The Vatican has issued a new clarification affirming that only Jesus Christ serves as the Redeemer of humanity, and not the Virgin Mary. In a document released Tuesday titled Mater populi fidelis (“The Mother of the Faithful People”), the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith firmly rejected the title “Co-redemptrix,” saying it can create confusion and misrepresent Christian teaching.
“It would not be appropriate to use the title ‘Co-redemptrix’ to define Mary’s cooperation,” the Note states. “This title risks obscuring Christ’s unique salvific mediation and can therefore create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith.”
Approved by Pope Leo XIV and signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and Monsignor Armando Matteo, the document emphasizes that Mary’s role in salvation history is deeply honored but must always be understood in relation to Christ, the world’s only Redeemer.
While the Church recognizes Mary as “Mother of the Faithful,” her cooperation in God’s plan of salvation does not place her on the same level as Jesus. The title “Mediatrix” may still be used, but only when it clearly shows that Christ remains the sole Mediator between God and humanity.
The Vatican recalls that although past Popes, including Saint John Paul II, occasionally used the term “Co-redemptrix,” it was never formally defined as doctrine. The Second Vatican Council also avoided the term to maintain unity and clarity.
In 1996, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) cautioned that “Co-redemptrix” was “unclear, not biblical and could distort the faith.” The latest Vatican note echoes this warning, reaffirming that all Marian devotion should lead believers closer to Christ, not away from Him.
Through Mater populi fidelis, the Church aims to strengthen authentic devotion to Mary — honoring her as the faithful Mother who always points the world to her Son.
