By Sylvia Lacoski of the Protestant Alliance

Myth and Legend

Pope John Paul II, who is known for his devotion to the Virgin Mary, “has done a remarkable thing” so ran an article in the Telegraph October 19^th 2002; he has added a completely new section to the Rosary - “Five More Mysteries” - which he calls “Mysteries of Light.” In a 30 page document, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, the Pope explains “it is to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ.”

 

This ancient prayer, continues the article, has been substantially unchanged since it was endorsed by Pope Pius V in 1569. (Those with a knowledge of English history will know it was Pius V, that former implacable agent of the Inquisition, who in 1570 issued his Bull of Damnation against Queen Elizabeth I of England.)

Pope John Paul requests the recitation of the Rosary for a year, starting October 2002, for the cause of world peace, and hopes it will be the means of reconciling Christians.

 

Rites and Ceremonies

(Mat 6:7 KJV) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

 

The use of the Rosary is thoroughly Romanist - a mechanical counting of prayers upon beads designed primarily as a devotional to Mary, with ten times as many prayers addressed to Mary as to God the Father, and none addressed to Christ. “But the Rosary is no invention of the Papacy. It is of the highest antiquity, and almost universally found among pagan nations.” (Two Babylons - Alexander Hislop) “In Asiatic Greece the rosary was commonly used, as may be seen from the image of the Ephesian Diana” (Hislop).

 

Rosary - archaic word for Garland - 14^th Century from Latin

According to legend, the Virgin Mary was seen to take rosebuds from the lips of a young monk when he was reciting “Hail Marys,” and weave them into garland, which he placed on her head; however, it is acknowledged that the Rosary did not come into general use until after the beginning of the thirteenth century, and not officially sanctioned until after the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. (Roman Catholicism - Loraine Boettner)

 

Mariolatry

Fra Paolo Sarpi, in his book “History of the Council of Trent” sketches the rise and progress of Mariolatry in the Papal church. He says that the phrase Mother of the Divine Son” which towards the end of the third century was applied to Mary, was so used not in her honour, but solely in honour of Christ, to show that he was born Divine. Then, by degrees, was used to honour Mary, instead of Christ; and in the same way the mother became venerated in the picture, and not the Child. Mariolatry, thus introduced, gained ground during succeeding centuries.

 

The religion of many devout and pious Roman Catholics is centered on Mary - she is the preferred object of devotion, and has eclipsed the Son. Alfonso of Liguori, in his book The Glories of Mary has been responsible for dethroning Christ and promoting Mariolatry, yet instead of excommunicating him for heresy, the Roman Church made him a saint in 1839! (Roman Catholicism - Boettner)

 

She is called “Queen of Compassion” because she opens God’s bottomless pit of mercy to whom she wills - there is no sinner however great, who is lost if Mary protects him, nor will she send away unhappy, anyone who prays to her.

 

When Martin Luther, in his joy at having found a Christ who was compassionate, painted in gloomy colors the judicial Christ that had been the incubus of his boyhood. (The Virgin Mary - Roman Catholic Marian Doctrine - Giovanni Miegge)

 

The Immaculate Conception (that Mary was born without sin)

In many cities in Italy and in Rome, great columns are to be seen in market places, on which a female figure stands with crown on head and sceptre in hand, - monuments to Mary, Queen of Heaven, to commemorate the doctrine of her “Immaculate Conception,” promulgated by Pope Pius IX, December 8, 1854.

 

This has long been simmering in the mind of the Roman Church, and caused heated disputes in the Middle Ages between two mendicant Orders - the Franciscans and Dominicans. In the sixteenth century the Council of Trent in an indirect way pronounced in its favor and in the nineteenth century it became an article of faith in the church. This Roman Catholic doctrine is contrary to the truth of Scripture - Mary herself felt her need of a Saviour (Luke 1:47).

 

The Assumption of and Crowning of Mary in Heaven

Two of the “glorious Mysteries” in the Rosary are the (bodily) Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the crowning of Mary by Christ - of which the Scriptures and early church know nothing and are silent. Not a shred of evidence can Roman Catholics find in the Bible about Mary’s death, burial, or when she ascended into Heaven. This addition to Rome’s long list of inventions was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950 (Hitler’s Pope).

 

The doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption are evidently connected. “It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that in the Vatican Council of 1870 in which papal infallibility was defined, an attempt was made by a number of bishops to get a solemn pronouncement of Mary’s Assumption as a verity of faith” (The Virgin Mary - Giovanni Miegge). If these doctrines are historical facts, why did the Church of Rome wait hundreds of years before announcing it authoritatively?

 

Festivals of Mary

Many more festival days are dedicated in honour of Mary than anyone else, and besides these festivals, every town, city and village in Italy has its own one or more local Madonna days. Saturday is dedicated to her, and the month of May is Mary’s month, and October called the month of Rosary.

 

Pope Leo XIII “Pope of the Rosary”

Pope John Paul II is not the only Pope to have shown great devotion to Mary, Pope Leo XIII was called the “Pope of the Rosary” (1878-1903). Amongst his thousand and one utterances in her praise he says “…in many varied trials I have always looked up to her with eager and imploring eyes, my hopes and fears have been deposited in her bosom…under her auspices, I am encouraged to hope for still greater blessings…we should set apart this month of October to the celebration of our Lady and august Queen of the Rosary, for when we betake ourselves in Prayer to Mary we betake ourselves to the Mother of Mercy.” And it was Pope Pius IX who had proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. He had special reasons for gratitude to Mary, for by her he claimed to have been healed of an infirmity. He issued a decree authorizing the clergy at Rimini, where there is a “winking Madonna,” to ornament her head with a crown of pure gold, especially on August 15^th, the anniversary of her (fabled) assumption (Roman Catholic Church in Italy - Alexander Robertson)

The lowly maiden of Judah has become Queen of Heaven - no one more than Mary herself would resent the dishonour done to her Lord and ours through the extravagances of Marian Worship, and the dishonour done to herself in degrading her to the level of a pagan Diana.

 

In Coverdale’s preface to his Bible, published in 1535, he says “The Bishop of Rome has studied long to keep the Bible from the people, and especially from princes, lest they should find out his tricks and falsehoods, lest they should turn from his false obedience to the true obedience commanded by God, knowing well enough that if the clear sun of God’s Word came over the heat of the day, it would drive away the foul mist of his devilish doctrines.”

 

Article taken from the Reformer - March/April 2003 (No permission needed for downloading or distribution)

 

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