We have all heard at least a few times that Saint Mary is the Mother of Jesus. When Mary was three years old, the Holy Fathers Joachim and Anna went to the Temple in Jerusalem with the young girl. To fulfill the promise they had made. Details of this stage in the life of the Mother of God are recorded in the second-century Apocrypha, known as the Gospel of James.
The Bible and Christians recognize Saint Mary as the birth mother of Jesus. She was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and gave birth to the Savior of the World. The Mother of God lived for many years after her Son’s Ascension to heaven. Three days before her death, she was informed by the Holy Archangel Gabriel that she would pass from this world to eternal life. The Virgin Mary is one of the main symbols of Christianity. A woman whose worship changed the world. But she may be one of the most misunderstood characters in the Bible. The Bible clearly states that she did not know her husband, Joseph, until she gave birth to Jesus, thus mentioning that Mary was a virgin. She admits to the angel that she never knew a man. Jesus was the first child, and Mary had children with Joseph after him.
Tradition has it that the Virgin Mary remained in the Temple when she was young—for 12 years, spending her time like the other virgins. She read the Scriptures, and the angel Gabriel brought her food and read to her the more difficult places in the Bible, preparing her for the Good News.
Who is Mary?
Mary, both in Heaven and on Earth, kept nothing for herself. It is said that she always manages to turn us toward God. The Holy Scriptures give Mary three names:
- woman
- mother
- Virgin
She thus occupies a special place, and the role of the Virgin Mary in the revelation of Jesus Christ is emphasized.
Mary is the mother of the Holy One of Jesus. A virgin who prayed and received news through the Angel Gabriel. That she would give birth to the Messiah, the Savior of Israel. Furthermore, both the Old and New Testaments place Mary in the mystery of salvation. According to divine will, she was born free from original sin and thus cooperated in God’s plan of salvation.
Mary is on the side of our Lord Jesus Christ not only through His birth but also through her participation in the teachings of her Son made public, especially in His crucifixion. Mary’s role as mother and mediator between believers and the Saviour continues now in heaven; that is why she is always invoked in the Church.
Biography of Mary
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Biblical places from the times of Saint Mary
- Kinneret- Is Kinneret located in Jerusalem? Is it the sea?
- Gethsemane-Where is it located?
Why is Mary a saint?
Her mother exemplifies her in the Church, where clergy and faithful find the model of virtue. Mary is superior to all angels, and those who believe in the powers of the Mother of God have developed a true cult in her honor.
Mary is considered a Saint because she dedicated herself entirely to Jesus. She brought Him into the world and followed Him everywhere. She was a divine gift to her parents. Joachim and Anna had prayed for many years to God to give them heirs, and their prayer was answered.
Knowing Mary’s divine mission, her parents sent her to learn the holy things at the Temple from age 3. And their child was to amaze the priests and rabbis with her wit, gentleness, and wisdom of speech. The priests honored her and respected the prophecy proclaimed at Mary’s birth.
How do we know if Mary was a virgin?
At the age of 12, when the girl’s education was complete, they sought out an older man who had been married before and had children to be her guardian rather than her husband.
The Bible says that, although married to Joseph, Mary remained a virgin to fulfill the Lord’s will and bring forth a child with the gift of the holy spirit. But after the birth of Jesus, she knew Joseph’s manhood. In the Christian tradition and Muslim practice, she remained a virgin during the conception and birth of Jesus.
According to the New Testament, at the time of Jesus’ conception, which was revealed to her by the Archangel Gabriel, she was the betrothed of Joseph of Nazareth. The Archangel Gabriel then appeared to each of them, telling them that their prayer had been answered and not overlooked and that their child would be full of the holy spirit and a chosen vessel.
Key Verse related to Virgin Mary
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and call his name Immanuel.”
How old was Mary when Jesus was born?
God chose the Virgin Mary because she was the most righteous of virgins. He took a pure body and sent the Holy Spirit, who put the Lord Jesus in her. Not in a natural way but in spiritual practice. By the power of the Holy Spirit. The Virgin Mary was a virgin and is a virgin and will be forever. Even when she gave birth to Jesus, she was still a virgin.
