THE LIFE OF SAINT ANTHONY by John Cooper ofm cap. Anthony was born at Lisbon in Portugal in 1195.

(1) He was baptised "Fernando" in the Cathedral Church of old Lisbon. On the font is written: "Here the waters of holy baptism cleansed Anthony from all stain of original sin. The world rejoices in his light, Padua in his body, heaven in his soul." (2) His father, was a revenue officer and knight (3) at the court of Alfonso II, king of Portugal. When Fernando was 15 years old, he joined the community of Canons Regular of St Augustine in Lisbon. However, because of the constant visits of his family, he asked to be moved to another house of the Order. At seventeen he was transferred, more than 175km away, to the Augustinian Monastery of Santa Cruz at Coimbra which was renowned for its biblical scholarship. Here he spent nine years in intense study. There is every indication that during this time he learned the Sacred Scriptures off by heart. However, it is possible that he was not ordained during this period as it was a custom of the time to be ordained at the age of thirty.(4) When he was 25 years old he was inspired to die for Christ by the martyrdom of the first Franciscan Friars whose bodies were brought back from Morocco to Coimbra where he was studying. He was deeply affected by their deaths because five months before, he had been guest master and looked after these same friars and knew them by name. Berard, Peter and Otto, were priests; Adiuto and Accursio were brothers. They had tried out of love to convert the Sultan of Morrocco and gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Fernando also wanted to die for Christ. In his enthusiasm he went to the Franciscan Friary at Coimbra, and said to the friars, "If I may go to Morocco and imitate these brothers, I will gladly join you." Soon after, with the reluctant permission of his Augustinian superior he joined the Franciscan Friars taking the name "Anthony" after the patron of the friary at Coimbra called St Anthony of the Olives. Anthony probably took vows immediately as there was no novitiate at that time.(5) Within a few months he was sailing for Morocco to achieve his dream of martyrdom. However, God had other plans for this generous young man. Soon he became so ill with malarial fever that it was necessary for him to set sail for home. On the return voyage a violent storm arose and the ship had to turn and run before the wind. They were blown all the way to Sicily where they found safety in the harbour at Messina. In this city Anthony found a group of Franciscan Friars and hearing of a great meeting of the friars at Pentecost he happily accompanied these friars north to Assisi.There on the 23rd of May, 1221(6) he attended the great Chapter of Mats and was one unknown, new, foreign friar among the thousands gathered for the meeting.

St Francis was very ill during the meeting and he had to whisper to Br Elias his Vicar, who then shouted out Francis' admonitions to the friars. No doubt St Anthony saw St Francis and was inspired by him, but it is not recorded that they met at this time. As the Chapter broke up St Anthony was ignored by everyone. None of the Provincials really wanted this foreign friar. For some reason St Anthony did not impress anyone. Was it simply humility? Was he distracted? His biographers say that he looked rather simple and even stupid.(7) We can only guess at the poignancy of this moment. Perhaps St Anthony, thwarted in his desire for martyrdom, discovered in the poverty and simplicity of St Francis, a new way to achieve his goal of martyrdom. He had died to his family and his country; now he could die to himself. He could enter into the spirituality of Martyrdom which St Francis himself was perfecting in the furnace of love and self sacrifice. To grasp this better it is necessary to study the Admonitions of St Francis which St Anthony would have heard at this great Chapter of Mats. Thus we might understand that St Anthony did not so much seek to hide his talents at this point in time, but to die to them. Perhaps he did this because that is what he thought the Lord wanted him to do. Finally as all the friars were leaving he caught the attention of Friar Gratian, Provincial of Romagna (North Italy), who sent him to a small hermitage at Monte-Paolo near Forli. In this small fraternity he lived a simple life doing menial tasks like cleaning and gardening, setting tables and washing dishes. He was known only as a simple brother who lived cheerfully among his brethren in contemplation and fraternity; in poverty and joy - for 12 months. In 1222, when St Anthony was 27 years old, a number of Dominicans and Franciscans were ordained by Bishop Ricciardellus Belmonti. St Anthony was present at the reception given at the Dominican Priory after the ordinations. It seems that the preacher who was to speak at this occasion did not arrive, so the provincial asked if someone else would give a short sermon to suit the occasion. No one was willing to just get up in front of such a group and preach, so they all declined the invitation. The provincial then ordered Br Anthony to say a few simple words. It is said that he began to speak slowly at first and then more steadily. As he began to speak his words captured their imagination and their hearts caught fire under the power of the Holy Spirit. When he was finished all the friars realized that they were in the presence of a brilliant and powerful preacher. It was a dramatic moment. If Friar Anthony had not been ordained by this time his ordination would have occurred shortly after. St Anthony was one of God's surprises for St Francis. The founder of the Franciscans had a deep suspicion of learning and he manifested this quite clearly. For St Francis a "spirit of prayer and devotion" was more important than work, study or even preaching. However once the friars recognised St Anthony's tremendous knowledge they asked him to teach them. He asked permission of St Francis first. Calling St Anthony "my bishop" out of respect, because a bishop is the teacher and guardian of the flock, St Francis wrote:

Brother Francis wishes health to Brother Anthony, my bishop. It pleases me that you teach sacred theology to the brothers, as long as - in the words of the Rule - you "do not extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion" with study of this kind. One would think that the study of Theology and Scripture would lead to a "Spirit of prayer and devotion" but St Francis instinctively knew better and warned St Anthony to be discerning of the hearts of his students while he was teaching them. From the time of his first sermon Anthony was always on the road, devoting his time and talents to the work of preaching and teaching. His fame spread quickly and soon he was commissioned by St Francis to preach everywhere. He journeyed to many places in Italy and also to many parts of Southern France on what became an evangelical crusade. His brilliant sermons and special style drew such huge crowds that the churches could not hold the people who came to hear him. A platform had to be set up outside in the town square because of the number of people who came to hear him speak. Soon the platform had to be built outside the town and cities. Eventually ten, twenty and thirty, thousand people were attending his sermons. At the news of his coming, shops were shuttered, markets suspended, and law courts closed. During the night before the sermon, the whole countryside became alive with flitting lights as people began to converge from all sides to the place he was to preach. His sermons were electrifying, not simply because he was a good speaker: poise, delivery, conviction, personal charm, amazing memory, mastery of theology, scripture and various sciences, but also because he made a virulent attack on the prevalent sins of contemporary high society; their greed, their luxurious living, their tyranny. He spoke pointedly to Bishops and priests if he knew of their failure to live up to the high standards of their calling and especially when they failed to defend the flock given into their care. He called on those who were listening to repent and to face up to the challenge of living a Christian life. He and the friars with him spent a great deal of time after his sermons hearing confession. Against heretics, St Anthony backed up his arguments with an amazing knowledge of Sacred Scripture. He presented the faith in a positive way capturing the imagination of the people. When heretics would not listen, he got their attention with miracles. At Rimini, a town on the Adriatic Sea, the people would not listen to him, so he turned towards the water and preached to the fish. Along with St Francis' preaching to the birds it remains one of the most delightful stories from the lives of the saints. We have two volumes of St Anthony's sermons for Sundays and Feastdays, however they are not the ones he preached, but rather sermon notes for other preachers to use. In these he made abundant use of nature which he used as symbols. He often used the symbol of fire for "love and devotion" and in art he is sometimes shown holding a flame. In one of his sermons he writes, "When the Holy Spirit enters a soul, He fills it with his fire and lets it enkindle others."

