THE QUEENSHIP OF MARY IN THE SCRIPTURE
PREAMBLE
Biblical! The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Gn 3:15a; Judith 13:18; 15:9; Rv 12:1; Sir 24:4; 14:9; 1 Cor 4:17; Lk 8:21; Gal 4:19)
Catholics celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Virgin Mary. Pope Pius XII established August 22 as the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary in 1954; but Mary’s role as queen over the universal Church finds its roots in the Scriptures. At the Annunciation, the archangel Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would rule forever on the throne of David. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary the “mother of my Lord.”
QUEENSHIP OF MARY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Old Testament foreshadows this Queenship of Mary, by teaching us about the honor accorded to the Queen Mother in Israelite society. Theologian Dr. Scott Hahn writes and speaks about the “Queen Mother,” called the“gebirah” in Hebrew. In traditional Jewish life, the“gebirah” occupied a unique and powerful position throughout the history of ancient Israel’s monarchy. When the Queen Mother, or gebirah, entered the room, the king would rise to his feet as a sign of respect; and the king always acceded to his mother’s wishes. For example, Solomon crowned his mother Bathsheba, the “Queen Mother” who sat at his right side. In all, through Israelite history there are 16 “Queen Mothers.” It is this Queen Mother, who typically ascends to the throne after menopause, who exerts the greatest influence on the king.
In Hebrew culture, even if the king were deposed, even if he died, the Queen Mother would continue to rule from her throne. She played an important role in leading the songs and worship; but she also was the king’s “wisdom counselor,” involved in political, military and economic affairs of court. In fact, ancient records show that in some instances, the Queen Mother even dared to oppose the king on issues of state.
Proverbs 31, the only chapter of the Bible believed to be written by a woman, was penned by a Queen Mother as instruction for her son—preparing him to accede to the throne and to select a proper wife. In 1 Kings 15:13, Jezebel, wife of King Ahab, was an evil queen in the rebellious northern kingdom of Israel. According to Old Testament scholar Fr. Roland DeVoe, one significant cause for the disruption and unrest in the northern kingdom at the time of Jezebel and Ahab was that there was no Queen Mother. The lack of “dynastic stability”—the history of one group being overthrown by another—meant a lack of continuity in the culture.
Probably the clearest example of the queen mother’s role is that of Bathsheba, wife of David and mother of Solomon. Scholars have noted the excellence of Bathsheba’s position in the kingdom once she became queen mother during Solomon’s rule. Compare the humble attitude of Bathsheba as spouse of King David (1 Kgs. 1:16–17, 31) with her majestic dignity as mother of the next king, Solomon (1 Kgs. 2:19–20). As spouse of the king, Bathsheba bows with her face to the ground and does obeisance to her husband, David, upon entering his royal chamber. In striking contrast, after her son Solomon assumed the throne and she became queen mother, Bathsheba receives a glorious reception upon meeting with her royal son: “So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right. Then she said, ‘I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.’ And the king said to her, ‘Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you’” (1 Kgs. 2:19–20). This account reveals the sovereign prerogatives of the queen mother. Note how the king rises and bows as she enters. Bathsheba’s seat at the king’s right hand has the greatest significance. In the Bible, the right hand is the place of ultimate honor. This is seen in particular in the messianic Psalm 110 (“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”). In fact, many New Testament passages refer to the right-hand imagery of Psalm 110 to show Christ’s divinity and his reign with the Father over the whole universe (e.g., Hebrews 1:13). Thus, the queen mother sitting at the king’s right hand symbolizes her sharing in the king’s royal authority and illustrates how she holds the most important position in the kingdom, second only to the king. This passage regarding Bathsheba also shows how the queen mother served as an advocate for the people, carrying petitions to the king. In 1 Kings 2:17, Adonijah asks Bathsheba to take a petition for him to King Solomon. He says to her: “Pray ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife” (1 Kgs. 2:17). It is clear that Adonijah recognizes the Queen mother’s position of influence over the king, so he confidently turns to Bathsheba as an intercessor for his request.
