ROME — Pope Francis has reaffirmed the Christian conviction that Jesus Christ is the sole redeemer of all mankind and does not share that role with the Virgin Mary or anyone else.
“Christ is the Mediator, Christ is the bridge that we cross to turn to the Father,” the pope told pilgrims during his weekly General Audience Wednesday. “He is the only Redeemer: there are no co-redeemers with Christ. He is the only one.”
“He is the Mediator par excellence,” Francis continued. “He is the Mediator. Each prayer we raise to God is through Christ, with Christ and in Christ and it is fulfilled thanks to his intercession.”
The pontiff’s reflections came during a catechesis, or teaching session, on the role of the Virgin Mary in Catholic theology and spirituality.
His words referred directly to the assertion by Saint Paul that “there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim 2:4-6).
The pope went on to note that “there is no other name by which we can be saved,” a reference to the biblical passage Act 4:12.
“Due to Christ’s one mediation, other references Christians find for their prayer and devotion take on meaning, first among them being the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus,” the pope continued, noting Christians intercede for one another.
Mary “occupies a privileged place in the lives of Christians, and therefore, in their prayer as well, because she is the Mother of Jesus,” Francis said.
“Her presence is everywhere in Christian iconography, sometimes very prominently,” he added, “but always in relation to her Son and in connection with Him.”
Mary is completely directed toward Christ “to such an extent that we can say she is more disciple than Mother,” the pope continued. “The directions she gave at the wedding at Cana: ‘Do whatever he will tell you.’ She always refers to Christ. She is the first disciple.”
“This is the role Mary fulfilled throughout her entire earthly life and which she forever retains: to be the humble handmaid of the Lord, nothing more,” he said.
The things the Church, the Saints, say about her, beautiful things, about Mary, “subtract nothing from Christ’s sole Redemption,” he reiterated. “He is the only Redeemer.”