As well as his preaching Anthony was Guardian and minister over different friaries in France. It was when he was at Arles in France that St Francis appeared to the friars while St Anthony was conducting a Local Chapter. He was seen to appear in the doorway with his arms uplifted in the sign of the cross. It was a case of bilocation since St Francis was still alive and in Assisi at the time. After the death of St Francis, St Anthony was recalled to Italy and he became Provincial at Romagna in northern Italy. In 1228 he preached in Rome before Pope Gregory IX and also to the clergy and the people. Pope Gregory was so impressed that he called St Anthony an "Armory of the Bible." He declared that he was sure that if all the bibles in the world were lost Friar Anthony could surely rewrite them. At the turbulent General Chapter of the friars in 1230, St Anthony was elected to be included in a delegation that went before the Pope to ask for an explanation of the Rule and Testament of St Francis. The friars wanted to know if they were bound to obey the Testament of St Francis and if they had to live the whole Gospel or simply what was in the Rule. On September 28th 1230 Pope Gregory IX replied in the Bull Quo Elongati that 1. St Francis' Testament had no binding power on the friars. 2. That only the evangelical counsels expressed in the Rule were binding on the friars. Anthony's last sermons were preached in lent in Padua. During this time there was a complete uproar in the city because the citizens could not provide enough accommodation or food for the crowds that invaded the city to hear him preach. The effect of his preaching in Padua was amazing: Quarrels were patched up, mortal enemies were reconciled, poor debtors were released from prison, restitution was made of illgotten goods, immoral men and women reformed their lives, thieves and criminals changed their ways, and the public life of Padua was very much improved. After Easter, he and his companions went to a country estate to rest. There Anthony found a giant walnut tree which had six branches growing upward from the crown. With a sense of amusement like small boys the friars bound the branches together with woven willows and roofed it over with rushes to make a cool airy cell for the tired preacher. Anthony was very ill. His years of preaching had worn him out and he had developed dropsy, which made breathing difficult. He had been finding it increasingly difficult to get about because his body had swollen up and refused to respond. On June 13th 1231 he knew he was dying, and because he did not wish to be a lot of trouble to his friend whose estate he was staying at, he asked the brothers if they would take him back to Padua. The Friars placed him on a peasant's cart drawn by an ox and began the sorrowful journey back to the city. It was summer and with all the dust and heat he was soon unable to speak. They halted at the convent of the Poor Clares at Arcella. There they placed him upright again so as to help him breathe. He began to chant a Lauds hymn and so singing with the brothers and sisters, he died. He was only 36 years old.

Epilogue The friars thought to bring the body of St Anthony quietly back to Padua to their convent, but children began running through the street crying out, "The holy father is dead; St Anthony is dead!" For four days the people of Arcella and Capo di Ponte, where he died, tried to keep his remains. They blocked the bridge over the river and cut down a temporary one that was erected, but eventually, the Mayor of Padua outwitted them and the Bishop Jacopo Corrado, the clergy and the friars, and a procession of thousands of people brought he "Saint" back into the city of Padua. Crowds of people poured into the Franciscan church to pray to the "Saint" and a steady stream of miracles caused a wave of enthusiasm among the populace. People flocked from all over the countryside to visit the tomb. The Bishop, the senate, the knights and university students, formed a council to put some order into these noisy gatherings. People started bringing candles to burn. Before the month was over the city of Padua sent requests for Anthony to be listed among the Saints. St. Anthony's canonization was one of the fastest on record. It took less than 12 months. He was canonised in the town of Spoleto by Pope Gregory IX on the 30th of May 1232. Of the 56 miracles accepted for his canonization only one was noted as having occurred during his life time. Perhaps the speed of his canonization process did not allow all the evidence of his miracles to be collected. When his body was exhumed to be transferred it was found that although his body had disintegrated his tongue was whole, life-like and of a natural colour. St Bonaventure, then the Minister General, seeing this miracle cried out, "O blessed tongue, you have always praised the Lord and led others to praise him! Now we can clearly see how great indeed have been your merits before God." Mary (mother of Jesus) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search "Virgin Mary" redirects here. For other uses, see Virgin Mary (disambiguation). Main articles: Blessed Virgin Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic), Ecumenical views of Mary, and Mariology Mary is commemorated on as many as 25 different days. The most universally observed are: 25 March The Annunciation 15 August The Assumption (Catholicism) 15 August The Dormition (Orthodoxy) 22 August The Assumption Coptic-Orthodox

Mary (Aramaic, Hebrew: ,Marym Miriam; Arabic: ,Maryam), usually referred to by Christians as the Virgin Mary or Saint Mary and occasionally Madonna, was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, identified in the New Testament[Mt. 1:16,1825] [Lk. 1:2656] [2:17] as the mother of Jesus Christ. Muslims also refer to her as the Virgin Mary or Syeda Mariam, which means Our Lady Mary. The New Testament describes her as a virgin (Greek , parthnos).[3] Christians believe that she conceived her son miraculously by the agency of the Holy Spirit. This took place when she was already the betrothed wife of Saint Joseph and was awaiting the concluding rite of Jewish marriage, the formal hometaking ceremony. Roman Catholics believe that Mary was conceived and born without the stain of Original Sin, thereby making her sinless, eternally perfect, divine and immaculate from all forms of evil. In Islam she is regarded as the virgin mother of the prophet Jesus. She is described in the Qur'an, in the Sura Maryam (Arabic: .) The New Testament begins its account of Mary's life with the Annunciation, the appearance to her of the angel Gabriel heralding her divine selection to be mother of Jesus. However, early non-biblical writings state that she was the daughter of Joachim and Saint Anne. The Bible records Mary's role in key events of the life of Jesus from his virgin birth to his crucifixion. Other apocryphal writings tell of her subsequent death and bodily assumption into heaven. A number of important doctrines concerning Mary are held by Christian churches. Primary among these is that, as mother of Jesus, she became Theotokos, literally, the "God-bearer", or "Mother of God". This doctrine was confirmed by the First Council of Ephesus in 431. Christians of the major ancient traditions including the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church believe that Mary lived a sinless life, offer prayers to God through Mary and venerate her as intercessor and mother of the church. Most Protestants, however, do not follow these devotions. New Testament The Annunciation by Fra Angelico, an example of 15th century Marian art The New Testament tells little of Mary's early history. Her parents are not named in the canonical texts; however, apocryphal sources, widely accepted by later tradition, give their names as Joachim and Anne. Mary was a relative of Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah, who was herself part of the lineage of Aaron and so of the tribe of Levi.[Lk 1:5] [1:36] In spite of this, some speculate that Mary, like Joseph to whom she was betrothed, was of the House of David and so of the tribe of Judah, and that the genealogy presented in Luke was hers, while Joseph's is given in Matthew.[4] She resided at Nazareth in Galilee, presumably with her parents and during her betrothal the first stage of a Jewish marriage the angel Gabriel announced to her that she was to be the mother of the promised Messiah by conceiving him through the Holy Spirit.[5] When Joseph was told of her conception in a dream by "an angel of the Lord", he was surprised; but the angel told him to be unafraid

and take her as his wife, which Joseph did, thereby formally completing the wedding rites.
[Mt 1:1825]

Visitation, from the St Vaast Altarpiece by Jacques Daret, 14341435 Since the angel Gabriel had told Mary (according to Luke) [1:19] that Elizabeth, having previously been barren, was now miraculously pregnant, Mary hurried to visit Elizabeth, who was living with her husband Zechariah in a city of Judah "in the hill country".[Lk 1:39] Once Mary arrived at the house and greeted Elizabeth, Elizabeth proclaimed Mary as "the mother of [her] Lord", and Mary recited a song of thanksgiving commonly known as the Magnificat [Lk 1:4656] from its first word in Latin. After three months, Mary returned to her house.[Lk 1:5657] According to the Gospel of Luke, a decree of the Roman emperor Augustus required that Joseph and his betrothed should proceed to Bethlehem for a census. While they were there, Mary gave birth to Jesus; but because there was no place for them in the inn, she had to use a manger as a cradle.[Lk 2:1ff] After eight days, the boy was circumcised and named Jesus, in accordance with the instructions that the "angel of the Lord" had given to Joseph after the Annunciation to Mary. These customary ceremonies were followed by Jesus' presentation to the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem in accordance with the law for firstborn males, then the visit of the Magi, the family's flight into Egypt, their return after the death of King Herod the Great about 2 or 1 BC and taking up residence in Nazareth.[Mt 2] Mary apparently remained in Nazareth for some thirty-four years. She is involved in the only event in Jesus' adolescent life that is recorded in the New Testament: at the age of twelve Jesus, having become separated from his parents on their return journey from the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, was found among the teachers in the temple.[Lk. 2:4152] Marriage at Cana by Giotto After Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist and his temptations by the devil in the desert, Mary was present when, at her intercession, Jesus worked his first public miracle during the marriage in Cana by turning water into wine.[Jn 2:111] Subsequently there are events when Mary is present along with James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, called Jesus' brothers, and unnamed "sisters".[Mt 13:5456] [6:3] [Ac 1:14] This passage is sometimes introduced to challenge the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, however both Catholic and Orthodox churches interpret the words commonly translated "brother" and "sister" as actually meaning close relatives (see Perpetual virginity). There is also an incident in which Jesus is sometimes interpreted as rejecting his family. "And his mother and his brothers arrived, and standing outside, they sent in a message asking for him[Mk 3:21] ... And looking at those who sat in a

