lunachick

When did the VIRGIN Mary become an important part of religious belief? And was she made a virgin because Jesus was an illegitimate child?

[ November 23, 2002: Message edited by: lunachick ]</p>

lpetrich

The "virgin" part comes from the supposed virgin birth of her most famous offspring; he had supposedly had the Xian God as his biological father. As to how the conception happened, a common viewpoint is

The Xian God did not have sexual relations with that woman, Mary

One interesting doctrine is that of her perpetual virginity, in which JC's brothers were explained as Joseph's offspring by a previous marriage. This means that Joseph and Mary had allegedly had a celibate marriage, something which gave rise to the medieval-Catholic term "Josephite marriage."

Amos

But she was a virgin and did not have be made into one.

Remember the Annunciation?

Sorry, maybe you don't. Well an angel told Mary that she was going to conceive and bear a son and that the Holy Spirit of God wiould take care of this. This same story was made known to Joseph in a dream.

So Jesus was not illigitimate but was the firstborn son of Joseph.

Maybe you mean to ask when Mary became more popular. She became more popular when Catholics began to realize that she was the dispenser of all graces, seat of wisdom and sort of like the immediate cause of all goodness in mankind. Yes she was venerated, worshipped and adored but not always by all Catholics.

Amos

A doctrine that I find more interesting is that the perpetual virginity makes reference to Mary being our mother both in heaven and earth, and further, that we can find favor with Mary to enjoy both heaven on earth and earth in heaven as if they are one and the same.

Egoinos

She seems to have become popular quite early on. The NT itself doesn't really mention her much, aside from the bits in the Gospels - really in Matthew and Luke, she's rarely mentioned there. But there was a noncanonical gospel called the "Falling Asleep of Mary" which relates that Catholic doctrine of her being swept off up to heaven without dying, and also says she should be approached in prayer by the faithful.

2nd Century on, and coming from the eastern churches, seems likely.

<a href="http://www.catholicfirst.com/TheFaith/ChurchFathers/Volume08/Apocrypha30.htm" target="_blank">Text</a>
<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15459a.htm" target="_blank">Catholic Encyclopaedia Article</a>