I mmaculate Conception

Abstract

Abstract The adjective “immaculate” derives from the Latin macula , meaning any of the synonyms “stain,” “blot,” “blemish,” “spot,” “flaw,” or “fault” — with the prefix “im” functioning as a negating particle. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary, the mother of Christ, was free from the flaw of original sin from the very first instant of her existence in the womb of her mother. This doctrine must not be confused with the different doctrine of Mary's Perpetual Virginity (before, during, and after the birth of her divine Son), which encompasses the conception of Jesus in his mother's womb rather than the (passive) conception of Mary.