circle around him, Jesus said, 'These are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.'"[3:3135] A statue of the Virgin Mary in the Mountain Province, Philippines Mary is also depicted as being present during the crucifixion standing near "the disciple whom Jesus loved" along with Mary of Clopas and Mary Magdalene,[Jn 19:2526] to which list Matthew 27:56 adds "the mother of the sons of Zebedee", presumably the Salome mentioned in Mark 15:40. Mary, cradling the dead body of her Son, while not recorded in the Gospel accounts, is a common motif in art, called a "piet" or "pity". In Acts (1:26, especially v. 14, Mary is the only one to be mentioned by name other than the twelve Apostles and the candidates of about 120 people gathered, after the Ascension, in the Upper Room on the occasion of the election of Matthias to the vacancy of Judas. (Though it is said that "the women" and Jesus' brothers were there as well, their names are not given.) From this time, she disappears from the biblical accounts, although it is held by Catholics (as well as other Christian groups) [who?] that she is again portrayed as the heavenly woman of Revelation.[Rev 12:1] Her death is not has her assumed corporeal Catholicism, in both the Eastern Later Christian recorded in scripture; however, tradition[6] (taken bodily) into Heaven. Belief in the assumption of Mary is universal to Eastern and Western Churches, as well as Orthodox Church. writings and traditions

According to the apocryphal Gospel of James Mary was the daughter of St Joachim and St Anne. Before Mary's conception Anna had been barren. Mary was given to service as a consecrated virgin in the Temple in Jerusalem when she was three years old, much like Hannah took Samuel to the Tabernacle as recorded in the Old Testament. A depiction of the Assumption of Mary by Peter Paul Rubens According to Sacred Tradition, Mary died surrounded by the apostles (in either Jerusalem or Ephesus) between three and fifteen years after Christ's ascension. When the apostles later opened her tomb it was found to be empty and they concluded that she had been assumed into Heaven. The House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus in Turkey is traditionally considered the place where Mary lived until her assumption. The Gospel of John states that Mary went to live with the Disciple whom Jesus loved,[Jn 19:27] identified as John the Evangelist. Irenaeus and

Eusebius of Caesarea wrote in their histories that John later went to Ephesus,[7] which may provide the basis for the early belief that Mary also lived in Ephesus with John. "Mary's Tomb", an empty tomb in Jerusalem, is attributed to Mary. Mary in the Qur'an Main article: Islamic views on Mary And We Made the son of Mary and his mother a Sign ... ([Qur'an 23:50]) Mary, mother of Jesus, is mentioned more in the Qur'an than in the entire New Testament. [9] She enjoys a singularly distinguished and honoured position amongst women in the Qur'an. A chapter in the Qur'an is titled "Maryam" (Mary), which is the only chapter in the Qur'an named after a woman, in which the story of Mary and Jesus is recounted according to the Islamic view of Jesus. She is the only woman directly named in the Qur'an; declared (uniquely along with Jesus) to be a Sign of God to mankind [Qur'an 23:50]; as one who "guarded her chastity" [Qur'an 66:20]; an obedient one [Qur'an 66:12]; chosen of her mother and dedicated to God whilst still in the womb [Qur'an 3:36] ; uniquely (amongst women) Accepted into service by Allah [Qur'an 3:37]; cared for by (one of the prophets as per Islam) Zakariya (Zacharias) [Qur'an 3:37]; that in her childhood she resided in the Temple and uniquely had access to Al-Mihrab (understood to be the Holy of Holies), and was provided with heavenly 'provisions' by God [Qur'an 3:37]; a Chosen One [Qur'an 3:42] ; a Purified One [Qur'an 3:42]; a Truthful one [Qur'an 5:75]; her child conceived through "a Word from God" [Qur'an 3:45]; and "exalted above all women of The Worlds/Universes" [Qur'an 3:42] . The Qur'an relates detailed narrative accounts of Maryam (Mary) in two places Sura 3[Qur'an 3:35] and Sura 19[Qur'an 19:16]. The account given in Sura 19 [Qur'an 19:1] of the Qur'an is nearly identical with that in the Gospel according to Luke, and both of these (Luke, Sura 19) begin with an account of the visitation of an angel upon Zakariya (Zecharias) and Good News of the birth of Yahya (John), followed by the account of the annunciation. Titles Main articles: Titles of Mary and Blessed Virgin Mary#Marian titles Our Lady of Vladimir, one of representations of the Theotokos the holiest medieval

Moses and the Burning Bush by Nicolas Froment (1476) showing the apparition in the Burning Bush as the Blessed Virgin in a bower of flaming roses. The name "Mary" comes from the Greek , which is a shortened form of . This is a transliteration of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic name Maryam. During the Middle Ages Hebrew vowel systems were formed and the Hebrew vowel "a" changed (regularly) to "i" in a closed unaccented syllable, so that by the time the Jews began to use vowel points, they wrote it as Miryam. Mary's most common titles include The Blessed Virgin Mary (also abbreviated to "BVM"), Our Lady (Notre Dame, Nuestra Seora, Nossa Senhora, Madonna), Mother of God, and the Queen of Heaven (Regina Caeli). See Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is referred to by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Anglican Church, and all Eastern Catholic Churches as Theotokos, a title recognized at the Third Ecumenical Council (held at Ephesus to address the teachings of Nestorius, in 431). Theotokos (and its Latin equivalents, "Deipara" and "Dei genetrix") literally means "Godbearer". The equivalent phrase "Mater Dei", (Mother of God) is more common in Latin and so also in the other languages used in the Western Catholic Church, but this same phrase in Greek ( in the abbreviated form of the first and last letter of the ), two words ( ), is the indication attached to her image in Byzantine icons. The Council stated that the Church Fathers "did not hesitate to speak of the holy Virgin as the Mother of God",[10] so as to emphasize that Mary's child, Jesus Christ, is in fact God. The title, Queen Mother, was given to Mary in early Christianity, since Mary was the mother of Jesus, who was sometimes referred to as the "King of Kings" due to His lineage of King David. The biblical basis for this understanding is found in 1 Kings 2:1920, where King Solomon made his mother, Bathsheba, his queen mother present in his royal court. This governmental practice is also found throughout 1 and 2 Kings and in Jeremiah 13:1819. In ancient Middle Eastern cultures, it was common for a king to have more than one wife; however, the king only had one mother and she was an integral part of each royal court.[11] Mary is also sometimes referred to as the New Eve, as her obedience to God's command (contrasted with Eve's disobedience) led, according to this system of belief, to the salvation of mankind through Jesus.[12] Christian doctrines According to mainstream Christian doctrine Mary remained a virgin at least until Jesus was born.[Mt 1:25][Lk 1:3435] Most Protestants do not specifically claim that Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Jesus, but the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, and many in the Anglican Church maintain that Mary also remained a virgin throughout the rest of her life.[13][14] The New Testament recounts her presence at important stages during her son's adult life (e.g., at the Wedding at Cana and at his crucifixion). Also, she was present at communal

