Mary Ever-Virgin Mother of God by St. Athanasius of Alexandria

“For, if she had had other children, the saviour would not have ignored them and entrusted His Mother to someone else; nor would she have become someone else’s mother. She would not have [abandoned her own] to live with others, knowing well that it ill becomes [a woman] to abandon her husband or her children. But, since she was a virgin and was his mother, he gave her as a mother to his disciple, even though she was not really John’s mother, because of his great purity of understanding and because of her untouched virginity.”

Athanasius, De virginitate, in Le Musèon 42: 243-44

“Mary, who gave birth to God, remained a virgin to the end [in order to be a model for] all to come after her”

Athanasius, De virginitate, in Le Musèon 42: 244

“The Holy Scriptures, which instructs us, and the life of Mary, Mother of God, suffice as an ideal of perfection and the form of the heavenly life.”

Athanasius, De virginitate, in Le Musèon 42:255

“Mary was a pure virgin … She loved to do good works .. She did not want to be seen by men but prayed to God to be her judge … She remained at home always, leading a sheltered life .. she gave generously to the needy what surplus she had earned by the work of her hands … She prayed to God as one person speaks to another … Her speech was reflective and her voice subdued .. she purposed to make some advances each day and did so … she did not worry about dying. She was even sad and sighed every day because she had not yet reached the gates of heaven.”

Athanasius, Letter to Virgins, in Le Musèon 42: 244-45

“How many virgins Mary will meet ! How she will embrace them and lead them to the Lord’s feet! What joy among the angels when they see an image of their own purity in the bodies of virgins! How the Lord will present them to his Father, saying: “All these were and are [virgins] like Mary, my Mother!”

Athanasius, De virginitate, in Le Musèon 42: 248

If you are interested in more quotes on Virgin Mary, you can find them in Mary and the Fathers of the Church on Amazon in both in Kindle and paperback formats.

References:

Gambero, L., 1999. Mary and the Fathers of the Church 1st ed. Translated by Buffer, T., San Francisco: Ignatius Press. p.104-105

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