Lux veritatis

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The encyclical Lux veritatis (Latin: the light of truth) by Pope Pius XI. was published on December 25, 1931 and is subtitled "On the 1500th anniversary of the Council of Ephesus and the proclamation of the divine motherhood of Saint Mary ".

To the Council of Ephesus

In the opening chapters, Pius XI. the starting point and the motivation of this encyclical. The ecumenical council of Ephesus was convened by the Eastern Roman emperor Theodosius II and held from June 22nd to July 31st, 431 in the city of Ephesus with a large number of clergymen . In the middle of this letter, Pius XI confirms. the writings published by the participants in the Council, in which the theses of Nestorius had been rejected. Pius XI. writes about the false doctrines: At this council, St. Cyril of Alexandria presided and achieved that the doctrine named after the patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople ( Nestorianism ) was rejected and Nestorius was deposed. He would have wished that Saint Augustine of Hippo could have attended the council, because then the blasphemous statements would certainly have been omitted. Pius XI. repeats the declaration of Ephesus, namely that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, that he unites two natures, one human and one divine, in his person.

About Nestorius

In the following paragraphs he adds a short treatise on Nestorius : This Bishop of Constantinople , who was appointed by Emperor Theodsius II and who was also a great preacher , opposes the truth of Our Lady. His heretical teachings to have, he asserts that the Incarnation, Mary was not as Mother of God was to call (Theotokos) but as Christusgebärerin (Christotokos). However, this contradicts the three dogmas that follow later . In the following parts he describes Nestorius as a heretic and describes the beliefs that he believes are different from Nestorianism. The Pope attests to the patriarch Cyril of Alexandria the true defense of the faith and, as a counterpoint to the heretic, praises him that Cyril had finally restored the authority of the Roman Church.

About the Theotokos

House of Our Lady Mary in Ephesus

Pius XI leads to this. suggests that the meaning of their life must be viewed in very close association with Christ . She, who has stood together with the Incarnation from eternity , is the representative of humanity and goes back to the predestinations of God . This formulation clearly shows that ultimately it is not only about Mary, but about the Son of God. The declarations of the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus would then have led to great devotion to Mary, first in the east and later in the west.

The three dogmas of Ephesus

  • That there is a person in Jesus Christ and that person is divine, so Christ is true God and true man.
  • That the Blessed Virgin Mary be fully recognized and venerated as the real Mother of God.
  • In matters of faith, the Pope has a God-given authority.

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