prayers immediately after Jesus' Ascension. Narratives of her life are further elaborated in later Christian apocrypha, who give the names of her parents as Joachim and Anne. Christian churches teach various doctrines concerning Mary, and she is the subject of much veneration. The area of Christian theology concerning her is known as Mariology. The conception of her Son Jesus is believed to have been an act of the Holy Spirit, and to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah that a virgin would bear a son who would be called Emmanuel ("God with us").[15] The Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches venerate her as the Ever-Virgin Mother of God (Theotokos), who was specially favored by God's grace (Catholics hold that she was conceived without original sin) and who, when her earthly life had been completed, was assumed bodily into Heaven. Some Protestants, including certain Lutherans and Methodists, embrace veneration of Mary and also hold some of these doctrines. Others, especially in the Reformed tradition, question or even condemn the devotional and doctrinal position of Mary in the above traditions. The Roman Catholic tradition has a well established philosophy for the study and veneration of the Virgin Mary via the field of Mariology with Pontifical schools such as the Marianum specifically devoted to this task[16][17][18] Primary doctrines on Mary The Birth of the Virgin, by Francisco de Zurbarn Main articles: Christian views of Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary#Primary Doctrines on Mary, Mariology, and Marian doctrines of the Catholic Church Immaculate conception of Mary Main article: Immaculate Conception Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary, namely that she was filled with grace from the very moment of her conception in her mother's womb and preserved from the stain of original sin. The Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church has a liturgical feast by that name, kept on 8 December.[19] Mary, under title of the Immaculate Conception, is the patroness of the United States. (This doctrine is often confused with the Virgin Birth of Jesus and the Perpetual virginity of Mary, both discussed below.) The corresponding feast in other rites may go by other names, such as, in the Byzantine Rite, the Feast of the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos. However, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception is part of the teaching of the Catholic Church, and the title of "The Immaculate Conception" has been given to many Eastern Catholic church buildings, including the cathedral in Detroit of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.[20] Eastern Orthodox reject the Immaculate Conception,[21] principally because their understanding of ancestral sin (the Greek term corresponding to the Latin "original sin")

differs from that of the Roman Catholic Church, but also on the basis that without original sin (i.e. fallen human nature), Mary would have likewise been separated from the rest of us by a special condition.[22] Some Orthodox believe that Mary was conceived like any one of us, inherited the sin of Adam, but was cleansed from it when Christ (God incarnate) took form within her. This, coupled with the belief that she never committed any sin made her the perfect vessel. Nevertheless, this remains an area on which the Orthodox Church has not made any definitive statement, so a variety of views may be found. Calvinist and Lutheran Protestants reject the idea that Mary was preserved from original sin from her very first moment.[23] However, many Protestants of the Pentecostal tradition, especially those influenced by Charles Finney, do not believe in original sin in the sense that Catholics do, if they affirm the doctrine at all. [24] This renders the Immaculate Conception a non-question for them. This doctrine must be contrasted with the more widely held doctrine that Mary committed no sin in her life. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception proclaims not only that Mary committed no actual sin, but that she was preserved from original sin, and this from the moment of her conception. Many may highly venerate Mary (as do many Protestants, Anglicans, and certainly Eastern Orthodox), but do not thereby indicate their acceptance of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as taught by the Roman Catholic Church. Virgin birth of Jesus Christian View Mary, depicted as Our Lady of Guadalupe Main article: Virgin birth of Jesus The Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed both refer to Mary as "the Virgin Mary". This alludes to the belief that Mary conceived Jesus through the action of God the Holy Spirit, and not through intercourse with Joseph or anyone else. That she was a virgin at this time is affirmed by Eastern Christianity, Roman Catholicism and many Protestants. Rejection of this is considered heretical by many, but not all, traditional Christian groups. The Gospel of Matthew describes Mary as a virgin who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. The Hebrew word almah that appears in this verse, and the Greek word parthenos that Jews used to translate it in the Greek Septuagint that Matthew quotes here, have been the subjects of dispute for almost two millennia, since almah simply means young woman, rather than virgin (in Hebrew, the word betulah would be an unambiguous translation). This disagreement is related to the question of whether Isaiah 7:14 is a prophecy of Jesus' birth. Regardless of the meaning of this verse, it is clear that the authors of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke consider Jesus' conception not the result of intercourse and assert that Mary had "no relations with man" before Jesus' birth.[Mt 1:18] [Mt 1:25] [Lk 1:34]

Virgin birth of Jesus in the Qur'an The Qur'an says that Jesus was the result of a virgin birth. The most detailed account of the annunciation and birth of Jesus is provided in Sura 3 and 19 of The Qur'an wherein it is written that God sent an angel to announce that she could shortly expect to bear a son, despite being a virgin: (Remember) When the angels said O Mary! Allah Gives thee Good News of a son through a Word from Him! His name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honoured in this world and in the next, and of those who Are Granted Nearness to Allah! (3.45) And he shall speak to the people in the cradle, and when of middle age, and he shall be of The Righteous (3.46) She said My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me? He Said, That is as it shall be. Allah Creates what He Pleases. When HE decrees a thing HE says to it "Be" and it is! (3.47) Other Views From early stages of Christianity, the faithful believe in the Virginity of Mary and the virgin conception of Jesus, as stated in the gospels, holy and supernatural, was used by detractors, both political and religious, as a topic for discussions, debates and writings, specifically aimed to challenge the Divinity of Jesus and thus Christians and Christianity alike. Such polemics and writings came from both Jewish and Hellenistic cultural centers. Of special note are the writings of second century's Celsus, who stated that Jesus was the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier named Panthera as part of the earliest anti-Christian polemics to reach us.[25] Some scholars of the historical Jesus, regard the nativity of Jesus to be an early Christian story created to liken Jesus to Moses (the Massacre of the Innocents) and to show him fulfilling prophecy (the return from Egypt, etc.). Other scholars, such as Bart D. Ehrman, suggest the historical method can never comment on the likelihood of supernatural occurrences.[citation needed] While parthenogenesis (virginal conception) is known in lower animals, it does not occur naturally in human beings or other mammals, and produces females only, genetic clones of the mother. Perpetual virginity Main article: Perpetual virginity of Mary The perpetual virginity of Mary, a doctrine of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Christianity affirms Mary's "real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made Man."[26] According to this Church dogma, Mary was ever-virgin (Greek ) for the remainder of her life, making Jesus her

biological and only son, whose conception and birth are held to be miraculous. Matthew 13:5556 raises the possibility that Jesus had siblings. However, since the Desert Fathers these individuals have been interpreted by some as possibly cousins or relatives of Jesus.[27] Dormition and assumption Main article: Assumption of Mary For both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches Mary's assumption into heaven is seen as an instance of the resurrection of the body. Christian views of Mary See also: Blessed Virgin Mary and Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic) The oldest-known image of Mary depicts her nursing the Infant Jesus. Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome (2nd century) Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran, as well as some Methodist Christians venerate Mary. This veneration especially takes the form of prayer for intercession with her Son, Jesus Christ. The Hail Mary prayer is one such example. Additionally it includes composing poems and songs in Mary's honor, painting icons or carving statues of her, and conferring titles on Mary that reflect her position among the saints. She is also one of the most highly venerated saints in both the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches; and several major feast days of the liturgical year are devoted to her. Virgin and Child. Wall painting from the catacombs, Rome (4th century). By contrast, certain documents of the Second Vatican Council, such as chapter VIII of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium [28] describe Mary as higher than all other created beings, even angels: "she far surpasses all creatures, both in heaven and on earth"; but still in the final analysis, a created being, solely human not divine in her nature. On this showing, Catholic traditionalists would argue that there is no conflation [29] of the human and divine levels in their veneration of Mary. The major origin and impetus of veneration of Mary comes from the Christological controversies of the early church many debates denying in some way the divinity or humanity of Jesus Christ. So not only would one side affirm that Jesus was indeed God, but would assert the conclusion that Mary was "Mother of God", although some Protestants prefer to use the term "God-bearer".[citation needed] Catholics and Protestants agree however, that "Mother of God" is not intended to imply that Mary in any way gave Jesus his divinity.

