When we say we don't accept that the Virgin Mary was born without original sin, do we mean she had personal sins, or that she had a fallen nature? Can sin be transmitted from Adam to us? If not, are we all not born with original sin at all, but only a fallen nature? What do Catholics mean by original sin?

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

In the Coptic Orthodox perspective, this is a very important distinction that separates our Patristic understanding from later developments in Western (Roman Catholic) theology.

1. The Coptic Orthodox Understanding of "Original Sin"

When we speak of the "sin of Adam," we do not believe that we inherit the legal guilt (the personal culpability) of Adam. You are not blamed for what Adam did in the Garden of Eden. However, we do inherit the consequences of that sin.

As the Church Fathers, such as St. Athanasius and St. Cyril of Alexandria, teach:

• Fallen Nature: We are born with a nature that is subject to death (mortality), corruptibility, and a weakened will that is prone to passions.
• Natural Passibility: As mentioned in the writings of St. Maximus, the "innocent" transformation of human nature from incorruption into corruption occurred due to Adam's fall. We inherit this state of death. Because we are born into a state of separation from the life-giving grace of God, we inevitably sin.

So, when we say Saint Mary was not born "without original sin" in the way Catholics define it, we mean that she was born with the same mortal, human nature that we all have. She was subject to death and hunger, and she needed the salvation of her Son to be raised into eternal life and incorruption.

2. Can Sin be Transmitted?

Personal sin (the act of choosing evil) is not transmitted biologically. However, Didymus the Blind notes that we are "all born under sin," meaning we are born into a world and a condition where death reigns. Because our nature became "stung by sin," it became a "vessel and instrument of evil." We inherit the sickness of sin (death), not the crime of Adam.

3. What Roman Catholics Mean by "Original Sin"

The Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception (defined in 1854) claims that Saint Mary, from the first moment of her conception, was "preserved free from all stain of original sin."

• The Difference: In the West, following Augustine, "Original Sin" is often viewed as a "stain" or a "debt of guilt" passed down to all humans.
• The Coptic View: We believe that if Saint Mary were born with a different nature than ours (one that could not die or was not subject to the human condition), then the flesh Christ took from her would be different from our flesh. St. Gregory of Nazianzus famously said: "That which is not assumed is not healed." If Christ took "immaculate" flesh that was exempt from the human condition of Adam, then He did not truly assume our fallen nature to heal it.

4. Was Saint Mary Sinless?

While she was born with the same nature as us, the Coptic Church holds her in the highest possible regard concerning her personal purity:

• Highest Purity: We believe she was so pure and devoted to God that she did not commit "willful" or "deliberate" sins.
• Sanctification: At the moment of the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit came upon her (Luke 1:35) and purified her completely so that she could be a fit dwelling place for the Word of God.
• The Solution: She is the "Holiest of Holies," but she is still a member of the human race. She is the first-fruit of the redeemed. By saying she inherited the fallen nature, we are affirming that she is truly one of us, and thus, her Son is truly one of us.

Summary

• Catholics: Believe she was born without the "stain/guilt" of original sin (Immaculate Conception).
• Coptic Orthodox: Believe she was born with our mortal, fallen nature (subject to death) but remained personally holy and was uniquely sanctified by the Holy Spirit to give birth to God. We do not inherit Adam's guilt, but we inherit his death and corruptibility.