- Ubi Primum
"Ubi Primum" is an
encyclical ofPope Pius IX to the bishops of theCatholic Church asking them for opinion on the definition of adogma on theImmaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It is an important mariological document which defined Mary as theMediatrix of salvation. It was issued on February 2, 1849In the 19th century, the veneration of the Immaculata increased in several countries especially
France and theUnited States , where all Catholic bishops petitioned Pope Pius IX in 1846 to declate the Imacolate Virgin to be the Patron for theUnited States of America . [seeHistory of Roman Catholic Mariology ] Regarding a possible dogma, Pius IX created a a commission of theologians and a commission of cardinals for consideration. [Josef Schmidlin, Papstegeschichte der neuesten Zeit, München 1934] The encylical "Ubi Primum" seeks the opinions of the bishops on the same question. This approach was quoted byPope Pius XII in1946 , when in "Deiparae Virginis Mariae ", he inquired from the bishops about a possible dogma of theAssumption of the Virgin Mary :But, while paternally exhorting you to do this, thus following the example of Our Predecessors, and particularly that of Pius IX when about to define the dogma of the Mother of God's Immaculate Conception, we earnestly beg you to inform us about the devotion of your clergy and people (taking into account their faith and piety) toward the Assumption of the most Blessed Virgin Mary. ["Deiparae Virginis Mariae" 4]
The positive response to "Ubi Primum" led to the 1854 bull "
Ineffabilis Deus ", with which the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was defined. The definition of 1854 was immunity from original sin, assuming Mary’s redemption by Christ. [Fulgens Corona 8-15] Later, Popes Pius X and Pius XII elaborated on this special privilege and Mary’s perfect redemption by Christ, in the encyclicals "Ad diem illum " and "Fulgens Corona ". These two encyclicals are therefore vital for an understanding of "Ubi Primum" and "Ineffabilis Deus ".ee also
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Mariology
*Marian papal encyclicals and Apostolic Letters ources
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