While Catholics have professed belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary since the early Church, it was not explicitly defined as a dogmatic belief until 1854.
This meant that for centuries, individual Catholics would argue about the belief and 0ften had opposing views. Theologians debated every detail of the belief, not having a clear conclusion until Pope Pius IX intervened and gave closure to the subject.
Throughout all of this debate, Franciscans were the biggest advocates for the declaration of the Immaculate Conception as a dogmatic belief.
Long history defending the Immaculate Conception
The Franciscans were officially established by St. Francis in 1210, and were imbued at the start with a love of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
What's surprising is how quickly the Franciscans became defenders of the Immaculate Conception. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "The Franciscans at the general chapter at Pisa in 1263 adopted the Feast of the Conception of Mary for the entire order; this, however, does not mean that they professed at that time the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception."
One of the Franciscans' biggest advocates of the Immaculate Conception was Blessed Duns Scotus, who lived from 1263 to 1308. He had a legendary dispute in Paris where he was met with many theologians who opposed the doctrine.
According to a biography written by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, Paris was changed after Scotus came:
Two Papal legates presided over the dispute. Then with powerful dialectic and with deep and subtle reasoning, Bl. Scotus refuted all the objections of the learned men in attendance, undermining the foundation of every argument contrary to Mary's Immaculate Conception. Bl. John Scotus pointed out: "The Perfect Redeemer, must in some case, have done the work of redemption most perfectly, which would not be, unless there is some person, at least, in whose regard, the wrath of God was anticipated and not merely appeased." Bl. John triumphed. From that day the University of Paris took up the same cause to defend this privilege of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Catholic Encyclopedia explains, "Following in the footsteps of their own Duns Scotus, the learned [Franciscan] Petrus Aureolus and Franciscus de Mayronis became the most fervent champions of the doctrine."
Franciscans remained among the loudest proponents of this feast day and of the belief that is behind it.
