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The perpetual virginity of Mary asserts Mary's "real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to Jesus the Son of God made Man".〔〔 According to the doctrine, Mary was ever-virgin () for the whole of her life, making Jesus her only biological son, whose conception and birth are held to be miraculous.〔〔 By the fourth century, the doctrine was widely supported by the Church Fathers, and by the seventh century it had been affirmed in a number of ecumenical councils.〔〔〔 The doctrine is part of the teaching of Catholicism and Anglo-Catholics, as well as Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, as expressed in their liturgies, in which they repeatedly refer to Mary as "ever virgin".〔''Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of world religions'' by Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1999 ISBN 0-87779-044-2 page 1134〕〔''(Catechism of the Catholic Church'' §499 )〕〔(Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom ), (Coptic Liturgy of St Basil ), (Liturgy of St Cyril ), (Liturgy of St James ), (Understanding the Orthodox Liturgy ) etc.〕 Assyrian Church of the East, which is derived from Church of the East, also accept the perpetual virginity of Mary by titling her the "Ever Virgin", after the "Second Heaven". Some early Protestant reformers such as Martin Luther supported the doctrine, and founding figures of Anglicanism such as Hugh Latimer and Thomas Cranmer "followed the tradition that they had inherited by accepting Mary as 'ever virgin'".〔(Timothy Bradshaw, "Commentary and Study Guide on the Seattle Statement ''Mary: Hope and Grace in Christ'' of the Anglican – Roman Catholic International Commission"). )〕 Reformed teaching, however, largely abandoned it.〔〔 The doctrine of perpetual virginity is currently maintained by many Anglican and Lutheran theologians.〔〔(Richard R. Lorsch, ''All the People in the Bible'' (Eerdmans 2008 ISBN 978-0-80282454-7), p. 283 )〕〔Jackson, Gregory Lee, ''Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant: a doctrinal comparison''. 1993 ISBN 978-0-615-16635-3 page 254〕 In addition, John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, affirmed the perpetual virginity of Mary. ==Doctrine and representations== The doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, which is believed ''de fide'' (i.e. held by Catholics as being an essential part of faith), states that Mary was a virgin before, during and after giving birth for all her life.〔Mark Miravalle, 1993, ''Introduction to Mary'', Queenship Publishing ISBN 978-1-882972-06-7, pages 56-64〕〔〔(Vatican website Catechism of the Catholic Church item 499 )〕 The threefold nature this doctrine (referring to ''before'', ''during'' and ''after'') thus subsumes the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus.〔〔''Mary in the New Testament'' edited by Raymond Edward Brown 1978 ISBN 0-8091-2168-9 page 273〕〔 The doctrine of perpetual virginity is also distinct from the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which relates to the conception of the Virgin Mary herself without any stain (''macula'' in Latin) of original sin.〔''A history of the church in the Middle Ages'' by F. Donald Logan, 2002, ISBN 0-415-13289-4, p150〕 The Greek term ''Aeiparthenos'' (i.e. "Ever Virgin") is attested to by Epiphanius of Salamis from the early 4th century.〔''Joseph, Mary, Jesus'' by Lucien Deiss, Madeleine Beaumont 1996 ISBN 0-8146-2255-0 page 30〕 It is widely used in the liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church.〔''The image of the Virgin Mary in the Akathistos hymn'' by Leena Mari Peltomaa 2001 ISBN 90-04-12088-2 page 127〕 Eastern Orthodox liturgical prayers typically end with "Remembering our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary".〔''Eastern Orthodoxy through Western eyes'' by Donald Fairbairn 2002 ISBN 0-664-22497-0 page 100〕 The Catechism of the Catholic Church (item 499) also includes to the term Aeiparthenos and referring to the dogmatic constitution ''Lumen gentium'' (item 57) states: "Christ's birth did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it."〔''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' by the Vatican, 2002 ISBN 0-86012-324-3 page 112〕〔(''Vatican website'': Catechism item 499 )〕〔(Vatican website: ''Lumen gentium'' item 57 )〕 The doctrine of perpetual virginity is also held by some Anglican and some Lutheran churches, but not all of those churches endorse the doctrine.〔 The virginity of Mary at the time of her conception of Jesus is a key topic in Marian art in the Catholic Church, usually represented as the annunciation to Mary by the Archangel Gabriel that she would virginally conceive a child to be born the Son of God. Frescos depicting this scene have appeared in Roman Catholic Marian churches for centuries.〔Annunciation Art, Phaidon Press, 2004, ISBN 0-7148-4447-0〕 The oldest fresco of the annunciation is a 4th-century depiction in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome.〔''The Annunciation to Mary'' by Eugene Laverdiere 2007 ISBN 1-56854-557-6 page 29〕 Mary's virginity even after her conception of Jesus is regularly represented in the Christian art of both the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox (as well as in early Western religious art) by including in Nativity scenes the figure of Salome, whom the Gospel of James presents as finding that Mary had preserved her virginity even in giving birth to her son.〔''Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography'' by Helene E. Roberts 1998 ISBN 1-57958-009-2 page 904〕〔''Treasures from the Ark: 1700 Years of Armenian Christian Art'' by Vrej Nersessian 2001 ISBN 0-7123-4699-6 page 167〕 In many icons, Mary's perpetual virginity is signified by three stars that appear on her left, her right, and above her or on her head, which represent her virginity before, during and after giving birth.〔''Heroes of the icon: people, places, events'' by Steven Bigham 1998 ISBN 1-879038-91-9 page 47〕〔''The icon handbook'' by David Coomler 1995 ISBN 0-87243-210-6 page 203〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Perpetual virginity of Mary」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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