The following bibliography attempts to list the teachings of the popes and councils of the Catholic Church from earliest times to the present that include the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the intention of the Mary Page to provide links to these documents where known and in chronological order.           

 Full documents will be linked with initial data given in the bibliography: specific dates, brief content (such as proclamation of a Marian Year), important doctrinal points (such as Mother of the Church, Ever-Virgin, mention of Co-redemptrix), and important new terms (such as maternal presence). Key words will be listed that signify content and make it possible to find the Marian references by using the search function (ctrl+f).

In addition to the better known Marian references in documents of popes and councils through the ages, an exhaustive inventory of Marian quotes from Pope John Paul II is included. It is rare for this pope not to mention Mary, particularly at the conclusion of a document. These conclusions have a significance of their own that will be noted in the bibliographic reference. It is hoped that management of the immense number of references will be facilitated by use of keyword reference in the bibliography.  

Your assistance in providing titles and texts unknown to us and in various languages will be greatly appreciated. Please contact us for revision if you note that our keyword search is deficient.  

Symbols (Creeds)

Roman Pontiffs and Councils to Trent (1545)

Council of Trent (1545-1563) to End of Eighteenth Century

Nineteenth Century Including Leo XIII (1878-1903)

Twentieth Century (Pius X – Pius XI) (under construction)

Pius XII (1939-1958) – Blessed John XXIII (1958-1963) (under construction)

Council Vatican II

Paul VI (1963-1978)

John Paul I and John Paul II (1979-2005) (under construction)

 Bibliography and Compendiums

• Doctrina Pontificia, IV Documentos marianos, Madrid 1954.

• “Mary in Papal Teaching and Preaching 1963-1967,” Marian Library Studies, Vol 2, 1970.

• Bibliografia Mariana (Vols covering years 1958-1994), Giuseppe M. Besutti, O.S.M., Ermanno M. Toniolo, O.S.M., Rome: Edizione Marianum.

• DS: H. Denzinger‑A Schönmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum Definitionum et Declarationum de

• Rebus Fidei et Morum, XXXV Edition, Rome 1973.

• The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church, J. Neuner, S.J. & J. Dupuis, S.J., eds., New York: Alba House, 2001.

• Papal Teachings: Our Lady, The Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, Trans: The Daughters of St. Paul, Boston: St. Paul Editions, 1961.

• Papal Encyclicals 1740-1981, 5 Vols. Trans: Claudia Carlen, IHM, Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Pierian Press.

• Papal Pronouncements: A Guide: 1740-1978, 2 Vols. Trans: Claudia Carlen, IHM, Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Pierian Press.

• Papst Johannes Paul II. Marianische Schriften des Internationalen mariologischen Arbeitkreises Kevelaer 1978-1985, Dr. Johannes Stöhr, ed, Bamberg: St. Otto-Verlag, 1985.

• Theotokos, Woman, Mother, Disciple: A Catechesis on Mary, Mother of God, John Paul II, Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2000.

• Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church: Documents on the Blessed Virgin Mary, Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2001.

  Bibliography and Compendiums are also found listed at the bottom of each section.

 Other summary sources:

The Vatican website: www.vatican.va

EWTN’s online Document Library: www.ewtn.com

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