Pope, in audience on Vatican II, reflects on the Blessed Virgin Mary, model of the Church
May 14, 2026
Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV devoted his May 13 general audience (video) to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“In Mary, who under the action of the Holy Spirit welcomed and brought forth the Son of God made flesh, we can recognize both the model and the pre-eminent member and mother of the entire ecclesial community,” Pope Leo said to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. “One might express the sum of these characteristics of the Virgin Mary by referring to her as a woman who is the icon of the Mystery.”
The Pope explained:
The word woman highlights the historical reality of this young daughter of Israel, to whom it was granted to live the extraordinary experience of becoming the mother of the Messiah. The expression icon emphasizes that, in her, the twofold movement of descent and ascent is fulfilled: in her, both God’s gratuitous election and her free consent of faith in Him shine forth.
“The mystery of the Church is also reflected in the Virgin Mary: in her, the people of God find the representation of their origin, their model and their homeland,” Pope Leo continued. “In the Mother of the Lord, the Church contemplates her own mystery, not only because she finds in her the model of virginal faith, maternal charity and the spousal covenant to which she is called, but also and above all because in Her she recognizes her own archetype, the ideal figure of what she is called to be.”
The Pontiff added:
Let us then allow ourselves to be questioned by the sublime model given to us by Mary, Virgin and Mother, and let us ask her to help us, through her intercession, to respond to what is asked of us through her example: do I live my participation of the Church with humble and active faith?
Do I recognize in her the community of the covenant that God has given me to respond to His infinite love? Do I feel that I am a living part of the Church, in obedience to the pastors given by God? Do I look to Mary as a model, an outstanding member and Mother of the Church, and ask her to help me be a faithful disciple of her Son?
“Sisters and brothers, may the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Mary and is invoked by us humbly and trustfully, grant us the grace to live these wonderful realities to the full,” Pope Leo concluded. “And, having reflected deeply on the Constitution Lumen Gentium, let us ask the Virgin to obtain this gift for us: that love for the Holy Mother Church may grow in all of us. So be it!”
Audiences in series “Vatican Council II through its Documents”
- Introductory catechesis (1/7/26)
On Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965):
- God speaks to men as to friends (1/14/26)
- Jesus Christ reveals the Father (1/21/26)
- A single sacred deposit: The relationship between Scripture and Tradition (1/28/26)
- The Sacred Scripture: the Word of God in human words (2/4/26)
- The Word of God in the life of the Church (2/11/26)
On Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (1964)
- The mystery of the Church, sacrament of the union with God, and the unity of all humanity (2/18/26)
- No audience on 2/25 (Pope, Roman Curia on retreat)
- The Church, a Visible and Spiritual Reality (3/4/26)
- The Church, people of God (3/11/26)
- The Church, a Priestly and Prophetic People (3/18/26)
- On the foundation of the Apostles: The Church in her hierarchical dimension (3/25/26)
- Living stones in the Church and witnesses in the world: The laity in the People of God (4/1/26)
- Holiness and evangelical counsels in the Church (4/8/26)
- No audience on 4/15 and 4/22 (in Africa), followed by a special general audience on his apostolic journey to Africa (4/29/26)
- The Church, pilgrim in history towards the heavenly homeland (5/6/26)
- The Virgin Mary, model of the Church (5/13/26)
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