By Phillip Rolfes | Staff Writer

September 9, 2025

Catholics refer to Mary as the “Queen of Heaven and Earth.”

This makes many non-Catholics wonder, where does the Bible call Mary "Queen of Heaven and Earth”?

Catholics can point to several verses in the Bible that identify Mary as the queen of heaven and earth without explicitly calling her that.

This article will look at two passages in particular: Mt 2:1-12 and Rev 12:5-6.

Mary: Queen Mother in Matthew’s Gospel

Throughout his infancy narratives, Matthew puts a strong emphasis on Joseph’s role.

The angel appears to Joseph three times. It is Joseph who brings the Holy Family to Bethlehem, and it is he who will take them to the safety of Egypt and, eventually, to Nazareth.

All of this is understandable given Matthew’s purpose in these narratives.

He’s demonstrating to his Jewish audience that Jesus is the legitimate heir to the Davidic throne through Joseph, His “foster” father.

But in Mt 2:9-12 there’s a dramatic shift.

As the magi come to worship the newborn “king of the Jews” (2:2), Joseph is nowhere to be found.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”

As modern-day readers, we might dismiss this by saying, “Of course this newborn baby is with his mother.”

But this ignores the fact that Matthew, like the other Gospel writers, was a very careful and very intentional writer.

As author Dr. Edward Sri points out:

“[T]his scene involves a number of Davidic kingdom themes: Jesus is called the “king of the Jews” (2:2). The star guiding the magi recalls the star in Balaam’s oracle about the royal scepter rising out of Israel (Num 24:17). The narrative centers on the city of Bethlehem, where David was born (1 Sam 17:12) and out of which the future Davidic King would come (Mic 5:2). And the magi bringing gifts and paying the child Jesus homage recall the royal Psalm 72:10–11 (cf. Is 60:6).”

In singling out Mary’s presence at the adoration of the magi, Matthew is once more establishing for his Jewish readers that Jesus is the new Davidic king, this time by pointing to Mary as the new gebirah, the queen mother.

Mary: Queen Mother in Revelation

Let’s open our Bible to one of its most enigmatic books: Revelation.

Revelation 12:5-6 states:

“[S]he brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.”

From this we see that Jesus, the new Davidic king, is to rule the nations of the earth from His throne in heaven. He is thus king of heaven and earth.

Again, one might object, “This is about Jesus, not Mary. Where does the Bible call Mary “Queen of Heaven and Earth”?

Well, for those who have eyes to see, it just did!

A king is never without his queen.  

This was true of the old Davidic kingdom, and it’s true for the new Davidic kingdom—the Church—ruled by Jesus Christ, the new Davidic King.

And since the Davidic kings practiced polygamy, it was the gebirah, the queen mother, who ruled at her son’s side as his closest counselor and as an intercessor on behalf of the people.

And that, in a nutshell, is why Catholics refer to Mary as “Queen of Heaven and Earth.”

If you’d like to learn more, check out:

The Bible and the Virgin Mary (part of the St. Paul Center’s Journey through Scripture series)

Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God

“Mother and Queen” by Edward Sri

“Understanding Mary as Queen Mother” by Edward Sri