Women in the Catholic Church In AD 431, the Council of Ephesus granted Mary the title of Mother of God. In 553, the Council of Constantinople, proclaimed that she was perpetually a virgin. In 863 AD, the pope pronounced the Feast of Our Lady to be equal to the feasts of Easter and Christmas. By the 12th Century, the Hail Mary prayer had become popular, which in turn led to the widespread use of the rosary. According to historian Geoffrey Blainey, Mary had become the "favoured intermediary through whom the ear of God could be reached". She had become an important subject for theologians and
Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church and memorials in the General Roman Calendar of the Catholic Church are: A large number of titles to honor Mary or ask for her intercession are used by Roman Catholics. While "Mater Dei" (i.e. "Mother of God" as confirmed by the First Council of Ephesus, 431) is common in Latin, a large number of other titles have been used by Roman Catholics – far more than any other Christians. Titles used to refer to the Virgin Mary throughout history, at times reflect the changing attitudes towards her. "Domina" (lady), "Regina" (queen) and "Stella Maris" (star of the sea) are some