Immaculate Conception
Preserved but no longer current.
This dogma, that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin, was first broached by St. Bernard, was stoutly maintained by Duns Scotus and his disciples, but was not declared by the Roman Catholic Church to be an article of faith till 1 854.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Immaculate Conception” mean?
This dogma, that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin, was first broached by St. Bernard, was stoutly maintained by Duns Scotus and his disciples, but was not declared by the Roman Catholic Church to be an article of faith till 1 854.
Is “Immaculate Conception” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.