A few Old Testament prophecies incorporate the Queen mother tradition when telling of the future Messiah. One example is Isaiah 7:14, which originated during a time of dynastic crisis in Judah when Syria and Israel were threatening Jerusalem and plotting to overthrow King Ahaz. God offers Ahaz a sign that the kingdom will continue: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel” (Isa. 7:13–14). On one level, this passage points to the next king (Hezekiah) as a pledge that the Davidic dynasty will continue despite the threats of invading armies. At the same time, the royal son who is to be named “Emmanuel” points to the future messianic king (cf., Isa. 9:6–7, 11:1–2). This is why the New Testament says Jesus fulfills this prophecy from Isaiah (Matt. 1:23). For our purposes we should note how this prophecy links the mother to her royal son. Since the oracle is addressed specifically to the Davidic household and concerns the continuation of the dynasty, the young woman bearing forth the royal son would be understood as a queen mother. This has implications for our understanding of Mary. Since the mother of the king always ruled as queen mother, we should expect to find the mother of the messianic king playing the role of the true queen mother in the everlasting Kingdom of God.
QUEENSHIP OF MARY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
With this Old Testament background, we can now more clearly see how the New Testament portrays Mary in light of the Queen mother tradition.
But for our purposes, once we see that this woman is Mary, the mother of Jesus, it is important to note how she is portrayed as queen in this passage. Her royal office is hinted at by the imagery of the sun, moon, and twelve stars, which recalls the Old Testament story of Joseph’s dream in which the sun, moon, and stars bow down before him, symbolizing his future authority (Gen. 37:9–11). Her Queenship is made even clearer by the crown of twelve stars on her head. Just like the queen mother in Jeremiah 13:18, here Mary is wearing a crown, symbolizing her royal office in the kingdom of heaven. In sum, Revelation 12 portrays Mary as the new Queen mother in the Kingdom of God, sharing in her son’s rule over the universe.
We have seen how the Old Testament Queen mother tradition serves as an important background for understanding Mary’s royal office. Indeed, the New Testament portrays Mary as the Queen mother par excellence. Thus, prayers, hymns, and art giving honor to Mary’s Queenship are most fitting biblical responses for Christians. In honoring her as queen mother we do not take anything away from Christ’s glory, but rather we exalt him even more by recognizing the great work he has done in her and through her.
Understanding Mary as Queen mother sheds light on her important intercessory role in the Christian life. Just like the Queen mother of the Davidic kingdom, Mary serves as advocate for the people in the Kingdom of God today. Thus, we should approach our Queen mother with confidence, knowing that she carries our petitions to her royal son and that he responds to her as Solomon did to Bathsheba: “I will never refuse you.”
As was the custom in Israel, Mary was predestined to be the Queen Mother of Jesus. Since Jesus was to be King of all creation, his mother Mary—in dependence on Jesus—was to be his Queen. Since Jesus took his earthly flesh from His mother Mary, it was only fitting that her flesh, too, should have been preserved from the stain of original sin. Mary was acting in her role of Queen Mother when, at the wedding feast at Cana, she turned to her Son for help– and then when she instructed the steward, “Do whatever He tells you.”
The Gospel of Matthew has often been called the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is “the Son of David,” who is the true King of the Jews establishing the “Kingdom of Heaven.” With all this kingly imagery, it should not be surprising to find queen mother themes as well. Right away, Matthew shows explicitly how the infant Jesus is the “Emmanuel” child as prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 (Matt. 1:23). As we saw above, this prophecy links the royal messianic child with his queen mother. Further, Matthew singles out the intimate relationship between the mother and her royal son by using the phrase “the child and his mother” five times in the first two chapters, recalling the close association between queen mother and royal son as described in the Books of Kings. Just as the queen mother was constantly mentioned alongside the Judean kings in 1 and 2 Kings, so Mary is frequently mentioned alongside her royal son, Jesus, in Matthew’s infancy narrative (Matt. 1:18; 2:11, 13, 14, 20, 21). We find Mary portrayed against the background of Davidic kingdom motifs in Luke’s Gospel as well, especially in his accounts of the Annunciation and Visitation. First, the angel Gabriel is said to appear to a virgin betrothed to a man “of the house of David” (1:27). Then the angel tells Mary, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31–33).
