When was Adam's sin cleansed from St. Mary?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, the cleansing of the Virgin Mary from the ancestral sin (the fallen nature inherited from Adam) is understood to have occurred at the Annunciation.

When the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and she gave her consent, saying, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38), the Holy Spirit came upon her. As the Archangel stated: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35).

According to Coptic Orthodox theology, this "overshadowing" by the Holy Spirit served a dual purpose:

1. Sanctification: The Holy Spirit purified her nature and cleansed her from the ancestral sin of Adam, making her a fit vessel to receive the Holy God in her womb.
2. Preparation for the Incarnation: It prepared her body to provide the flesh for the Logos (the Word of God) so that Christ would be born of her without the inheritance of sin, while still being fully human.

Key Distinctions in Coptic Theology:

• Rejection of the Immaculate Conception: Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church does not believe that St. Mary was born already cleansed from sin at her own conception. We believe she was born with the same fallen human nature as all descendants of Adam; otherwise, she would not be truly human and could not represent the human race.
• The Moment of Purity: We believe she was a "normal" human who lived a life of exceptional virtue and purity, but the final, divine cleansing of the ancestral sin occurred specifically at the moment the Holy Spirit descended upon her to effect the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, she is rightfully called the Theotokos - Mother of God because she was purified by the Spirit to carry the One who is "Holy, Holy, Holy."