Immaculate Conception: what does it mean?

The Immaculate Conception is a Catholic dogma, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854, with a splash Ineffabilis Deus, which claims that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin, from the first moment of conception: The Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved for special grace and privilege of almighty God, in anticipation of the merits of Jesus Christ the Savior of mankind, free from all stain of original sin. In fact, the Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that explains how Mary was protected from original sin, has not had a sin nature and is, in fact, sinless. So the dogma tells us that Mary was conceived by his mother Elizabeth, with the privilege not to carry the original sin that Adam and Eve, we all carry with us at the time of conception. This conception is celebrated on December 8 for the reason that this date precedes the nine months, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If this feast falls during Advent is a sheer coincidence that has nothing to do with Christmas. However, we can see, clearly, the relationship with the birth of Jesus, God preserved Mary from original sin, to prepare a worthy dwelling place for Christ incarnate.

"In the sky there appeared a great sign, a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and cried out in labor ..." (Rev 12: 1-2). The "woman", which immediately suggests the idea of ​​wife and mother refers to the covenant of God with his people, often expressed in terms of nuptial love. And the woman clothed with the sun-the people, the light of God surrounds it. The "woman" has around her head a crown of twelve stars that evoke a whole together and all the people of God (12 tribes, 12 apostles). This "woman" is the assembly of the Church, is Christ who gives birth to son, which was founded by the Church as he had also told Paul to the Galatians. Son undermined by the Evil One, in fact: It appeared a second sign, a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and ten crowns on the heads .. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, to devour her child when she was born (AP12, 3-4). The dragon is "the antico, serpent called the devil, who satana" (AP12, 9) which acts by entering human history, creeping into the structures of social life, in the centers of power, but not touching the Son { been brought to God } (AP12, 5).


In 1858, the same Mary appeared in Lourdes, Bernadette said to be the Immaculate Conception, and was to confirm the dogma promulgated by the Church in 1854.


The precursor of this long journey, for the promulgation of the dogma, was S. Anselm of Canterbury (1109), but he developed his thought in the sense strongly in favor of the Immaculate Conception, was his disciple Eadmer (1134). He was the first to write a treatise on the subject, which says that the popular faith is universal on this point, and that this wisdom is wiser than the learned. Eadmer lays the foundation for the Church in 1854, 720 years later, promulgated the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.


We can not and must not forget that the Holy Rosary is an eloquent prayer in which it is clear this dogma, as well as the litany that we always remember: "Queen conceived without sin, pray for us."