Hear the strong Davidic overtones describing Mary and her royal son: a woman from the house of David giving birth to a son who will be the new king whose reign will never end. With echoes from the queen mother tradition of the Davidic kingdom and the mother-son prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, we can conclude that Mary is being given the vocation of queen mother.
Mary’s royal office is made even more explicit in Luke’s account of the Visitation. Elizabeth greets Mary with the title “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43). This title is charged with great queenly significance. In the royal court language of the ancient Near east, the title “Mother of my Lord” was used to address the queen mother of the reigning king (who himself was addressed as “my Lord”; cf., 2 Sam. 24:21). Thus with this title Elizabeth is recognizing the great dignity of Mary’s role as the royal mother of the king, Jesus.
Finally, Mary’s Queenship can be seen in the great vision described in Revelation 12: “And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery” (Rev. 12:1–2). Who is this newborn child? He is described as the messianic king exercising his dominion. In verse 5, the author of Revelation chose the messianic Psalm 2 to describe how this child will “rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5, Ps. 2:9). This royal son is taken up to heaven to sit on a throne (Rev. 12:5), and he ushers in the kingdom of God by defeating the devil: “Now the kingdom of our God has come, for the accuser has been throne down” (12:10). Certainly, this newborn child is the royal Messiah, King Jesus.
In this light it is clear who this woman is who gave birth to the messiah: It is Mary. Some people have interpreted this woman in Revelation 12 as merely a symbol either for the Old Testament people of Israel or for the New Testament Church and therefore have concluded that the woman cannot be an individual (i.e., Mary). However, this “either-or” proposition is foreign to the biblical worldview, in which individuals often symbolically represent collective groups. For instance, Adam represented all humanity (Rom. 5:19), and Jacob stood for all of Israel (Ps. 44:4). Given this biblical notion called “corporate personality,” the woman in Revelation 12 should be understood as both an individual (Mary) and a symbol for the people of God.
Blessed Virgin Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Earth. As we have seen, a crown indicates kingship. Jesus promises crowns of Glory, Life and Righteousness to all who persevere and endure with him to the end. This is certainly the case with Mary. And looking to Timothy, we read:
2 Timothy 2:12 – If we endure, we will also reign with Him… This is a promise made to all who endure to the end with Christ, as Mary did. They will have a share in Jesus’s Kingship.
And Mary’s Queenship has still more bases in Scripture. She was the “God-bearer”, and as such has a unique relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As the first to say “Yes” to God’s plan, she is also the First Christian. She is also Mother of the Church. For as Brethren of Jesus, Christians are Children of Mary.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MARY ENTERED HEAVEN
The Queenship of Mary is very closely associated with the dogma of her Assumption into heaven. Catholic Tradition holds that once Mary, the Mother of God was assumed into heaven at the end of her earthy life, she was then crowned as Queen of both Heaven and Earth to reign alongside her Son, the King. This is why the two events in Mary's life are side by side in the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae writes of this Glorious Mystery of her Coronation: “Christ was raised in glory to the right hand of the Father, while Mary herself would be raised to that same glory in the Assumption, enjoying beforehand, by a unique privilege, the destiny reserved for all the just at the resurrection of the dead. Crowned in glory – as she appears in the last glorious mystery – Mary shines forth as Queen of the Angels and Saints, the anticipation and the supreme realization of the eschatological state of the Church.” Here we see that after the end of Mary's earthly life she was exalted even above the angels in heaven, having a unique privilege and place as the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is both fully God and fully man.
