True. Without him the beief of Christ as the Messiah,etc. would have withered on the vine as a Jewish heracy.(sp??) Of course, I've never understood why some folks would pray to the woman from whom God chose to birth himself.
It's called "intercession".
And it is a false doctrine completely put to rest by many verses, including:
1 Timothy 1:5-6
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Hebrews 7:25 refering to Jesus:
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Where does the doctrine of "intercession" through Mary used by Catholics come from?