speaks on Mary's Behalf 184 The Moral Figure of Mary 186 READING: Mary in the Economy if Salvation 187 READING: Pregnant Virgin 188 READING: Faith in the Incarnation 188 II AMBROSE OF MILAN (d. 397) 189 Mary and the Ideal of Virginity 190 Mary Is a Virgin Because She Is Mother of God 192 Mother of God the Savior 193 Mary, a Remarkable Woman 196 Mary and the Church 198 READING: Mary, Highest Model of the Virginal Life 199 READINGS: Mary at the Foot if the Cross 202 12 JEROME (d. 419) 204 Controversy over Mary's Virginity 205 Mary Ever-Virgin 209 Mary in the Prophecies of the Old Testament 210 Mary's Holiness 212 READING: My Mary Conceived Men She Was Already Engaged 214 13 AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (d. 430) 216 A Mariology for the Future 217 Mary and the Predestination of Christ 218 Virgin Mother of the Incarnate God 219 Mary and the Church 222 Mary, Holiest of Creatures 225 READING: The Virginal Birth if Christ Is a Truth if the Faith 228 READING: The Dignity if Both Sexes Is Emphasized by the Incarnation 229 PART THREE FROM THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS TO THE FIFTH CENTURY Prologue 233 The Homily ofProclus of Constantinople 234 The Council of Ephesus 236 READING: Cyril of Alexandria: Mary's Role in the Mystery cifthe Incarnation 238 I CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (d. 444) 24I Passionately Devoted to the Blessed Virgin 242 Mary's Role as Mediatrix 244 Mary at the Wedding in Cana 245 Mary at the Foot of the Cross 245 Cyril's Complex Personality 247 READING: The "Theot6kos", Cause cifJoy for the Whole World 247 2 PROCLUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE (d. 446) 249 A Staunch Devotee of Mary 249 Enthusiastic Defender of the Theot6kos 250 Mary, Virginal Workshop 252 Salvific Character of Mary's Motherhood 254 Mary, Boast of the Female Sex 255 The Value ofProclus 257 READING: Mary in the Mystery if the Incarnation 257 READING: Mary in the Choir cif All Creatures Who Offer Gifts to the Lord 258 3 THEODOTUS OF ANCYRA (d. before 446) 260 The Mother of God's Only Begotten Son 260 Virgin Mother 262 Mary's Preparation for the Incarnation 263 Virginal Birth and Resurrection 265 The Role of Joseph 265 The Sword of Simeon 266 Praise for the Holy Virgin 267 READING: The Incarnation, Mystery if Virginity 269 READING: A Moral Portrait if the Virgin 270 4 A HOMILY ON THE ANNUNCIATION (Fourth Century) 272 The Problem of Authorship 272 Content of the Homily 273 READING: Pseudo-Chrysostom: From the Homily on the Annunciation by Pseudo-Chrysostom 275 5 CAELIUS SEDULIUS (d. ca. 440-450) 282 Mother of the Lamb 283 The New Eve 284 The Incarnation 286 The Angel's Prophetic Greeting 288 Mary and the Paschal Mystery 289 READING: In Praise ift he Divine Motherhood 291 6 PETER CHRYSOLOGUS (ca. 380-ca. 450) 292 Mother of God and Our Lady 293 The Miracle of Mary's Virginity 294 Mary, God's Spouse 296 The Eve-Mary Parallel 298 Devotion to Mary 300 READING: Peter Chrysologus: "When His Mother Mary Was Betrothed . .. (Mt. 1 :18) 300 JJ 7 LEO THE GREAT (d. 461) 302 The Tomus ad Flavianum 303 Mary in the Prophecies of the Old Testament 306 Mary's Faith and the Incarnation 308 READING: Why Christ Was Born ifa Virgin 309 8 SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH (ca. 465-ca. 538) 310 Mary Is a Marvelous Mystery 311 The Miracle of Mary's Virginal Motherhood 313 The Blessed Virgin's Role in Salvation 315 READING: Mary's Intervention at the Wedding Feast at Cana 316 PART FOUR THE END OF THE PATRISTIC PERIOD (SIXTH-EIGHTH CENTURY) Prologue 323 1 ROMANOS THE MELODIST (d. ca. 560) 325 Romanos and the Mother of God 326 The Birth of Mary 328 The Annunciation 329 Christ's Birth at Bethlehem 331 The Sword of Simeon 332 The Virgin Mother on Calvary 333 READING: Mary at the Cross 333 2 THE "AKAT HIST" HYMN (fifth-sixth century) 338 Compositional Structure 339 The Narrative Stanzas 340 The Doctrinal Stanzas 340 READING: The "A kathist" Hymn 342 3 GREGORY OF TOURS (d. 594) 352 Mary's Glorious End 353 Miraculous Interventions of the Mother of God 354 Mary's Concern for Christians 356 READING: Miraculous Relics ofM ary 357 4 VENANTIUS FORTUNATUS (d. ca. 600) 359 The Vision of the Prophets 360 Mary's Divine and Saving Motherhood 361 The Human Idyll of Mary's Motherhood 362 The Miracle of Mary's Virginity 363 READING: Hymn on the Incarnation 365 5 GREGORY THE GREAT (ca. 540-604) Greatness of the Mother of God The Virgin Appears to Little Musa