How can the Church be called a mother and virgin at the same time?

The answer

St. Augustine says, “Surpassing all the sons of men in beauty (cf. Ps. 44:3), He, the Son of holy Mary and the Spouse of holy Church, has made the Church like to His Mother, since

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He made it a mother for us and He kept it a virgin for Himself.” Again he says, “Your Father is God; the Church is your Mother. Far otherwise will you be generated by them than

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when you were begotten by your physical parents.”

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty