Mary was the mother of Jesus, and as such is highly venerated within the Catholic Church as the Mother of God.
The church holds that she was immaculately conceived and, while betrothed to the carpenter Joseph, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel who announced that, though a virgin, she would give birth to a son, Jesus.
The Gospels give several other accounts of Mary, including that she was present at the feet of Jesus at the time of his crucifixion.
These verses have inspired vast quantities of Catholic art - notably images of the Madonna and Child - and various Catholic prayers, Marian hymns and devotions (notably the Hail Mary):
:Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Ave Maris Stella (English, "Hail Star of the Sea") is a plainsong Vespers hymn to Mary and inspiration for the English hymn Hail Holy Queen.
The Salve Regina, also known as the Hail Holy Queen, is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons.
Its poetic verses portray Mary as a figure of hope in a time of trial:
:Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

The prominence of Mary in the life of the Church grew gradually.
In AD 431, the Council of Ephesus granted Mary the title of Mother of God.
In 553, the Council of Constantinople, proclaimed that she was perpetually a virgin.
In 863 AD, the pope pronounced the Feast of Our Lady to be equal to the feasts of Easter and Christmas.
By the 12th Century, the Hail Mary prayer had become popular, which in turn led to the widespread use of the rosary.
According to historian Geoffrey Blainey, Mary had become the "favoured intermediary through whom the ear of God could be reached".
She had become an important subject for theologians and artists alike and churches were named after her throughout Christendom.
She became known as "Queen of Heaven".

Mary Reichardt comments that the Blessed Virgin Mary is "paradoxically, both virgin and mother, both submissive and the preeminent mulier fortis".

As the mother of Jesus, Mary has a central role in the life of the Roman Catholic Church.
Within the church she is seen as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church.
By the early Middle Ages, Marian devotion had become an integral part of Church life.
Roman Catholic veneration of her as the "Blessed Virgin Mary" has grown over time both in importance and manifestation, in prayer, art, poetry and music.
Popes have encouraged this veneration, although they have also taken steps to reform it.
Overall, there are significantly more titles, feasts and venerative Marian practices among Roman Catholics than any other Christians traditions.
The feast day of the Assumption marks the assuming of Mary's body into Heaven.

Since the end of the 19th century, a number of progressive and liberal perspectives of Mariology have been presented, ranging from feminist criticisms to interpretations based on modern psychology and liberal Catholic viewpoints.
These views are generally critical of the Roman Catholic approach to Mariology as well as the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches which have even more Marian emphasis within their official liturgies.

Some feminists contend that as with other women saints such as Joan of Arc the image of Mary is a construct of the patriarchal mind.
They argue that Marian dogmas and doctrines and the typical forms of Marian devotion reinforce patriarchy by offering women temporary comfort from the ongoing oppression inflicted on them by male dominated churches and societies.
In the feminist view, old gender stereotypes persist within traditional Marian teachings and theological doctrines.
To that end books on "feminist Mariology" have been published to present opposing interpretations and perspectives.

Since the Reformation, some Christian denomin
Mary was the mother of Jesus, and as such is highly venerated within the Catholic Church as the Mother of God. The church holds that she was immaculately conceived and, while betrothed to the carpenter Joseph, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel who announced that, though a virgin, she would give birth to a son, Jesus. The Gospels give several other accounts of Mary, including that she was present at the feet of Jesus at the time of his crucifixion. These verses have inspired vast quantities of Catholic art - notably images of the Madonna and Child - and various Catholic prayers, Marian hymns and devotions (notably the Hail Mary):
:Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Ave Maris Stella (English, "Hail Star of the Sea") is a plainsong Vespers hymn to Mary and inspiration for the English hymn Hail Holy Queen. The Salve Regina, also known as the Hail Holy Queen, is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons. Its poetic verses portray Mary as a figure of hope in a time of trial:
:Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
The prominence of Mary in the life of the Church grew gradually. In AD 431, the Council of Ephesus granted Mary the title of Mother of God. In 553, the Council of Constantinople, proclaimed that she was perpetually a virgin. In 863 AD, the pope pronounced the Feast of Our Lady to be equal to the feasts of Easter and Christmas. By the 12th Century, the Hail Mary prayer had become popular, which in turn led to the widespread use of the rosary. According to historian Geoffrey Blainey, Mary had become the "favoured intermediary through whom the ear of God could be reached". She had become an important subject for theologians and artists alike and churches were named after her throughout Christendom. She became known as "Queen of Heaven".
Mary Reichardt comments that the Blessed Virgin Mary is "paradoxically, both virgin and mother, both submissive and the preeminent mulier fortis".
As the mother of Jesus, Mary has a central role in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. Within the church she is seen as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. By the early Middle Ages, Marian devotion had become an integral part of Church life. Roman Catholic veneration of her as the "Blessed Virgin Mary" has grown over time both in importance and manifestation, in prayer, art, poetry and music. Popes have encouraged this veneration, although they have also taken steps to reform it. Overall, there are significantly more titles, feasts and venerative Marian practices among Roman Catholics than any other Christians traditions. The feast day of the Assumption marks the assuming of Mary's body into Heaven.
Since the end of the 19th century, a number of progressive and liberal perspectives of Mariology have been presented, ranging from feminist criticisms to interpretations based on modern psychology and liberal Catholic viewpoints. These views are generally critical of the Roman Catholic approach to Mariology as well as the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches which have even more Marian emphasis within their official liturgies.
Some feminists contend that as with other women saints such as Joan of Arc the image of Mary is a construct of the patriarchal mind. They argue that Marian dogmas and doctrines and the typical forms of Marian devotion reinforce patriarchy by offering women temporary comfort from the ongoing oppression inflicted on them by male dominated churches and societies. In the feminist view, old gender stereotypes persist within traditional Marian teachings and theological doctrines. To that end books on "feminist Mariology" have been published to present opposing interpretations and perspectives.
Since the Reformation, some Christian denomin
Women in the Catholic Church