Both Catholics and Orthodox, and especially Anglicans, make a clear distinction between such veneration (which is also due to the other saints) and adoration which is due to God alone. (The term worship is used by some theologians to subsume both sacrificial worship and worship of praise, e.g. Orestes Brownson in his book Saint Worship. The word "worship", while commonly used in place of "adoration" in the modern English vernacular, strictly speaking implies nothing more than the acknowledgement of "worth-ship" or worthiness, and thus means no more than the giving of honor where honor is due (e.g. the use of "Your Worship" as a form of address to judges in certain English legal traditions). "Worship" has never been used in this sense in Catholic literature when referring to the veneration of the Blessed Virgin). Mary, they point out, is not divine, and has only such powers to help as are granted to her by God in response to her prayers. Such miracles as may occur through Mary's intercession are ultimately the result of God's love and omnipotence. Traditionally, Catholic theologians have distinguished three forms of honor: latria, due only to God, and usually translated by the English word adoration; hyperdulia, accorded only to the Blessed Virgin Mary, usually translated simply as veneration; and dulia, accorded to the rest of the saints, also usually translated as veneration. The Orthodox distinguish between worship and veneration but do not use the "hyper"-veneration terminology when speaking of the Theotokos. Protestants tend to consider "dulia" too similar to "latria". Gabriel making the Annunciation to Mary. Painting by El Greco (1575) The surge in the veneration of Mary in the High Middle Ages owes some of its initial impetus to Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard expanded upon Anselm of Canterbury's role in transmuting the sacramental ritual Christianity of the Early Middle Ages into a new, more personally held, faith, with the life of Christ as a model and a new emphasis on the Virgin Mary. In opposition to the rationalist approach to divine understanding that the schoolmen adopted, Bernard preached an immediate faith, in which the intercessor was the Virgin Mary; "the Virgin that is the royal way, by which the Savior comes to us." Bernard played the leading role in the development of the Virgin cult, which is one of the most important manifestations of the popular piety of the 12th century. In early medieval thought the Virgin Mary had played a minor role, and it was only with the rise of emotional Christianity in the 11th century that she became the prime intercessor for humanity with the deity. (Cantor 1993 p 341) The major figures of the Reformation honored Mary. Martin Luther said Mary is "the highest woman", that "we can never honour her enough", that "the veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart", and that Christians should "wish that everyone know and respect her". John Calvin said, "It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of his Son, granted her the highest honor." Zwingli said, "I esteem immensely the Mother of God", and, "The more the honor and love of Christ increases among men, so much the esteem and honor given to Mary should grow". Thus the idea of respect and high honour was not rejected by the first Protestants;

but they criticized the Catholics for blurring the line, between high admiration of the grace of God wherever it is seen in a human being, and religious service given to another creature. The medieval Catholic practices of celebrating saints' days, making intercessory requests addressed to Mary and other departed saints, petitioning Mary for grace and protection, and various cultic elements such as the bearing of scapulars they have always considered to be idolatry. Protestantism usually follows the reformers in rejecting the practice of directly addressing Mary and other saints in prayers of admiration or petition, as part of their religious worship of God. Protestants do not call the respect or honor that they may have for Mary veneration because of the special religious significance that this term has in the Catholic practice. Following the Magnificat in the Gospel of Luke, Protestants have always acknowledged that Mary is "blessed among women,"[Lk 1:42] but they do not agree that Mary is to be given cultic veneration. She is considered to be an outstanding example of a life dedicated to God. Indeed the word that she uses to describe herself in Luke 1:38 (usually translated as "bond-servant" or "slave")[30] refers to someone whose will is consumed by the will of another in this case Mary's will is consumed by God's. Rather than granting Mary any kind of "dulia", Protestants note that her role in scripture seems to diminish after the birth of Jesus she is hardly mentioned. From this it may be said that her attitude paralleled that of John the Baptist who said "He must become greater; I must become less."[John 3:30] Roman Catholic view Statue of Santa Maria Assunta, in Attard, Malta

Mother of Sorrows by Carlo Dolci, 1670 The "Blessed Virgin Mary", sometimes shortened to "The Blessed Virgin" or "The Virgin Mary" is a traditional title specifically used by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics, and some others to describe Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary was formally declared to be dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950. Pope Pius XII states in Munificentissimus Deus: "We pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that

which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith." This is an example of an invocation of papal infallibility. The dogma does not state if Mary's assumption occurred before or after any physical death. As stated by Ludwig Ott (Bk. III, Pt. 3, Ch. 2, 6) "the fact of her death is almost generally accepted by the Fathers and Theologians, and is expressly affirmed in the Liturgy of the Church", to which he adduces a number of helpful citations, and concludes that "for Mary, death, in consequence of her freedom from original sin and from personal sin, was not a consequence of punishment of sin. However, it seems fitting that Mary's body, which was by nature mortal, should be, in conformity with that of her Divine Son, subject to the general law of death." In keeping with the historical consensus of the Church, Pius XII himself almost certainly rejected the notion of Mary's "immortality" (the idea that she never suffered death), preferring the more widely accepted understanding that her assumption took place after her physical death. The Feast of the Assumption is celebrated on August 15. In a less dogmatic context, the Roman Catholic tradition also has a more pronounced emphasis on Acts of Reparation and the Sorrows of Mary and a number of prayers for this purpose appear in the official Raccolta Catholic prayer book. Eastern Orthodox view In the Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic and Oriental Orthodox traditions, the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, died, after having lived a holy life. Eastern Orthodox do not believe in the immaculate conception, with the exception of some Old Believers, on the contrary believing that she was the best example of a human lifestyle. The surviving apostles were present at and conducted her funeral. However Thomas was delayed and arrived a few days later. He said that he would not believe this had happened unless he saw the body of Mary. Peter expressed dismay that Thomas continued to doubt what the other apostles told him. Upon opening the tomb, Thomas revealed that he had witnessed the absent body of the Theotokos being taken to heaven by angels. While many Orthodox Christians believe this to be true, the Orthodox have never formally made it a doctrine. It remains a holy mystery. The Eastern Orthodox and GreekCatholics celebrate this event on August 15. The Oriental Orthodox celebrate it on August 22. The feast day of the Dormition ("falling asleep") of the Theotokos is preceded by a two week fasting period. Anglican view Assumption statue, 1808 by Mariano Gerada, Ghaxaq, Malta Mary's special position within God's purpose of salvation as "God bearer" (theotokos) is recognised in a number of ways by some Anglican Christians. The Church affirms in the

historic creeds that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, and celebrates the feast days of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. This feast is called in older prayer books the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 2 February. The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin on March 25 was from before the time of Bede until the 18th century New Year's Day in England. The Annunciation is called the "Annunciation of our Lady" in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Anglicans also celebrate in the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin on May 31, though in some provinces the traditional date of July 2 is kept. The feast of the St. Mary the Virgin is observed on the traditional day of the Assumption, August 15. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin is kept on September 8. The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is kept in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, on December 8. In certain Anglo-Catholic parishes this feast is called the Immaculate Conception. Again, the Assumption of Mary is believed in by most Anglo-Catholics, but is considered a pious opinion by moderate Anglicans. Protestant minded Anglicans reject the celebration of these feasts. Prayer with the Blessed Virgin Mary varies according to churchmanship. Low Church Anglicans rarely invoke the Blessed Virgin except in certain hymns, such as the second stanza of Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones. Following the 19th century Oxford Movement, Anglo-Catholics frequently pray the rosary, the Angelus, Regina Caeli, and other litanies and anthems of Our Lady. The Anglican Society of Mary maintains chapters in many countries. The purpose of the society is to foster devotion to Mary among Anglicans. Lutheran view Main article: Lutheran Marian theology Despite Martin Luther's harsh polemics against his Roman Catholic opponents over issues concerning Mary and the saints, theologians appear to agree that Luther adhered to the Marian decrees of the ecumenical councils and dogmas of the church. He held fast to the belief that Mary was a perpetual virgin and the Theotokos or Mother of God.[31] Special attention is given to the assertion, that Luther some three-hundred years before the dogmatization of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in 1854, was a firm adherent of that view. Others maintain that Luther in later years changed his position on the Immaculate Conception, which, at that time was undefined in the Church, maintaining however the sinlessness of Mary throughout her life.[32] Regarding the Assumption of Mary, he stated, that the Bible did not say anything about it. Important to him was the belief that Mary and the saints do live on after death.[33] "Throughout his career as a priestprofessor-reformer, Luther preached, taught, and argued about the veneration of Mary with a verbosity that ranged from childlike piety to sophisticated polemics. His views are intimately linked to his christocentric theology and its consequences for liturgy and piety."[34] Luther, while revering Mary, came to criticize the "Papists" for blurring the line, between high admiration of the grace of God wherever it is seen in a human being, and religious service given to another creature. He considered the Roman Catholic practice of celebrating saints' days and making intercessory requests addressed especially to Mary and other departed saints to be idolatry.[35]

