Loading ...
Declaramus, pronuntiamus et definimus doctrinam quae tenet beatissimam Virginem Mariam in primo instanti suae conceptionis fuisse singulari Omnipotentis Dei gratia et privilegio, intuitu meritorum Christi Jesu Salvatoris humani generis, ab omni originalis culpae labe praeservatam immunem, esse a Deo revelatam, atque idcirco ab omnibus fidelibus firmiter constanterque credendam. Ineffabilis Deus Pp. Pius IX.
We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful
go to main page
Allow me to add some further interesting details (which may or may not be known to my fellow readers) regarding the definition of the Immaculate Conception.
Witnesses at the ceremony in St Peter’s testify that at the actual reading of the words of the definition, Bl. Pius IX’s voice could be heard clearly throughout that immense basilica, even in the remote areas in the aisles (and that in the days before electric amplification, of course). Furthermore, although the day had been overcast and threatening to storm up to that point, as the Holy Father proclaimed the definition, the sun broke through and shone down precisely on Pius IX from the clerestory of the dome. Four years later, in Lourdes, as is well known, the Blessed Virgin made known that she was the Immaculate Conception, words that(to paraphrase the prophet) set all ears a-tingling. For both the faithful and unbelievers alike were astounded that the papal definition should be confirmed in such an undeniably extraordinary manner. It was difficult to argue directly against the happenings at Lourdes once the miraculous spring brought the sick (who were sometimes inexplicably cured) by the thousands, so that even the government of France was forced to acknowledge the prerogatives of that place. Indeed, St Bernadette herself, in later years in the convent, said that she came to believe that Our Lady appeared to her in order to confirm and set her seal, so to speak, on the dogmatic definition. She received a personal letter from the holy Pope, as well as the gift of a crucifix, which were among her most treasured possessions (if such a word can be used in conjunction with a religious). Finally, towards the end of his life, Bl. Pius IX said that of all the momentous accomplishments of his reign (the Syllabus, the Vatican Council, and so forth), his greatest act was the proclamation of the dogma, wherein (we might add) he threw down the gauntlet to the evil one and all those under his influence.–a Simple Priest.
Here’s another interesting detail about the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception:
“Through one of the round windows high in Michelangelo’s dome, a long shaft of sunlight had found the precious mitre, the tear-wet face of the Pope, flooding the ornately lettered document held open by one whose task that morning any cardinal present would gladly have performed. For this, Pio Nono had chosen not the oldest of bishops, nor even the youngest but - and who could say why - the smallest. The five-foot-two Bishop of America’s largest see, [St.] John Neumann of Philadephia” (”A Bishop, A Saint: The Life of Saint John Neumann,” by Father James J. Galvin, CSSR, pg. 210).
Cuadro de Murillo