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The Virgin Mary

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Mary (mother of Jesus)
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"Virgin Mary" redirects here. For other uses, see Virgin Mary (disambiguation).
"Saint Mary" redirects here. For other uses, see Saint Mary (disambiguation).
This article is an overview. For specific views, see: Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Ecumenical, Islamic, Lutheran, Protestant, and Roman Catholic perspectives.
Mary

The Madonna in Sorrow, by Sassoferrato, 17th century
Born Unknown; celebrated 8 September[1]
Residence Nazareth, Galilee
Nationality Israelite, Roman Empire[2]
Ethnicity Israelite
Spouse Joseph[3]
Children Jesus of Nazareth
Parents (According to the Gospel of James, circa 2nd Century AD): Joachim and Anne[4]

Mary (Hebrew: מִרְיָם, Miriam; Aramaic: Maryām; Arabic:مريم, Maryam), variously called Saint Mary, Mother Mary, the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mary, Mother of God, and, in Islam, as Maryam, mother of 'Isa, was an Israelite[5] woman of Nazareth in Galilee who lived in the late 1st century BC and early 1st century AD, and is considered by Christians to be the first proselyte to Christianity. She is identified in the New Testament[Mt 1:16,18-25][Lk 1:26-56][2:1-7] and in the Qur'an as the mother of Jesus through divine intervention. Christians hold her son Jesus to be "Christ" (i.e. the messiah), and Muslims regard him as an important prophet of God.

The canonical gospels of Matthew and Luke describe Mary as a virgin (Greek παρθένος, parthénos).[6] Traditionally, Christians believe that she conceived her son miraculously by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Muslims believe that she conceived by the command of God. This took place when she was already betrothed to Saint Joseph and was awaiting the concluding rite of marriage, the formal home-taking ceremony.[7] She married Joseph

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