If God alone is to be adored, if Christ alone is to be worshiped as our Mediator of Redemption, may any honor be shown to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and, if so, what kind of honor?
A Marian devotion in Christianity is a gift (total or partial) of oneself, or one’s activities to the Virgin Mary, i.e. a willingness and desire to dedicate oneself to, or venerate her, either in terms of prayers or in terms of a set of pious acts. Such prayers or acts may be accompanied by specific requests for Mary’s intercession to God.
Devotion to the Virgin Mary does not, however, amount to worship – which is reserved for God; e.g. both Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox view Mary as subordinate to Christ, but uniquely so, in that she is seen as above all other creatures.
Marian devotions are important to the Roman Catholic but most Protestant views on Mary do not accept them, because such devotions are not recorded or promoted in the Bible. They believe this devotion may distract attention from Christ. There is significant diversity of form and structure in Marian devotions practiced by different groups of Christians.
At the top level Catholic Marian devotions may be categorized into the following non-exclusive groups, based on the characteristics of the devotion:
1. Apparition-based: These include well-known and formally-approved Marian apparitions such as Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima or Our Lady of Akita, and a multitude of regional devotions across the continents. Such devotions have usually resulted in the construction of major Marian churches.
2. Doctrine-based: These include the defined doctrines of Mary as Mother of God, Mary ever virgin, Mary conceived without sin, Mary assumed into heaven. The devotions may precede the dogmatic definition of the doctrine. Such devotions can evolve over time, e.g. to the joint devotion to the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
3. Life of Mary: Specific episodes in the Life of the Virgin Mary have resulted in devotions that focus on that aspect of her life. Examples include the Seven Sorrows of Mary that recall her sufferings from the Prophecy of Simeon to the Crucifixion of Jesus. The Seven Joys of Mary on the other hand start with the Annunciation and end with her coronation in Heaven.
4. Sacramental: The Rosary and Rosary meditations continue to be key Marian devotions. Over the centuries, among other sacramental various devotional scapulars, especially the Brown scapular became very popular among Catholics.
5. Miraculous images: Various icons, images and statues of the Virgin have been associated with reports of miraculous events such as healings and have resulted in local and national devotions, and the construction of Marian shrines.
