Sadly, many Catholics and Orthodox elevate Mary way above her lowly status. They argue that Mary, though a humble servant of God, is treated almost as a demigod or goddess in Catholic and Orthodox traditions. She was an “ordinary sinful woman”. She was merely a vessel who carried Jesus until His birth. This is a clear distortion of the truth. Christ will act according to His will. Not even Mary can cause God to do something that He didn’t will to do.
If given the choice between asking Mary to intercede/pray for me on my behalf and just going directly to Jesus and instead asking him to intercede/pray for me, I would always pick Jesus.
Intercession
Catholics and Orthodox believe they can pray and ask Mary and certain saints to pray for them. This practice is found nowhere in Scripture. It is utter idolatry. Prayer is to be directed to the Trinity only. There is not a single example in Scripture of any believer praying to someone in heaven to intercede for them.
Veneration
Catholics venerate Mary and saints in heaven by erecting statues, which Catholics bow before. They even prostrate themselves on the ground in front of the statues, by having Marian processions, by praying the rosary (Hail Mary, etc.), kissing icons, by seeking salvation through Mary (see Ligouri’s writings), and by visiting sites of alleged apparitions of Mary, seeking healing or other blessings.
The earliest church fathers did not pray to Mary.
What the Church Fathers taught:
1. Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD)
• He called Mary the “new Eve” because of her obedience, but he never suggested praying to her.
• He emphasized that salvation comes only through Christ (Against Heresies, Book 3, Ch. 22).
2. Tertullian (c. 155–240 AD)
• He actually rebuked excessive Marian exaltation, saying she was a faithful woman but still human (On the Flesh of Christ, Ch. 7).
• He taught that believers should pray only to God.
3. Origen (c. 185–253 AD)
• He acknowledged Mary’s blessedness, but he explicitly warned against worshiping saints or angels (Contra Celsum, Book 5, Ch. 11).
• He affirmed that prayer should be directed to God alone.
4. Athanasius (c. 296–373 AD)
• While he defended Mary’s title as “Mother of God” (Theotokos), he taught that prayers should be directed to Christ alone.
5. Augustine (354–430 AD)
• He deeply honored Mary but stated:
“Let no one say that he does not need Christ as a mediator” (Sermon 229N).
• He consistently affirmed that only Christ intercedes for us before the Father.
The teachings that Mary was ever-virgin and sinless since conception were formed much later in church history. They were not held by the earliest Church Fathers, nor were they taught by any of the Apostles in the New Testament church. The truth is that most of the Marian teachings were alien to the witness of Scripture. The Apostle Paul warned of new heretical doctrine arising even while he was still alive. So, it’s no surprise that later on, these teachings gained popularity.
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