The
Virgin Mary is the
Theotokos, the mother of
Jesus Christ, the Son and
Word of God. She conceived by the power of the
Holy Spirit. She was cared for by her betrothed husband,
Joseph, who took the child and his mother into his home as his own. One very strong tradition in the
Orthodox Church holds that the birth of
Jesus was also miraculous and left Mary's virginity intact as a sign; it is also the tradition of the Church that Joseph and Mary did not have relations after the birth of Jesus. She is also called
Panagia, the "All-Holy," indicating her closeness to God in her obedience.
The title
Theotokos (in Greek, Θεοτοκος) is a Greek word that means "God-bearer" or "Birth-giver to God."
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Adoption at the Third Ecumenical Council
As a title for the Virgin Mary,
Theotokos was recognized by the
Orthodox Church at
Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. It had already been in use for some time in the devotional and liturgical life of the Church. The
theological significance of the title is to emphasize that Mary's son, Jesus, is fully God, as well as fully human, and that Jesus' two natures (divine and human) were united in a single
Person of the
Trinity. The competing view at that council was that Mary should be called
Christotokos instead, meaning "Birth-giver to Christ." This was the view advocated by
Nestorius, then
Patriarch of Constantinople. The intent behind calling her
Christotokos was to restrict her role to be only the mother of "Christ's humanity" and not his divine nature.
Nestorius' view was
anathematized by the Council as
heresy, (see
Nestorianism), since it was considered to be dividing Jesus into two distinct persons, one who was Son of Mary, and another, the divine nature, who was not. It was defined that although Jesus has two natures, human and divine, these are eternally united in one personhood. Because Mary is the mother of God the Son, she is therefore duly entitled
Theotokos.
Calling Mary the
Theotokos or the
Mother of God (Μητηρ Θεου) was never meant to suggest that Mary was coeternal with God, or that she existed before Jesus Christ or God existed. The Church acknowledges the mystery in the words of this ancient hymn: "He whom the entire universe could not contain was contained within your womb, O Theotokos."
The title "Theotokos" continues to be used frequently in the
hymns of the
Orthodox Church.
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The title
Our All-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorified Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (Greek: Τῆς Παναγίας, ἀχράντου, ὑπερευλογημένης, ἐνδόξου, δεσποίνης ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου καὶ ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας) is often used in Orthodox services when Mary is mentioned.