Joint Anglican-Roman Catholic document On May 16, 2005, the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches issued a joint 43-page statement, "Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ" (also known as the Seattle Statement) on the role of the Virgin Mary in Christianity as a way to uphold ecumenical cooperation despite differences over other matters. The document was released in Seattle, Washington, by Alexander Brunett, the local Catholic Archbishop, and Peter Carnley, Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Western Australia, co-chairmen of the AnglicanRoman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC). The joint document is said to seek a common understanding to help both churches agree on the theological reasoning behind the Catholic dogmas, despite Anglicans not accepting the papal authority that underpins them. Carnley has reportedly said that Anglican concerns that dogmas about Mary are not provable by scripture would "disappear", with the document discussing that Anglicans would stop opposition to Roman Catholic teachings of the Immaculate Conception (defined in 1854) and the Assumption of Mary (defined in 1950) as being "consonant" with the biblical teachings. Names and titles of Mary In the Christian churches, Mary has been bestowed many titles and names. Of these include: Saint Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary, Virgin Mary, Queen Mother, Queen of Heaven, Holy Mary, Blessed Virgin, Our Lady, Holy Virgin, Christ Mary, and Mother of God. The most comprehensive stories about the early childhood of Mary are attributed to the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of James. This has been documented by historians as being written prior to the year 200AD. In a document called God the Father of Mercy there is an entire chapter devoted to Mary, the Holy Trinitys Sign of Mercy. Mary is the object of Gods mercy. This document states: Mary becomes the prophet of Gods mercy, as well as its icon. She,more than anyone else knows the mystery of mercy that reaches its climax on Calvary. The Virgin who became the Mother of Jesus at Christmas, enabling Gods mercy to become incarnate. The qualities of mercy, compassion, comforting and counselling have long since been seen as feminine qualities, all of which Mary emanated. They are also the qualities of the future incarnation promised by Christ, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things (John 14:26) Could it be that he was telling then of the age of the Mother, when the feminine power of God would grace this earth. Why then has the significance of the Virgin Mary been slowly eroded away by the church?

If God Almighty deemed Her pure enough to bear his Son, then it could be suggested that She has a special place in the Holy Trinity. We talk much of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. We have this trinity in the birth of Christ God the Father, Christ the Son and Mary the Mother. This begs the question: Is the Holy Ghost a feminine power, a mothering power that came on this earth to bear the Son of God and teach mankind of the mercy and love of God?. According to tradition Mary has been called upon as the Mother of Mercy since the 3rd century. Churches built in honour of the Virgin Mary have been well documented; for example the Emperor Justinian built a splendid church dedicated to Mary in the Temple area in Jerusalem. It was dedicated on November 21, 543AD but was destroyed by the Persians within a century. Mary was also held in the highest regard by early church Fathers praising her She was planted in the House of God, nourished by the Holy Spirit and kept her body and soul spotless to receive God in her bosom. He Who is all-holy rests among the holy. James describes the day Mary is presented to the temple by her parents Anna and Joachim. When the day arrived, the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews were invited to accompany Mary with their lamps burning to the Temple. There the priest received her, blessed her and kissed her in welcome. He proclaimed, The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel. Mary was placed on the third step of the Temple and there danced with joy and all the house of Israel loved her. Without looking back, Mary climbed the stairs of the temple. It was there that she was nurtured and her parents returned glorifying the Almighty. This shows that even in her childhood Mary was completely dedicated to God. It is from this very account that arose the feast of Marys Presentation. In both the Eastern and Western churches, feast days in honour of the events of Marys life came into existence between the 4th and 7th centuries. They celebrate her miraculous conception and her birth, narrated in the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of James (September 8); the Annunciation (March 25); her purification in the Temple (February 2); and her death (called the Dormition in the Eastern church) and bodily assumption into heaven We know that in the Byzantine Church this feast is considered one of the twelve great

feasts of the liturgical year, called the Dodecaorton. Scholars believe that Marys Presentation in the Temple is considered a major feast for the Eastern churches celebrating the same values that the Western church celebrates in the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Gospels give only a fragmentary account of Marys life, mentioning her chiefly in connection with the beginning and the end of Jesus life. Matthew speaks of Mary as Josephs wife, who was with child of the Holy Spirit before they came together as husband and wife (Matthew 1:18). After the birth of Jesus, she was present at the visit of the Magi (Matthew 2:11), fled with Joseph to Egypt (Matthew 2:14), and returned to Nazareth (Matthew 2:23). Mark simply refers to Jesus as the son of Mary (Mark 6:3). The Gospel of John contains no infancy narrative, nor does it mention Marys name; she is referred to as the mother of Jesus (John 2:1-5; 19:25-27). According to John, she was present at the first of Jesus miracles at the marriage at Cana in Galilee, although her name is not used (John 2:1); the attempt to see Jesus while he was teaching (Mark 3:31); and the station at the cross, where, apparently widowed, she was entrusted to the disciple John (John 19:26). Even if one takes these scenes as literal historical accounts, they do not add up to an integrated portrait of Mary. The Gospel of Luke and the Acts however give us the essential framework for the beginning of an authentic study of Mary. The first mention of Mary is in the story of the Annunciation, which reports that she was living in Nazareth and was betrothed to Joseph (Luke 1:26); the last mention of her (Acts 1:14) includes her in the company of those who devoted themselves to prayer after the ascension of Jesus into heaven. She appears in the following incidents in the Gospels: the Annunciation; the visit with Elizabeth, her kinswoman and the mother of John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus (Luke 1:39); the birth of Jesus and the presentation of him in the Temple (Luke 2:1); the Passover visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was 12 years old (Luke 2:41). She continued to be at all the key events in his life, even at his death and when Jesus promise of his Spirit was given at Pentecost There is no one person who ever had such a close relationship with Jesus in all of these stages of his life. Her role, quietly in the background gave support and encouragement to the work of Jesus. Lukes narrative of the nativity includes the angel Gabriels announcement to Mary foretelling the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38) and her visit to her kinswoman Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist Luke 1:26-38: The Annunciation Account

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called

Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgins name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you. 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 34 Mary said to the angel, How can this be since I am a virgin? 35 The angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who is said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God. 38 Then Mary said, Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. Then the angel departed from her. Luke 2:1-7: The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judaea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for him in the inn. This is a very well known account, but what of the conception and birth of Mary? Her entry into this world is no less miraculous and her childhood equally reflects the power and presence of the divine all pervading power of God Almighty.

According to apocryphal writings Mary spent her childhood from age 3 12 in the temple. The medieval representation of this shows Mary wearing a sash whose both ends are knotted in such a way that they are hanging loose and low. The sash is a typical attribute of the virgin in the temple and symbolises Marys chastity and virginal and exclusive dedication to God later on. The sash is also attributed to the Immaculata. To have knots in ones garment keeps danger at bay. Knotting and untying are faculties of the divine (master of human destiny) and also of Christ (he freed himself from all earthly attachments and bonds). There are customs according to which the robes of the fiancs are knotted together to suggest a common destiny. This occurs in many eastern traditions where the bride and groom literally tie the knot during the marriage ceremony. His scarf is tied to the end or her gown (or sari). However, the most significant meaning of the sash is that of both virginity and motherhood combined, as a consequence of God himself tying and untying the knot of Marys dedication of herself to Him. Again the importance of chastity and purity is reaffirmed. It is quite evident that the Gospels of Luke and James give us good grounding for the beginnings of an in depth study of Mary and her true identity. As early as the 2nd century, Christians venerated Mary by calling her Mother of God. During the controversies of the 4th century concerning the divine and human natures of Jesus, the Greek title Theotkos (Mother of God) came to be used for Mary in devotional and theological writing. This suggests the divine nature of Mary and her true place within the Holy Trinity. Closely related to the title Mother of God is the title Virgin Mary, affirming the virginal conception of Jesus (Luke 1:35). God, not Joseph, was the true father of Jesus. In the Marian devotion that developed in the East in the 4th century, Mary was venerated not only in the conception but also in the birth of Jesus. This conviction was expressed clearly in the 4th century, baptismal creeds of Cyprus, Syria, Palestine, and Armenia. The title used was Aieiparthenos (ever-virgin), and by the middle of the 7th century the understanding of the title came to include the conviction that Mary remained a virgin for the whole of her life. This notion reinforces the idea that Mary was not touched by this world, indeed her purity of spirit, body and mind signaled her attachment to the realms of the Gods. The passages in the New Testament referring to the brothers of Jesus (for instance, Mark 6:3, which also mentions sisters; see 1 Corinthians 9:5; Galatians 1:19) have been accordingly explained as references to relatives of Jesus or to children of Joseph by a previous marriage. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, various Christian writers began to express the belief that, because of her intimate union with God through the Holy Spirit in the conception of Jesus,

