On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into heaven
A corresponding image is that of the Coronation of the Virgin.
In this image the Virgin Mary is shown as already having arrived in heaven, and Christ is in the act of placing a crown on her head.
I want to read you a portion of the proclamation of Pope Pius XII. to give you the flavor of this. Jung considered the dogma of the Assumption of Mary to be ”the most important religious event since the Reformation.”
It’s an astonishing remark.
The proclamation of Pope Pius XII is a lengthy document in which the ancient sources are extensively quoted.
What I am going to read you is only a small portion of it.
The book on Church teachings that I’m quoting from introduces it with this statement:
On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into heaven as a dogma of faith, leaving the dispute about whether or not Mary died an open question.
The Pope responded to the petitions of the bishops and the priests and the faithful by giving honor to the Blessed Virgin with this solemn definition.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, body and soul, into heaven is another of the great privileges conceded to her by God for consenting to be His mother.
And here is the quote from the proclamation of the dogma:
The Universal Church in which the Spirit of Truth dwells [remember that I’ve already spoken of how the Church has taken over the Holy Ghost as its own, and here that’s explicitly stated; the Spirit of Truth is a synonym for the Holy Ghost], and which he infallibly guides to perfect knowledge of revealed truths, has shown its faith many times in the course of the centuries.
Bishops from all over the world with almost perfect unanimity have petitioned that the truth of the corporeal Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven be defined as dogma of the divine Catholic faith.
The truth of this dogma is based on sacred scripture and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the faithful.
it is sanctioned by the worship of the Church in the most ancient times.
It is completely consonant with all other revealed truths.
It has been explained and proclaimed by the study, the knowledge and wisdom of theologians. In consideration of all these reasons, we judge that in God’s providence the time has come to proclaim solemnly this wonderful privilege of the Virgin Mary. . . .
We therefore, after humbly and repeatedly praying to God, and calling upon the light of the Spirit of Truth, the glory of almighty God, who has shown great and particular love for the Virgin Mary, ~Edward F. Edinger, Transformation of the God-Image, Page 109-110