HER QUEENSHIP IN CHURCH TRADITION
From the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 69: “Let the entire body of the faithful pour persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honored with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.”
Mary is the Mother of the Church because she was the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is God. This profound familial relationship is not somehow dissolved or lessened in significance after Mary's death, but instead is exalted. Just as Christ is exalted in heaven as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Mary is similarly exalted in heaven as Queen Mother.
In this life Mary shared in the Passion of Christ, and in heaven she shares in the Glory of Christ. This privilege of reigning with Christ is not meant for Mary alone, but she is our example in that all of us are intended to reign with Jesus in heaven, too. Mary has the special exalted place as Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church, who helps the faithful journey to her Son.
There is a long tradition among the Church Fathers on the Queenship of Mary. St. Ephrem (4th century) referred to Mary as “Lady” and “Queen.” St. John Damascene (7th century) spoke beautifully of Mary in a sermon: “We, too, approach thee to-day, O Queen; and again, I say, O Queen, O Virgin Mother of God, staying our souls with our trust in thee, as with a strong anchor.
Lifting up mind, soul and body, and all ourselves to thee, rejoicing in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, we reach through thee One who is beyond our reach on account of His Majesty. If, as the divine Word made flesh taught us, honour shown to servants, is honour shown to our common Lord, how can honour shown to thee, His Mother, be slighted? How is it not most desirable? Art thou not honoured as the very breath of life?
Thus shall we best show our service to our Lord Himself . . . . Watch over us, O Queen, the dwelling-place of our Lord. Lead and govern all our ways as thou wilt. Save us from our sins.
Lead us into the calm harbour of the divine will. Make us worthy of future happiness through the sweet and face-to-face vision of the Word made flesh through thee. With Him, glory, praise, power, and majesty be to the Father and to the holy and life-giving Spirit, now and forever. Amen."
Rev Utazi Prince Marie Benignus SFDPM
PREAMBLE
Biblical! The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Gn 3:15a; Judith 13:18; 15:9; Rv 12:1; Sir 24:4; 14:9; 1 Cor 4:17; Lk 8:21; Gal 4:19)
Catholics celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Virgin Mary. Pope Pius XII established August 22 as the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary in 1954; but Mary’s role as queen over the universal Church finds its roots in the Scriptures. At the Annunciation, the archangel Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would rule forever on the throne of David. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary the “mother of my Lord.”
QUEENSHIP OF MARY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Old Testament foreshadows this Queenship of Mary, by teaching us about the honor accorded to the Queen Mother in Israelite society. Theologian Dr. Scott Hahn writes and speaks about the “Queen Mother,” called the“gebirah” in Hebrew. In traditional Jewish life, the“gebirah” occupied a unique and powerful position throughout the history of ancient Israel’s monarchy. When the Queen Mother, or gebirah, entered the room, the king would rise to his feet as a sign of respect; and the king always acceded to his mother’s wishes. For example, Solomon crowned his mother Bathsheba, the “Queen Mother” who sat at his right side. In all, through Israelite history there are 16 “Queen Mothers.” It is this Queen Mother, who typically ascends to the throne after menopause, who exerts the greatest influence on the king.
In Hebrew culture, even if the king were deposed, even if he died, the Queen Mother would continue to rule from her throne. She played an important role in leading the songs and worship; but she also was the king’s “wisdom counselor,” involved in political, military and economic affairs of court. In fact, ancient records show that in some instances, the Queen Mother even dared to oppose the king on issues of state.
Proverbs 31, the only chapter of the Bible believed to be written by a woman, was penned by a Queen Mother as instruction for her son—preparing him to accede to the throne and to select a proper wife. In 1 Kings 15:13, Jezebel, wife of King Ahab, was an evil queen in the rebellious northern kingdom of Israel. According to Old Testament scholar Fr. Roland DeVoe, one significant cause for the disruption and unrest in the northern kingdom at the time of Jezebel and Ahab was that there was no Queen Mother. The lack of “dynastic stability”—the history of one group being overthrown by another—meant a lack of continuity in the culture.
