Catholic Church rejects teaching that called Virgin Mary “Co-Redemptrix”

The Most Holy Virgin Mary. Fragment of a Renaissance painting. Photo: Il Messaggero

On November 4, 2025, the Vatican published a document titled Mater Populi Fidelis (“Mother of the Faithful”), prepared by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope Leo XIV.

The text officially rejects the teaching, once widespread in Catholic circles, that referred to the Blessed Virgin Mary as “Co-Redemptrix ” (“Mother of the Redeemer”). The document stresses that this concept contradicts the dogma of Christ’s exclusive role in the Redemption.

According to the document, the purpose of the Note is to restore theological balance between Christ’s unique mediation and Mary’s participation in salvation. The authors emphasize that the term "Co-redemptrix" does not reflect the true teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and "carries the risk of eclipsing the exclusive role of Jesus Christ, who was the only one capable of offering the Father a sacrifice of infinite value."

Pope Francis expressed his clear opposition to using the title “Co-redemptrix,” arguing that Mary “never wished to appropriate anything of her Son for herself. She never presented herself as a co-Savior. No, a disciple. Christ’s redemptive work was perfect and needs no addition; therefore, 'our Lady did not want to take away any title from Jesus… She did not ask for herself to be a quasi-redeemer or a co-redeemer: no. There is only one Redeemer, and this title cannot be duplicated,” the document quotes Pope Francis as saying.

The doctrine of Mary as “Co-Redemptrix” was actively discussed in Catholic theology throughout the 20th century and was even considered as a possible new Marian dogma alongside the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption. Pope John Paul II used the term “Co-Redemptrix” seven times in speeches and messages, but it never received official dogmatic status.

The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) chose not to include this term in its official texts, and the new Vatican document reaffirms that the teaching is theologically erroneous.

The Note emphasizes that true veneration of the Mother of God does not consist in attributing to Her a redemptive function but in recognizing Her as the Mother of believers and the first disciple of Christ, who “cooperates in salvation through faith and obedience, but not as equal to the Redeemer.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a book on the “papacy” of Constantinople and the Ukrainian schism was presented in Rome.

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