At the time when she was announced by the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Messiah, Mary was only 12 years old. Mary was frightened and answered how this would be, for Mary asked the angel: I am a virgin and have never known a man before. And the angel answered her: The Holy Spirit will descend upon you, and the power of the Highest will fill you. So a saint to be born will be called the Son of God.
The Mother of God is later traced in the holy writings to Jerusalem, where she gives birth to the infant Jesus, and then in the sacred city 33 years later, she helplessly watches her Son crucified on the cross. All this time, she stood in the shadow of her Son, following him everywhere, being at the side of his disciples with kind words and advice, even though her presence was scarcely mentioned in the biblical writings.
Was Mary a virgin when she died?
After her crucifixion and Ascension, little is known about her life. She is believed to have continued to live in Zion, near Jerusalem, and endured attacks and insults from those who opposed Christianity.
But we know that Mary gave birth to sons and daughters. So clearly, before she died, Mary was no longer a virgin. But the Birth of God. Jesus had four brothers, according to the Bible. The New Testament verses themselves highlight this fact. The term virgin after Jesus’ birth is no longer relevant. After the incarnation of the Saviour, no biblical text uses the expression virgin Mary, but the mother of Jesus.
For it is pointed out by Matthew that He is not the carpenter’s Son. Is not Mary his mother? And James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, not His brothers? Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him, but they could not speak to him because of the crowd. All these stood with one mind in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and his brothers.
Why do we pray to saint Mary?
John the Evangelist is the one who sustained her when Mary was alone. And it was also he who took her with him to Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey, where he had a mission to speak to young people about faith in God.
There are many reasons why people pray to the Mother of God, but the main reason is that Mary prays for us. All demonstrate excellent trust in Her, regardless of age. The mystery of the Virgin Mary need not be limited to what certain theological writings of the last century say about Her.
Our Blessed’ tunic is said to have protective and healing powers. The Church in which it was deposited has burned several times, but the flames have never touched the holy relic. Among the most important places and objects related to the life of Our Lady is the shirt Mary is said to have worn when Jesus was born. It was brought by Charles the Great after his crusades to Jerusalem and is housed in Chartres’ Notre Dame Cathedral, the oldest Gothic-style Church in France.
Saint Mary Prayer
Most holy and blessed Mother of God, Mary,
good Mother of the Good King,
pour out the mercy of your Son
and of our God on my sinful soul and,
with your prayers, lead me to good deeds,
so that the other time of my blameless life may pass
and through you, I may acquire heaven,
Virgin, Mother of God, for you are pure and blessed.
Amen.
Primary Takeaways
- Mary is one of the most loved and used names of biblical origin. It is the name of the one who gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God, and is remembered as a symbol of purity.
- According to the New Testament, she was the betrothed of Joseph of Nazareth at the time of Jesus’ conception, which was revealed to her by the Archangel Gabriel. She miraculously remained a virgin in Christian and Muslim tradition during Jesus’ conception and birth.
- In the Christian calendar, 15 August is a holy day full of symbols. It is the day on which the Blessed Virgin Mary passed away. It is also known as the Day of Adoration, when angels and saints fill the surroundings with light.
Conclusion
The veneration of Mary as a virgin plays an essential role in Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern churches. According to the dogmatic definitions adopted by this ecumenical synod, just as sin came into the world through a woman, so salvation came into the world through a woman. Mary was therefore called the new Eve.
If you enjoyed reading our article, play the following Quizlet to test your biblical knowledge about Virgin Mary. Also, I want you to take your dose of joy by accessing the following link: Verse of the Day. May God bless you!
Bible Trivia about Saint Mary
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Explanation of biblical words
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Bibliography
- Warner, M. (2013). Alone of all her sex: The myth and the cult of the Virgin Mary. Oxford University Press, USA.
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Hackett, H. (1995). Virgin mother, maiden queen: Elizabeth I and the cult of the Virgin Mary (p. 134165). Basingstoke: Macmillan.
- Kalavrezou, I. (1990). Images of the Mother: When the Virgin Mary Became” Meter Theou.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 44, 165-172.
- Borgeaud, P. (2004). Mother of the gods: from Cybele to the Virgin Mary. JHU Press.
- Fulton, R., & Brown, R. F. (2002). From judgment to passion: devotion to Christ and the Virgin Mary, 800-1200. Columbia University Press.