Probably the clearest example of the queen mother’s role is that of Bathsheba, wife of David and mother of Solomon. Scholars have noted the excellence of Bathsheba’s position in the kingdom once she became queen mother during Solomon’s rule. Compare the humble attitude of Bathsheba as spouse of King David (1 Kgs. 1:16–17, 31) with her majestic dignity as mother of the next king, Solomon (1 Kgs. 2:19–20). As spouse of the king, Bathsheba bows with her face to the ground and does obeisance to her husband, David, upon entering his royal chamber. In striking contrast, after her son Solomon assumed the throne and she became queen mother, Bathsheba receives a glorious reception upon meeting with her royal son: “So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right. Then she said, ‘I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.’ And the king said to her, ‘Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you’” (1 Kgs. 2:19–20). This account reveals the sovereign prerogatives of the queen mother. Note how the king rises and bows as she enters. Bathsheba’s seat at the king’s right hand has the greatest significance. In the Bible, the right hand is the place of ultimate honor. This is seen in particular in the messianic Psalm 110 (“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”). In fact, many New Testament passages refer to the right-hand imagery of Psalm 110 to show Christ’s divinity and his reign with the Father over the whole universe (e.g., Hebrews 1:13). Thus, the queen mother sitting at the king’s right hand symbolizes her sharing in the king’s royal authority and illustrates how she holds the most important position in the kingdom, second only to the king. This passage regarding Bathsheba also shows how the queen mother served as an advocate for the people, carrying petitions to the king. In 1 Kings 2:17, Adonijah asks Bathsheba to take a petition for him to King Solomon. He says to her: “Pray ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife” (1 Kgs. 2:17). It is clear that Adonijah recognizes the Queen mother’s position of influence over the king, so he confidently turns to Bathsheba as an intercessor for his request.
A few Old Testament prophecies incorporate the Queen mother tradition when telling of the future Messiah. One example is Isaiah 7:14, which originated during a time of dynastic crisis in Judah when Syria and Israel were threatening Jerusalem and plotting to overthrow King Ahaz. God offers Ahaz a sign that the kingdom will continue: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel” (Isa. 7:13–14). On one level, this passage points to the next king (Hezekiah) as a pledge that the Davidic dynasty will continue despite the threats of invading armies. At the same time, the royal son who is to be named “Emmanuel” points to the future messianic king (cf., Isa. 9:6–7, 11:1–2). This is why the New Testament says Jesus fulfills this prophecy from Isaiah (Matt. 1:23). For our purposes we should note how this prophecy links the mother to her royal son. Since the oracle is addressed specifically to the Davidic household and concerns the continuation of the dynasty, the young woman bearing forth the royal son would be understood as a queen mother. This has implications for our understanding of Mary. Since the mother of the king always ruled as queen mother, we should expect to find the mother of the messianic king playing the role of the true queen mother in the everlasting Kingdom of God.
QUEENSHIP OF MARY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
With this Old Testament background, we can now more clearly see how the New Testament portrays Mary in light of the Queen mother tradition.
But for our purposes, once we see that this woman is Mary, the mother of Jesus, it is important to note how she is portrayed as queen in this passage. Her royal office is hinted at by the imagery of the sun, moon, and twelve stars, which recalls the Old Testament story of Joseph’s dream in which the sun, moon, and stars bow down before him, symbolizing his future authority (Gen. 37:9–11). Her Queenship is made even clearer by the crown of twelve stars on her head. Just like the queen mother in Jeremiah 13:18, here Mary is wearing a crown, symbolizing her royal office in the kingdom of heaven. In sum, Revelation 12 portrays Mary as the new Queen mother in the Kingdom of God, sharing in her son’s rule over the universe.
