Mary, mother of Jesus [13] For the 1999 television film, see Mary, Mother of Jesus cal references. Mary (Arabic: ᐵᐙఆ௷ , translit. Maryām ) (film). For other uses, see Saint Mary (disambiguation), also has a revered position in Islam, where one of the Nuestra Señora (disambiguation), and Virgin Mary longer chapters of the Quran is devoted to her. (disambiguation). This article is an overview. For specific views, see: Anglican, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Ecumenical, Islamic, Lutheran, Mormon, and Protestant perspectives. 1 Names and titles Mary (Greek: Μαρία, translit. María; Aramaic: , :translit. Miriam ; Arabic , מִרְיָם :translit. Mariam ; Hebrew ᐵᐙఆ௷ , translit. Mariam ), also known by various titles, styles and honorifics, was a 1st-century Galilean Jewish[2] woman of Nazareth and the mother of Jesus, according to the New Testament and the Quran.[3][4] The gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testa- ment and the Quran describe Mary as a virgin (Greek: παρθένος, translit. parthénos)[5] and Christians believe that she conceived her son while a virgin by the Holy Spirit. The miraculous birth took place when she was al- ready betrothed to Joseph and was awaiting the conclud- ing rite of marriage, the formal home-taking ceremony.[6] She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.[7] The Gospel of Luke begins its account of Mary’s life with the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced her divine selection to be the mother of Jesus. According to canonical gospel accounts, Mary was present at the crucifixion and is depicted as a mem- ber of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. Ac- cording to the Catholic and Orthodox teaching, at the end of her earthly life her body was assumed directly into Heaven; this is known in the Christian West as the Assumption.[8][9] Mary has been venerated since Early Christianity,[10][11] and is considered by millions to be the most meritorious saint of the religion. She is claimed to have miraculously appeared to believers many times over the centuries. Virgin and Child with angels and Sts. George and Theodore. The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Icon from around 600, from Saint Catherine’s Monastery. Anglican, and Lutheran churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God (Greek: Θε- οτόκος, translit. Theotokos, lit. 'God-bearer'). There Main article: Titles of Mary is significant diversity in the Marian beliefs and devo- tional practices of major Christian traditions. The Ro- man Catholic Church holds distinctive Marian dogmas, Mary’s name in the original manuscripts of the New namely her status as the Mother of God, her Immaculate Testament was based on her original Aramaic name [14] Conception, her perpetual virginity, and her Assumption , translit. Maryam or Mariam. The English name into heaven.[12] Many Protestants minimize Mary’s role "Mary" comes from the Greek Μαρία, which is a short- within Christianity, based on the argued brevity of bibli- ened form of Μαριάμ. Both Μαρία and Μαριάμ appear in the New Testament. 1 2 2 NEW TESTAMENT 1.1 In Christianity Maryām ), mother of Isa (Arabic: ᐵᐙఆ௷ ౷ౢ ၊ᄫᅴ჻ , translit. ʿĪsā ibn Maryām, lit. 'Jesus, son of Mary' ). She is of- In Christianity, Mary is commonly referred to as the ten referred to by the honorific title sayyidatuna, mean- Virgin Mary, in accordance with the belief that she con- ing “our lady"; this title is in parallel to sayyiduna (“our ceived Jesus miraculously through the Holy Spirit with- lord”), used for the prophets.[27] A related term of en- out her husband's involvement. Among her many other dearment is Siddiqah,[28] meaning “she who confirms the names and titles are the Blessed Virgin Mary (often truth”. Another title for Mary is Qānitah,.[29] abbreviated to “BVM”), Saint Mary (occasionally), the Mother of God (primarily in Western Christianity), the Theotokos (primarily in Eastern Christianity), Our Lady 2 New Testament (Medieval Italian: Madonna), and Queen of Heaven (Latin: Regina Coeli),[15][16] although the title “Queen of Heaven” was also a name for a pagan goddess be- ing worshipped during the prophet Jeremiah’s lifetime (Jeremiah 44:17-19.) Titles in use vary among Anglicans, Lutherans, Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Mormons, and other Christians. The three main titles for Mary used by the Orthodox are Theotokos (Greek: Θεοτόκος, lit. 'God-bearer' or loosely “Mother of God”), Aeiparthenos (Greek: ἀειπαρθὲνος, lit. 'Ever-virgin') as confirmed in the Second Council of Constantinople in 553, and Panagia (Greek: Παναγία, lit. 'All-holy').[17] Catholics use a wide variety of titles for Mary, and these titles have in turn given rise to many artistic depictions. For example, the title Our Lady of Sorrows has inspired such masterpieces as Michelangelo's Pietà.