There are over 1.2 billion Catholics across the world, and not one of them have the authority to establish required feast days, yet Pope Francis established a feast day for mother Mary in spite of what scripture states.
The Bible is very clear, that God is the author of Truth, and scripturally speaking, only God can establish feast days as he has done throughout history. Yet, Pope Francis, the man, acclaims to have the authority to establish such.
In scripture, there is no mother church, instead according to Christ’s own words, the Church is to be the Bride of Christ, yet Pope Francis and his cohorts at the Vatican are decreeing that “the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church,” should be inscribed in the Roman Calendar on the Monday after Pentecost and be celebrated every year in churches throughout the world.
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments announced the establishment, published by the Vatican today, March 3, and signed by the congregation’s prefect, Cardinal Robert Sarah, and its secretary, Archbishop Arthur Roche. While the Pope approved the decree just last Thursday.
According to Catholic doctrine, a “memorial” is a lower-ranked feast day. Celebrations of feast days in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church are distinguished according to their importance and named either as solemnities, feasts or memorials.
However, again, according to Scripture, the imagery and symbolism imposed by Scripture infers that the meaning of marriage is applied to Christ and the body of believers known as the church. Specifically, Christ, the Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen the church to be His bride (Ephesians 5:25–27). So why then does the Catholic Church insist that the Church is symbolically the Mother of God?
In addition, according to Scripture, to elevate Mary above Christ is considered idolatry. While the Bible does not condemn those who choose to worship Christ on any day, the Bible does condemn those who choose to elevate people above Jesus Christ.
Previously we have covered just how the Catholic church is attempting to place Mary above Jesus and establish Mary as the ‘new Eve’ with Christ is the New Adam;
Mary too, “the Mother, the New Eve, as Paul himself called her, follows this path of her son: she learned, she suffered and she obeyed”. She “became ‘Mother’. We could say that she is the ‘anointed Mother’, the Pontiff affirmed, and the same is true for the Church. – Read On
Establishing a feast day to the Mother of God firmly displays the reality that the Catholic Church is steeped in idolatry, in addition, the Pope does not have the authority to establish Scriptural, legal, requirements, as in feast days, for the Body of Christ because only God has that authority. Historically, in the time of ancient Israel, not even the kings had the ability to establish feast days, rather only God the Father had the authority to do so.
While no Christian should doubt the importance of Mary in regards to history, but she is still a sinner in need of a savior, to place her authority on par with that of Christ further demotes the authority of Jesus Christ and allows for man to gain authority where no Biblical authority is granted.
Furthermore, according to The American Magazine (reference below), the Catholic Church stated that to determine the newly established universal feast day;
It traced the history of this veneration down the centuries from the period of the early church as is reflected in the writing of St. Augustine (354-430) and St. Leo the Great, who was pope from 440-461. It recalled that St. Augustine said “Mary is the mother of the members of Christ, because with charity she cooperated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church” while St. Leo said “the birth of the Head is also the birth of the body, thus indicating that Mary is at once Mother of Christ, the Son of God, and mother of the members of his Mystical Body, which is the Church.”
— Read On
For the Catholic church to twist scripture in this manner elevates Mary to a position similar to that of Eve, which is incredibly contrary to what Scripture states clearly. While it is acceptable for all followers of Christ to worship Christ on any given day, it is not acceptable to worship a deity in addition to Christ.
Scriptures Referenced
Ephesians 5:25-27 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it,
26 That he might sanctify it, and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word,
27 That he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blame.
Colossians 2:16-17 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
16 Let no man therefore condemn you in meat and drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days,
17 Which are but a shadow of things to come: but the body is in Christ.
Romans 1:25-26 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
25 Which turned the truth of God unto a lie, and worshipped and served the creature, forsaking the Creator which is blessed forever, Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.
Romans 14:5-6 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
5 This man esteemeth one day above another day, and another man counteth every day alike: let every man be fully persuaded in his mind.
6 He that observeth the day, observeth it to the Lord: and he that observeth not the day, observeth it not to the Lord. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord: for he giveth God thanks: and he that eateth not, eateth not to the Lord, and giveth God thanks.
Matthew 12:47-50 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered, and said to him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, Behold my mother, and my brethren.
50 For whosoever shall do my Father’s will which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.
Revelation 22:8-9 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
8 And I am John, which saw and heard these things: and when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel which showed me these things.
9 But he said unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of them which keep the words of this book: worship God.
Works Cited
Gerard O’Connell . “Pope Francis establishes a universal feast day for Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church.” American Magazine. . (2018): . .