We have seen how the Old Testament Queen mother tradition serves as an important background for understanding Mary’s royal office. Indeed, the New Testament portrays Mary as the Queen mother par excellence. Thus, prayers, hymns, and art giving honor to Mary’s Queenship are most fitting biblical responses for Christians. In honoring her as queen mother we do not take anything away from Christ’s glory, but rather we exalt him even more by recognizing the great work he has done in her and through her.
Understanding Mary as Queen mother sheds light on her important intercessory role in the Christian life. Just like the Queen mother of the Davidic kingdom, Mary serves as advocate for the people in the Kingdom of God today. Thus, we should approach our Queen mother with confidence, knowing that she carries our petitions to her royal son and that he responds to her as Solomon did to Bathsheba: “I will never refuse you.”
As was the custom in Israel, Mary was predestined to be the Queen Mother of Jesus. Since Jesus was to be King of all creation, his mother Mary—in dependence on Jesus—was to be his Queen. Since Jesus took his earthly flesh from His mother Mary, it was only fitting that her flesh, too, should have been preserved from the stain of original sin. Mary was acting in her role of Queen Mother when, at the wedding feast at Cana, she turned to her Son for help– and then when she instructed the steward, “Do whatever He tells you.”
The Gospel of Matthew has often been called the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is “the Son of David,” who is the true King of the Jews establishing the “Kingdom of Heaven.” With all this kingly imagery, it should not be surprising to find queen mother themes as well. Right away, Matthew shows explicitly how the infant Jesus is the “Emmanuel” child as prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 (Matt. 1:23). As we saw above, this prophecy links the royal messianic child with his queen mother. Further, Matthew singles out the intimate relationship between the mother and her royal son by using the phrase “the child and his mother” five times in the first two chapters, recalling the close association between queen mother and royal son as described in the Books of Kings. Just as the queen mother was constantly mentioned alongside the Judean kings in 1 and 2 Kings, so Mary is frequently mentioned alongside her royal son, Jesus, in Matthew’s infancy narrative (Matt. 1:18; 2:11, 13, 14, 20, 21). We find Mary portrayed against the background of Davidic kingdom motifs in Luke’s Gospel as well, especially in his accounts of the Annunciation and Visitation. First, the angel Gabriel is said to appear to a virgin betrothed to a man “of the house of David” (1:27). Then the angel tells Mary, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31–33).
Hear the strong Davidic overtones describing Mary and her royal son: a woman from the house of David giving birth to a son who will be the new king whose reign will never end. With echoes from the queen mother tradition of the Davidic kingdom and the mother-son prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, we can conclude that Mary is being given the vocation of queen mother.
Mary’s royal office is made even more explicit in Luke’s account of the Visitation. Elizabeth greets Mary with the title “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43). This title is charged with great queenly significance. In the royal court language of the ancient Near east, the title “Mother of my Lord” was used to address the queen mother of the reigning king (who himself was addressed as “my Lord”; cf., 2 Sam. 24:21). Thus with this title Elizabeth is recognizing the great dignity of Mary’s role as the royal mother of the king, Jesus.
Finally, Mary’s Queenship can be seen in the great vision described in Revelation 12: “And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery” (Rev. 12:1–2). Who is this newborn child? He is described as the messianic king exercising his dominion. In verse 5, the author of Revelation chose the messianic Psalm 2 to describe how this child will “rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5, Ps. 2:9). This royal son is taken up to heaven to sit on a throne (Rev. 12:5), and he ushers in the kingdom of God by defeating the devil: “Now the kingdom of our God has come, for the accuser has been throne down” (12:10). Certainly, this newborn child is the royal Messiah, King Jesus.
