Do Roman Catholics worship Mary or just honor and pray to her?
The confusion usually comes from how Catholics define “worship” versus how many Protestants understand it. 1. Do Catholics worship Mary? In official Roman Catholic Church teaching: Worship (adoration)—called latria —is given to God alone (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Mary is given honor—called hyperdulia (a special, high respect). So, officially, they will say: “We do NOT worship Mary as God.” 2. Do Catholics pray to Mary? Yes—this is where the real issue lies. Catholics do: Pray to Mary Ask her to intercede (pray) for them Believe she can present their prayers to Jesus A common example is the “Hail Mary” prayer, where they say: “Holy Mary… pray for us sinners…” So tr correct understanding is: They are not calling her God, but they do use her as a mediator/intercessor. 3. Why do Catholics believe this? Catholics base this on ideas like: The “communion of saints” (believers in heaven are alive and can pray) Mary’s special role as the mother of Jesus Example: Wedding at Cana where Mary sp...