Mary (or Marie), more commonly known as the Virgin Mary and by various titles, styles and honorifics, was a 1st-century Galilean Jewish woman of Nazareth and the mother of Jesus Christ, according to the New Testament and the Quran.
Description[]
Mary has been venerated since Early Christianity, 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. The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God.
There is significant diversity in the Marian beliefs and devotional practices of major Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church holds distinctive Marian dogmas; namely her status as the Mother of God; her Immaculate Conception; her perpetual virginity; and her Assumption into heaven. Mary is also the queen of the White Rose, a realm of pure and utter blessings which resides within the Primum Mobile, the last celestial sphere of Heaven itself.
Overview[]
The gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament describe Mary as a virgin and Christians believe that she conceived her son while a virgin by the Holy Spirit. The miraculous birth took place when she was already betrothed to Joseph and was awaiting the concluding rite of marriage, the formal home-taking ceremony. She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.
The Gospel of Luke begins its account of Mary's life with the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced her divine selection to be the mother of Jesus. Mary resided in "her own house" in Nazareth in Galilee, possibly with her parents. After a number of months, Joseph noticed she was pregnant and planned to divorce her, but was told of her conception in a dream by "an angel of the Lord"; the angel told him to not hesitate to take her as his wife, which Joseph did, thereby formally completing the wedding rites.
Mary was present at the crucifixion and is depicted as a member of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. According to the Catholic and Orthodox teaching, at the end of her earthly life her body was assumed to have been taken directly into Heaven; this is known the Assumption. Mary is also widely believed to be the Woman of the Apocalypse, however, this is most likely untrue as Mary resides within the White Rose as the apocalypse is in effect. As such, there has been speculation that the Woman is actually a reincarnation of the Virgin Mary, taking the form of an ordinary pregnant woman.