In this light it is clear who this woman is who gave birth to the messiah: It is Mary. Some people have interpreted this woman in Revelation 12 as merely a symbol either for the Old Testament people of Israel or for the New Testament Church and therefore have concluded that the woman cannot be an individual (i.e., Mary). However, this “either-or” proposition is foreign to the biblical worldview, in which individuals often symbolically represent collective groups. For instance, Adam represented all humanity (Rom. 5:19), and Jacob stood for all of Israel (Ps. 44:4). Given this biblical notion called “corporate personality,” the woman in Revelation 12 should be understood as both an individual (Mary) and a symbol for the people of God.
Blessed Virgin Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Earth. As we have seen, a crown indicates kingship. Jesus promises crowns of Glory, Life and Righteousness to all who persevere and endure with him to the end. This is certainly the case with Mary. And looking to Timothy, we read:
2 Timothy 2:12 – If we endure, we will also reign with Him… This is a promise made to all who endure to the end with Christ, as Mary did. They will have a share in Jesus’s Kingship.
And Mary’s Queenship has still more bases in Scripture. She was the “God-bearer”, and as such has a unique relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As the first to say “Yes” to God’s plan, she is also the First Christian. She is also Mother of the Church. For as Brethren of Jesus, Christians are Children of Mary.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MARY ENTERED HEAVEN
The Queenship of Mary is very closely associated with the dogma of her Assumption into heaven. Catholic Tradition holds that once Mary, the Mother of God was assumed into heaven at the end of her earthy life, she was then crowned as Queen of both Heaven and Earth to reign alongside her Son, the King. This is why the two events in Mary's life are side by side in the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae writes of this Glorious Mystery of her Coronation: “Christ was raised in glory to the right hand of the Father, while Mary herself would be raised to that same glory in the Assumption, enjoying beforehand, by a unique privilege, the destiny reserved for all the just at the resurrection of the dead. Crowned in glory – as she appears in the last glorious mystery – Mary shines forth as Queen of the Angels and Saints, the anticipation and the supreme realization of the eschatological state of the Church.” Here we see that after the end of Mary's earthly life she was exalted even above the angels in heaven, having a unique privilege and place as the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is both fully God and fully man.
HER QUEENSHIP IN CHURCH TRADITION
From the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 69: “Let the entire body of the faithful pour persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honored with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.”
Mary is the Mother of the Church because she was the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is God. This profound familial relationship is not somehow dissolved or lessened in significance after Mary's death, but instead is exalted. Just as Christ is exalted in heaven as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Mary is similarly exalted in heaven as Queen Mother.
In this life Mary shared in the Passion of Christ, and in heaven she shares in the Glory of Christ. This privilege of reigning with Christ is not meant for Mary alone, but she is our example in that all of us are intended to reign with Jesus in heaven, too. Mary has the special exalted place as Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church, who helps the faithful journey to her Son.
There is a long tradition among the Church Fathers on the Queenship of Mary. St. Ephrem (4th century) referred to Mary as “Lady” and “Queen.” St. John Damascene (7th century) spoke beautifully of Mary in a sermon: “We, too, approach thee to-day, O Queen; and again, I say, O Queen, O Virgin Mother of God, staying our souls with our trust in thee, as with a strong anchor.
Lifting up mind, soul and body, and all ourselves to thee, rejoicing in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, we reach through thee One who is beyond our reach on account of His Majesty. If, as the divine Word made flesh taught us, honour shown to servants, is honour shown to our common Lord, how can honour shown to thee, His Mother, be slighted? How is it not most desirable? Art thou not honoured as the very breath of life?
Thus shall we best show our service to our Lord Himself . . . . Watch over us, O Queen, the dwelling-place of our Lord. Lead and govern all our ways as thou wilt. Save us from our sins.
Lead us into the calm harbour of the divine will. Make us worthy of future happiness through the sweet and face-to-face vision of the Word made flesh through thee. With Him, glory, praise, power, and majesty be to the Father and to the holy and life-giving Spirit, now and forever. Amen."
Rev Utazi Prince Marie Benignus SFDPM
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