Mary was completely free from any taint of sin. In 680AD a Roman Council spoke of her as the blessed, immaculate ever-virgin. This can be taken one step further it can be suggested that Mary completed the Holy Trinity not that she was touched by the Holy Spirit, but that she was the Holy Spirit. Who else could have born the Son of God on earth? Thus completing the Holy Trinity God the Father, God the Son and God the Mother. During the late Middle Ages (13th century to 15th century), devotion to Mary grew dramatically. Mary came to be depicted as the one who interceded for sinners. As the fear of death and the Last Judgment intensified following the Black Plague in the 14th century, Mary was increasingly venerated in popular piety as mediator of the mercy of Christ. Her prayers and pleas were seen as the agency that tempered the stern justice of Christ. Indeed Christ had talked of the Comforter, Councillor and Redeemer who would come at the time of the Last Judgment. People turned to Mary for Gods compassion, recognising these as feminine qualities, the qualities of a Mother. Let us look then at the life of Mary.

According to the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel, Joachim was a very wealthy man. He brought his offerings twofold to the Lord, saying to himself, This from my abundance will be for all the people, and this which I owe as a sin offering will be for the Lord God as a propitiation for me. Now the great day of the Lord drew near, and the children of Israel brought their offerings. Reuben stood up and said It is not permissible for you to bring your offerings first, for you did not produce offspring in Israel. Deeply ashamed, Joachim left the city. In the desert he pitched a tent, saying, I shall fast and do penance until the Lord deems me worthy. He went into the desert and fasted for 40 days and nights. Anna wept to see her husband go. All alone, she went into the garden and sat down beneath the laurel tree. Looking toward the heavens, she saw a nest of sparrows in the tree. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes. How she longed to have a child of her own. Anna entreated the Lord, saying Woe is me! To what am I likened? I am not likened to this earth, for even the earth brings forth her fruit in its season and blesses you, O Lord. And behold an angel of the Lord appeared, saying Anna, the Lord God heard your prayer, and you will conceive and give birth, and your offspring shall be spoken of in the whole

inhabited world. Anna said, As the Lord my God lives, if I give birth, whether male or female, I will present it as a gift to the Lord my God, and it shall be a ministering servant to him all the days of its life.: And behold two angels came saying to her Behold your husband Joachim is coming with his flocks. Anna ran and throw her arms around his neck saying Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me very greatly, for behold the widow is no longer a widow, and she who was barren has conceived. Anna gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, in gratitude to the Lord, Joachim vowed that once the child turned three years old, she would be sent to the Temple to be educated. When she was six months old her mother stood her on the ground to see if she could stand. Walking seven steps, she came to her mothers bosom. Anna held the baby to her and said, As the Lord is my God, and He has sent me a miraculous child. Anna then caught her up, saying as the Lord my God lives, you shall not walk on this earth again until I bring you to the Temple of the Lord. Then she made a sanctuary in her bedroom and prohibited everything common and unclean from passing through it. When the child was three years old, Joachim said, let us call the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews and let each one take a torch and let them be burning in order that the child not turn back and her heart be misled out of the Temple of the Lord. Thus they did, until they had gone up into the Temple. The priest received her, and kissing her he blessed her and said, The Lord God has magnified your name in all generations, in you at the end of todays will the Lord God manifest his deliverance to the children of Israel. He set her on the third step of the alter, and the Lord God gave grace to her, and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her. At last it was time for Mary to climb the steps to the Temple. A halo of light encircled the blessed child and filled with joy, she began to dance. The childs bright spirit could not be contained anymore than the sun can be kept from rising. Her parents returned marvelling and giving praise and glorifying the Lord God that the child did not turn back. One day Zaccharia, the chief priest overseeing Marys education was discussing the scriptures with a small group of holy men. The child sat beside him, for already she was a great favourite with these revered elders. The Lord made us to serve Him, Zaccharia declared. And to glory in His kindness, said Mary softly. Startled, the old priest looked at her. The little one is fearless and yet all gentleness, he told himself as the others exchanged smiles.

The Lord can be merciful. That is true Mary, he replied. You are wise, for one so young. Is it wisdom, good father, to see what is all around us? asked the child. The Lord must love us very much to have given us this earthly paradise to look after. When her chores were done, in the remaining hours of each day she went out alone just beyond the gates of the Temple. There she would distribute food and clothing to the poor and the elderly who came hoping for charity. In time the other girls followed her example, and the Temple became known far and wide for its generosity. One day, as she bathed the brow of a young girl so sick with fever that she was not expected to survive the night. Mary heard angelic singing. She looked to her patient, wondering if the girl had heard it too. No, her friend was sleeping peacefully for the first time in days. Touching the girls forehead, Mary realised that the fever had passed. Surely it was a miracle the girl would recover, just as Mary prayed she would. Mary, a voice suddenly said. The Lord has seen fit to bring you into this world without the stain of sin. And you use His good favor to help others. By doing so you honour Him greatly. When Mary turned fourteen, Zaccharia told her, It is customary for all young maidens at your age to marry. That night an angel appeared to the old priest in a dream and said, Do not worry, Zaccharia. Tomorrow have each suitor bring with him a staff. The Holy Spirit will give a sign as to who shall be Marys husband. The next day the suitors crowded into the Temple, each holding a staff in his hand. Kneeling, they prayed for a sign. All at once a lily was seen to bloom from the staff held by the widower Joseph, a builder and carpenter. And then a snow white dove alighted upon the staff before flying off. How can it be that the Lord has chosen me? Joseph said, astonished I have been widowed for some time and have sons nearly as old as this tender young girl. But Zaccharia shook his head The Lord has given a sign, Joseph. And turning to Mary the priest asked Mary what is your wish? Moved by the events and Josephs humble words, Mary extended her hand to Joseph, saying, I accept. That day the marriage contract was signed, and in twelve months the wedding ceremony would be celebrated. In the meantime, Mary returned to her parents while Joseph departed for a distant town where he was about to begin work on the building of a Temple. The commission was a great honour, but it would separate the couple for nearly a year. At day break one spring morning, Mary went to draw water from the well before her parents awakened. All at once she heard a voice. Hail Mary, it said. The Lord is with you. Holy is your name. And the angel stood before her. Mary, do not be afraid, he said.

I am the angel Gabriel, Gods messenger. He has sent me to tell you that He wishes you to bear a son. But how can such a thing be possible? I am not yet wed, said Mary. The Holy Spirit will pass through you as a ray of sunlight passes through a drop of water, and so the child will be called the Son of God. Mary shook her head in wonder. Your kinswoman Elizabeth has in her old age conceived a son, and she, like your own mother was once called barren, the angel continued. But now, thanks to the Lord, Elizabeth is in her sixth month. Indeed, only your consent is needed for such a miracle to be possible, for nothing is impossible for God. As she listened, Mary was filled with courage. She replied, Then I give my consent. Bowing before her, the angel Gabriel Kissed the hem of Marys robe and then vanished. Alone, Mary wondered what kind of destiny she had carved for herself. How was she to explain this to her parents? And to Joseph? The next morning Anna surprised Mary with news. I have just received a letter from our cousin Elizabeth. The Lord has blessed her, for at last she has conceived a child. It is truly a miracle! The following day they left for Elizabeths home to help her as she awaited the birth of the baby. Now, as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary at the door, she called out, Hail Mary. Mother of God! and at the same moment, the infant Elizabeth carried leapt for joy within her. Rushing to embrace them both, Elizabeth said to Anna, Of all the women, Mary is the most blessed and blessed is the infant she carries. When Mary was alone with her mother, she tried to explain. Anna took her daughter into her arms. My dearest child, I believe you, said Anna. But what of Joseph? Will he trust in you as completely? When Joseph was told, he blamed himself, for he felt he had failed to protect her, crying who is he who has deceived me? Who did this evil thing in my house and defiled her?. Then Mary wept and said that she was pure. To spare Mary any public shame, it was decided that she was to go into seclusion, and that the engagement would be broken. But that very night an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Joseph do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived her child through the grace of the Holy Spirit. It will be a son, and you must name him Jesus, for he will be the salvation of the world. On the way to Bethlehem where they were going to be enrolled, Mary came down from