[18] The title Theotokos was recognized at the Council of Eph- esus in 431. The direct equivalents of title in Latin are Deipara and Dei Genetrix, although the phrase is more often loosely translated into Latin as Mater Dei (Mother of God), with similar patterns for other languages used in the Latin Church. However, this same phrase in Greek (Μήτηρ Θεοῦ), in the abbreviated form ΜΡ ΘΥ, is an indication commonly attached to her image in Byzantine icons. The Council stated that the Church Fathers “did The Annunciation by Eustache Le Sueur, an example of 17th- not hesitate to speak of the holy Virgin as the Mother of century Marian art. The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary her God”.[19][20][21] pregnancy with Jesus and offers her White Lilies. Some Marian titles have a direct scriptural basis. For in- stance, the title “Queen Mother” has been given to Mary • The Gospel of Luke mentions Mary the most often, since she was the mother of Jesus, who was sometimes identifying her by name twelve times, all of these referred to as the “King of Kings” due to his ancestral in the infancy narrative (1:27,30,34,38,39,41,46,56; descent from King David. The scriptural basis for the 2:5,16,19,34). term “Queen” can be seen in Luke 1:32 and the Isaiah 9:6. “Queen Mother” can be found in 1 Kings 2:19-20 • The Gospel of Matthew mentions her by name six and Jeremiah 13:18-19.[22] Other titles have arisen from times, five of these (1:16,18,20; 2:11) in the infancy reported miracles, special appeals or occasions for call- narrative and only once (13:55) outside the infancy ing on Mary. To give a few examples, Our Lady of Good narrative. Counsel, Our Lady of Navigators and Our Lady Undoer • of Knots fit this description.[23][24][25][26] The Gospel of Mark names her once (6:3) and men- tions her as Jesus’ mother without naming her in 3:31 and 3:32. 1.2 In Islam • The Gospel of John refers to her twice but never mentions her by name. Described as Jesus’ mother, Main article: Mary in Islam she makes two appearances. She is first seen at the wedding at Cana. [Jn 2:1-12] The second reference, In Islam, she is known as Maryam (Arabic: ᐵᐙఆ௷ , translit. listed only in this gospel, has her standing near the 2.3 Birth of Jesus 3 cross of Jesus together with Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas (or Cleophas), and her own sister (pos- sibly the same as Mary of Clopas; the wording is semantically ambiguous), along with the "disciple whom Jesus loved".[Jn 19:25-26] John 2:1-12 is the only text in the canonical gospels in which the adult Jesus has a conversation with Mary. He does not address her as “Mother” but as “Woman”. In Koine Greek (the language that John’s Gospel was composed in), calling one’s mother “Woman” was not disrespect- ful, and could even be tender.[30] Accordingly, some versions of the Bible translate it as "Dear woman”. (John 2:4 NLT; NCV; AMP). • In the Acts of the Apostles, Mary and the brothers of Jesus are mentioned in the company of the Eleven (apostles) who are gathered in the upper room after the Ascension of Jesus.[Acts 1:14] • In the Revelation to John,[12:1,5-6] Mary is never ex- plicitly identified as the "woman clothed with the sun". Jean-Pierre Ruiz makes that connection in an article in New Theology Review[31] but the belief is quite ancient. 2.1 Genealogy The New Testament tells little of Mary’s early history. The Virgin’s first seven steps, mosaic from Chora Church, c. 12th John 19:25 states that Mary had a sister; semantically century it is unclear if this sister is the same as Mary the wife of Clopas or if she is left unnamed. Jerome identi- fies Mary of Cleopas as the sister of Mary, mother of trothal — the first stage of a Jewish marriage — the angel Jesus.[32] According to the early second-century histo- Gabriel announced to her that she was to be the mother rian Hegesippus, Mary of Clopas was likely Mary’s sister- of the promised Messiah by conceiving him through the in-law, understanding Clopas (Cleophas) to have been Holy Spirit, and, after initially expressing incredulity at Joseph’s brother.[33] the announcement, she responded, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your According to the writer of Luke, Mary was a relative of word.”[37] Joseph planned to quietly divorce her, but was Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah of the priestly di- told her conception was by the Holy Spirit in a dream by vision of Abijah, who was herself part of the lineage of “an angel of the Lord"; the angel told him to not hesitate Aaron and so of the tribe of Levi.[Luke 1:5;1:36] Some of to take her as his wife, which Joseph did, thereby formally those who consider that the relationship with Elizabeth completing the wedding rites.[38][Mt 1:18-25] was on the maternal side, consider