Britannica Sources used in this answer

What does the title Theotokos mean when applied to Mary?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Antonello da Messina: Madonna and Child — Mary *Madonna and Child*, oil and tempera on panel by Antonello da Messina, 1475; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

The title Theotokos is a Greek term that translates literally to "God-Bearer" or "Mother of God" when applied to the Virgin Mary.12

This designation holds significant historical and theological importance within Eastern Orthodoxy. Its usage was a central point of debate during the early church councils regarding the two natures of Christ. While Nestorians argued that the term compromised the human nature of Jesus and preferred the title Christotokos ("Christ-Bearer"), the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE affirmed that Mary was truly the mother of God. This decision was based on the belief in the unity of Christ's person, a concept further solidified by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE when defining the hypostatic union of his human and divine natures.1