her donkey, knowing that her time had come. Joseph took her into a cave and while the heavens stood still and the birds of heaven rested, while time itself throughout nature and humanity came to a stop, there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. A great light appeared in the cave as the baby was born. For a moment he was pure light, then as the light faded a child appeared. Although Mary is not described in any detail she is referred to as an innocent child her situation is compelling and wondrous. The very delicate treatment of the figure of Mary has contributed to her warm and mysterious presence in later Mariology. Early manuscripts of the Gospel of James exist in Greek, Syriac, Ethiopic and Georgian. Reaffirming the significance of the role of Mary in the divine play. The reoccurring themes of purity, chastity, love and compassion dominate the life of Mary, indeed she is the embodiment of these qualities. The qualities of a Mother. But greater than any Mother born of this earth. She is the perfect example of how the feminine power of God manifests itself as a Mother, just as Christ is the perfect example of the power of God when embodied as a son. After reading the accounts of Jesus and Mary the question which resounds loud and clear is: Could it be that Marys place in the Holy Trinity is greater than we realise, could the Holy Ghost be the feminine power of God? The answer might possibly be: Where Was Jesus Crucified?

Where was Jesus crucified? We find the answer in Scripture. This information is recorded in all four of the gospels. However, three of the gospels use one Greek word and one gospel uses another. "And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull" (Matthew 27:33). "And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull" (Mark 15:22). "And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha" (John 19:17).

In these three gospels the Greek word "Golgotha" is used and it means as we read in Matthew "a place of a skull." The Hebrew and the Greek word were the same and therefore it was a commonly known name. Luke uses the Greek word "Calvary" rather than Golgotha. "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left" (Luke 23:33). This word in Greek means cranium, or skull and all four gospels identify this spot outside of the gates of Jerusalem as the place where Jesus was placed on a cross. Therefore, the place where Jesus was crucified was a knoll or hill on the outskirts of Jerusalem that was made up of rock shaped like a man's skull and both the Romans and the Jews knew this place by the same name. Why here? There were several reasons. For the Romans, this spot outside the gates of the city was a place where they crucified criminals as a sign to those who would visit the city that they did not tolerate criminality. In other words, it was capitol punishment used as a deterrent for crime. It was a usual practice for those crucified to be left on the cross for days and they often became rotting corpses that were food for the carrion eaters. Only those criminals who were Jewish or had someone to claim the body were taken down and placed in graves. Jesus' body was buried in the grave belonging to Joseph of Arimathaea (Matthew 27:57-60). Others were sometimes left to rot on the cross and then their bones were cast into a potter's field. Another reason that the crucifixions took place outside of the city was because of the strict Jewish laws regarding the proximity of dead bodies to the living. Coming into contact with a dead body meant a period of ritual cleansing for uncleanness (Numbers 19:11-22). The Pharisees took this very seriously and all tombs in the city were white washed so that no one could accidentally come into contact with them and be ceremonially unclean. In addition, there was the fact that anyone who "hung on a tree" was cursed. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). This is a quote from Deuteronomy. "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance" (Deuteronomy 21:23). Therefore, the body of any Jew that was hanged or crucified had to be taken down before the beginning of a new day or there was defilement. This practice was accepted by the Roman government as a way to keep the peace with the Jews. Where was Jesus crucified? Golgotha is where Jesus was crucified by the Romans and it was a place where capitol punishment was meted out. If the Jews had punished Jesus, He

would have been stoned. Therefore, the sovereignty of God and the fulfillment of Scripture were perfectly accomplished at the "place of the skull."

Why Was Jesus Christ Crucified for Our Sins? Related

An Unpayable Debt and Obligation A Priceless Gift Christ, Our Passover Death of a Lamb I Am Barabbas The Gospel Jesus Preached The Ultimate Sacrifice

The carnal man is typically concerned only with forgiveness and with not having to pay the cost of his actions. There is little, if any, contemplation of what happens after forgiveness or why God gives forgiveness in the first place. For its true significance to be understood, Jesus Christ's death must be seen within the context of all that God is working out. God is in the process of accomplishing much more than merely "saving" mankind or forgiving its sins! God determined, even before Adam sinned and this present evil world was founded, that Christ, the Lamb of God, would have to be sacrificed for the sins of mankind (I Peter 1:1721; Revelation 13:8). The present order of mankind rebelling against God was begun when Adam sinned in the garden of Eden and was subsequently banished. The relationship with God was severed; man had no access to Him and eternal life, represented by the Tree of Life: Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24) God knew what would happen if He allowed these now-tainted human beings to take of the Tree of Life alsothey would live eternally, but because of their corrupt state, they would be eternally miserable. They would become like Satan and the demonsin a miserable condition because of sin, yet not able to die. Therefore, God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden, placing a flaming sword in the path to guard the way back to the Tree of Life. Mankind was cut off from God.

Two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement (Amos 3:3), and when Adam sinned he plotted the course for all who would follow after hima course that had some good but also some evil. Humanity would walk a path that ultimately could only end in death, one that was definitely not in alignment with the life of the Eternal God. The prophet Isaiah explains this division that sinthe transgression of God's law (I John 3:4)causes: Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2; emphasis ours) Romans 6:23 explains how far sin separates man from his Creator: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Sin, being the opposite of all God stands for, causes the bitter harvest of death to be reaped. Yet, even though He is under absolutely no obligation to do so, God gives the gift of eternal life to pay the debt that every man incurs: the debt of his own, sinful life. Most people believe that "eternal life" means "living forever." However, length of life is only one aspect of eternal life. Satan and the demons will live forever, but their quality of life is the farthest thing from desirable! They do not have quality of life, because they are in constant disagreement with Godthe source of eternal life! Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 that God's gift is eternal life, and in John 17:3, Jesus defines that gift further: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." God's gift, then, is a life wherein a person knows understands, has experience withthe Father and the Son. The gift is a life that not only stretches on forever, but also has a spiritual quality that makes such length of days desirable! That eternal qualitythat perfection in livinghas its only source in God, and a relationship with that supreme Source is only possible when man's sins, the cause of the great gulf between man and God, are atoned for. For this reason, God sent His Son to pay the debt of mankind's sins, so that man might know the Father and the Son in an intimate relationship, and be able to live life as They live. But to what end? Why is God doing this? The gospel of John begins the explanation: He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right [power; authority] to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born [begotten], not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13) With the true acceptance of Jesus Christthat is, receiving not only His sacrifice but also all of His teachingscome the power and authority to become a child of God! The eternal life that God gives as a gift is within the context of a family relationship. God plainly shows it is His purpose to increase His divine Family by bringing many children into it (Hebrews 2:10). Jesus Christ is actually the "firstborn" of many sons of God (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:18).

the gospel Jesus brought to mankind is the "good news" of the Kingdom of Godand that Kingdom is dual. It is not only the ruling government that Christ will establish on earth when He returns, but it is also the Family of Godthe God Kingdom composed of the spirit members of the God Family. Jesus taught that humans can be "born" into the Family, or Kingdom, of God (John 3:3-8). There are only two full members in the God Family or Kingdom at the present timeGod the Father and Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son. Spirit-begotten Christians are likewise a part of that Family, just as a fetus is a part of a human family, but they will not be born into the Family of God until they are likewise composed of spirit, through being resurrected (or changed, if they are still alive when Jesus Christ returns to establish His Kingdom on earth; see I Corinthians 15:50-52; I Thessalonians 4:14-17). This, then, is why God has provided a way for the separation between Himself and man to be removed through the atoning sacrifice of His firstborn Son. God is creating man in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). The death penalty incurred by the sins of mankind had to be paid to make possible God's great purpose of bringing many sons to glory. Without the removal of the defilement of sin, God the Father could not walk in agreement with His as-yet-unborn children.