How did the Virgin Mary (Mother of Jesus Christ) decease?

Question

It does not mention in the Bible how the Virgin Mary died and I was wondering what scholars of Christianity and leaders of the church (Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox) believe how the Virgin Mary died since there is no mentioning in the Bible how she past away after her death.

Answer 1

Did Mary Die From Natural Causes?

ACCORDING to the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, the Catholic doctrine of the Assumption states: “The Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over.” This teaching has led some Catholic theologians to claim that Mary “did not die and was immediately raised from earthly life to heavenly glory,” says the paper.

Recently, Pope John Paul II cast a different light on the matter. At the General Audience at the Vatican on June 25, 1997, he said: “The New Testament provides no information on the circumstances of Mary’s death. This silence leads one to suppose that it happened naturally, with no detail particularly worthy of mention. . . . The opinions that wish to exclude her from death by natural causes seem groundless.”

Pope John Paul’s statement opens a deep crack in the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. If Jesus’ mother was “preserved free from all stain of original sin,” how could Mary die from “natural causes,” which result from sin passed on by sinful Adam? (Romans 5:12) This theological dilemma is due to the Catholic Church’s distorted view of Jesus’ mother. Little wonder that division and confusion have arisen within the Catholic Church over the matter.

While the Bible portrays Mary as being humble, faithful, and devout, it does not ascribe these qualities to an “immaculate conception.” (Luke 1:38; Acts 1:13, 14) The Bible simply says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Yes, Mary inherited sin and imperfection as did the rest of humankind, and there is no evidence that she died from anything other than natural causes.—Compare 1 John 1:8-10.

Answer 2

It is not mentioned in the bible, as many other things are not mentioned.

You can go to ancient Roman records and should be able to find the secular records for births and deaths, as they were meticulously recorded back then. It may not say how she died , however.

THere are many secular writings that give more detail on events that are recorded in the bible. They are very interesting, but not all are accurate.
Lost books of the bible is a very interesting source of information, although much of it is very easy to see that it is inaccurate, some of it simply gives us a bit more understanding of lives and culture at the time.

Actually very few deaths are written about in the new testament. and even in the old testament, sometimes it merely mentions the age of the person when they "gave up the ghost" or the "years of"

My thoughts are that if it was'nt important to the actual message that GOD has given us through the bible, it wasnt put in there.

I do love to learn the history behind the story, so I do look up as much original text as I can, but I still keep upfront the real message is the only important thing I have to know and remember.

Answer 3

Well most people believe she did not die until Luke finished writing his gospel, because many believe he got his nativity information from her. Women are rarely mentioned in the bible, unless they are of critical importance, Ruth ancestor of Christ, Some queens of Israel like Jezebel and Esther was a queen. Deborah was a prophetess, Mary was Jesus' mother, etc. But the gospels are written about Jesus.

Maybe God will reveal a new gospel to someone "The Gospel of Mary (mother of Jesus)"

As to her being sinless, if she was why would she call God her savior?

Luke 1
46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

If she then has a savior, she must need to be saved of her sins, therefore she must have died, or is still walking around today until the Judgement, lol

Answer 4

Well, according to Catholic teaching, Mary never died a human death... instead, she was ascended body and soul into heaven. This is not something discussed in written Scripture (ie, the Bible) but has instead been passed down through Tradition (note the caps because Catholics believe equally in the two).

Answer 5

Very few of the New Testament people have descriptions, much less notations, concerning their death. Count them and see. We have stories concerning the death of such as Paul and Peter and some of the disciples and early church leaders that were killed like James the brother of John and Stephen. But most of the names in the Bible do not have death notices. Mary, mother of Jesus, was simply one of those dozens of named persons for which we simply assume by any of the common ways, she too 'went the way of all flesh'--she died. The Roman Catholic Church venerates Mary, "Mother of God", even to the point of making her mother to provide the Immaculate Conception of Mary so that Mary will be the clean vessel for gestating the Son of God. Nothing like that is in the Bible either. The Cult of Mary is so strong with some that for centuries, though definitely not the full two millennia of Christianity, people would pray to Mary in intercession for us in Heaven. Much of Christianity recognizes a Trinity, which is as Jesus described as Matthew recorded concerning baptism of believers "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The Cult of Mary deifies her to next to that level of authority. So, to some the end and whereabouts of Mary is important, to others and most of Christian history, she is just another of the honored followers of God through Jesus Christ.

Answer 6

This is a Catholic website that explains it all

http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=469

according to this site Some Catholics believe she died and was resurrected just like Christ and Some believe she never died but was assumed Body and Soul into Heaven.

Answer 7

The old ecclesiastical records of Glastonbury, confirmed by many other ancient writers, state that the virgin Mary departed this life in the year A.D. 48. Coinciding with this, the Abbey records officially declare that St. Mary's Chapel, erected by St. David, was built over her remains.

Answer 8

Although it's not in the Bible, Catholic tradition says that when she got to be old, God took her bodily up into heaven. Catholics celebrate this on the feast of the Assumption, August 15.

Answer 9

From a Catholic perspective here, I am no Bible buff, but I know enough to say she died of old age and when it was her time to go to heaven, Jesus sent his army of angels and took her whole body into heaven.

Answer 10

You got me there. I know that there is some controversy over which Mary ( Virgin or Magdalene) certain scriptures are speaking of.