You do realize the Sub Tuum Praesidium predates the Canonization of the NT by likely at least a Century right? The Title of Theotokos (God Bearer) was assigned to the Mother of God at the Council of Ephesus in 431. (1) As to Marian Veneration in Scripture: (A) Marian Typology in the Old Testament ⁃Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman” ⁃Kings 2:19-20 (Solomon institutes office of Queen Mother) ⁃Psalms 45:9 “at your right hand stands the queen in gold at Ophix” ⁃Psalms 45:13 “the daughter of the king . . . with gold woven robes” ⁃Isaiah 7:14 “a virgin shall conceive and bear a son” ⁃Luke 1 (compares Mary with the Ark of the Covenant - verse 35 with Numbers 9:15, verse 44 with 2 Samuel 6:14, verse 43 with 2 Samuel 6:9, verse 56 with 2 Samuel 6:11) (B) Mary Hailed as “Mother of Our Lord” ⁃Matthew 1:23 “virgin shall . . . bear a son . . . shall be called “Emmanuel”” ⁃Luke 1:35 “child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God” ⁃Luke 1:43 “the mother of my Lord” ⁃Galatians 4:4 “God sent forth His Son, born of woman” ⁃John 19:27 “Behold your mother.” (C) Mary As Intercessor ⁃John 2:1 (IHS works Miracle at Cana at Mary’s request) ⁃See also Acts 1:14; 1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 4:16 (D) Marian Assumption prefigured in OT and supported in NT ⁃Genesis 5:23-24 (Mary’s Assumption prefigured through Enoch’s assumption) ⁃Apocalypse of Saint John 12:1-12 (Woman in Heaven clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, wearing a crown of twelve stars) (E) Mary’s Uniqueness in Creation ⁃Genesis 3:15 (Total opposition to satan) ⁃Luke 1:28 “Hail, full of Grace” ⁃Luke 1:42 “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb” ⁃Luke 1:48 “behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed” (2) Regarding Intercessory Prayer Many protestants conflate “prayer” with worship. It’s not. Prayer means literally “to ask or petition.” Parties to litigation indeed “pray” to civil courts for relief. Intercessory Prayer is referenced at least as far back as 1 Kings 13:6. Even the Lord’s Prayer references our forgiveness for those who trespass against us. Paul exhorts us to pray for others (in Ephesians 6:18), prays for Onesiphorous (2 Timothy 1:16-18), James exhorts the same (James 5:16) and IHS does this repeatedly (John 17:9 inter Alia). Saints aren’t dead. Archangels Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael are most definitely Saints and most definitely not dead. Elijah and Moses appeared with IHS at the Transfiguration (Mark 9, Luke 9, Matt 17) and that Jesus promised Saint Dismas Eternal Life that very day of his Crucifixion (Luke 23:43). Saints are alive ⁃Wisdom 3:1-7 “souls of the righteous are in the Hand of God . . . they will shine forth” ⁃Matthew 17:1-5 (Transfiguration: Jesus speaks with Moses and Elijah) ⁃Mark 12:26-27 “God of Abraham . . . Isaac . . . Jacob . . . not God of the dead but God of the living” ⁃Apocalypse of Saint John 7:15 “they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night” ⁃Luke 23:43 “Amen, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.” ⁃Luke 20:38 “and He is not the God of the dead but the God of the living, for to Him all are alive.” See also ⁃Matthew 22:30-32 ⁃Matthew 27:52-53 ⁃Mark 9:4 ⁃Luke 9:30-31 ⁃Luke 15:17 ⁃Luke 16:19-31 ⁃John 12:25-26 ⁃John 17:3 ⁃Romans 8:26-27 ⁃1 Corinthians 13:9-12 ⁃1 Corinthians 15:42-43 ⁃2 Corinthians 3:18 ⁃Philippians 3:20-21 ⁃1 Thessalonians 3:13 ⁃1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 ⁃2 Thessalonians 1:10 ⁃1 John 3:2 ⁃Revelation 6:9-11 ⁃Revelation 7:9-17 ⁃Revelation 14:1-5 ⁃Revelation 16:6 #CatholicTwitter