How many children did the Mother of God Mary have. Who is Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary (Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God) - a Jewish woman from Nazareth, according to the mother of Jesus Christ. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke describe Mary as a virgin, and Christians believe that she conceived a son as an immaculate Virgin by the Holy Spirit. The miraculous birth happened when Mary was already betrothed to She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.

Icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness of Seraphim of Sarov"

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.

References to the Virgin Mary in the Bible.

The Virgin Mary is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Most often, the Immaculate Virgin Mary is mentioned in Gospel of Luke. She is mentioned 12 times by name. All references are related to the birth and childhood of Jesus.

Icon of the Mother of God "Tikhvinskaya"

Gospel of Matthew mentions her name six times, five of them in connection with the infancy of Jesus and only once (13:55) as the mother of the adult Jesus.

Gospel of Mark calls her once by name (6:3) and refers to her as the mother of Jesus without calling her by name in 3:31 and 3:32.

Gospel of John mentions her twice, but never by name. The Gospel says that the Virgin Mary accompanied Jesus when He initiated His miracles in Cana of Galilee. The second reference says that the Virgin Mary stood at the cross of Jesus.

IN Acts it is said that the Apostles, Mary and the brothers of Jesus gathered in the upper room after the Ascension of Jesus.

IN Revelation of John a woman clothed with the sun is described. Many believe that this is a description of the Virgin Mary.

Pedigree of the Mother of God.

There is little mention of the origin of the Virgin Mary in the New Testament. John 19:25 says that Mary had a sister.

At the cross of Jesus stood His Mother and His Mother's sister, Mary Cleopova, and Mary Magdalene.

It is not semantically clear from this sentence sister of His Mother, Maria Kleopova, Is it the same person or two different women . Jerome believes that this is one person. But the historian of the beginning of the second century Egesippus believed that Maria Kleopova was not the sister of the Virgin Mary, but her relative from Joseph the Betrothed.

According to the author of the Gospel of Luke, Mary was a relative of Elizabeth, the wife of the priest Zechariah, and thus descended from the line of Aaron from the tribe of Levi. Others believe that Mary, like Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, was from the house of David.

Biography of the Virgin Mary.

The Immaculate Virgin Mary was born at Nazareth in the Galilee. After her betrothal to Joseph (betrothal is the first stage of a Jewish marriage), the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced to her that she would become the mother of the promised Messiah. After the first expression of disbelief at the announcement, she replied, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be to me according to your word." Joseph the Betrothed planned to calmly part with her, but an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him "do not be afraid to accept Mary, your wife, for what was born in her is from the Holy Spirit."

Marriage of Mary to Joseph. I. Chernov 1804-1811

The angel, in confirmation of his words, also told Mary that her relative Elizabeth, previously barren, had conceived by the grace of the Lord. Mary went to her relative's house, where she saw Elizabeth's pregnancy with her own eyes and fully believed in the words of the angel. Then the Virgin Mary delivered a speech of gratitude to the Lord, which is known as the Magnificat or doxology of the Virgin Mary.

After spending three months in Elizabeth's house, Mary returned to Nazareth. According to the Gospel of Luke, Joseph, the husband of Mary, by decree of the Roman emperor Augustus, had to return to his hometown of Bethlehem to take the Roman census there. During her stay in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger, since there was no place for them in any inn. On the eighth day, Mary's child was circumcised according to Jewish law and named Jesus, which in Hebrew means "Yahweh is salvation."

After the days of purification, Jesus was taken to Jerusalem to be presented before the Lord, as required by custom. The Virgin Mary sacrificed two turtledoves and two pigeon chicks. Here, Simeon and Anna prophesied about the future of the baby. After visiting Jerusalem, the Immaculate Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed, together with the baby Jesus, returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, an angel appeared to Joseph at night and warned that King Herod wanted to kill the baby. The Holy Family fled by night to Egypt and remained there for some time. After the death of Herod in 4 BC. e., they returned to the land of Israel, to Nazareth in Galilee.

Virgin Mary in the life of Jesus

According to the New Testament, at the age of twelve, Jesus is separated from his parents upon his return from the celebration of Passover in Jerusalem, but the presence of the mother is still traced in His earthly life.

Biblical scholars argue a lot about why Jesus was separated from his parents, and, in particular, from the Mother, since the fate of his earthly father is unknown, Joseph is mentioned for the last time in the Bible when Jesus was 12 years old. Some point to conflict in the Holy Family. A few quotations from the Bible really prove this point. The Gospel of Mark describes the moment:

And His mother and brothers came and, standing outside the house, sent to Him to call Him.

People were sitting around him. And they said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers and Your sisters outside the house are asking You.

And he answered them, Who are my mother and my brothers?

And surveying those who were sitting around Him, He said: Here are My mother and My brothers;

for whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. ()

Quote attributed by the Gospel of Mark to Christ: There is no prophet without honor, except in his own city, among his relatives and in his own house. ". It also proves the possibility of conflict.

If there was a conflict in the Holy Family, then the reason for it could be the unbelief of the family in Christ as the son of God.

American biblical scholar Bart Ehrman believes that "there are clear indications in the Bible not only that Jesus' family rejected his messages during his public ministry, but that he, in turn, rejected them publicly."

The Virgin Mary was present when, at her suggestion, Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding in Cana by turning water into wine. The Virgin Mary was also at the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The moment described in the Gospel when Mary embraced the dead body of her son is a common universal motif in art, and is called "pieta" or "pity".

After the Ascension of Jesus, we find one single mention of the Virgin Mary in Acts. There is no mention of Mary after this. Her death is not described in Scripture, but the Catholic and Orthodox traditions believe that her body was taken to heaven. Belief in the bodily Ascension of the Virgin Mary is a dogma of the Catholic Church and many others.

Information about the Virgin Mary from apocryphal texts.

The following biographical details are taken from apocryphal literature.

According to the apocryphal Gospel of James, Mary was the daughter of Saint Joachim and Saint Anna. Before the conception of Mary, Anna was barren and was far from young. When the girl was three years old, she was brought to the Jerusalem Temple.

According to apocryphal sources, at the time of her betrothal to Joseph, Mary was 12-14 years old, and Joseph was 90. However, these data are unreliable. Hippolytus of Thebes claimed that Mary died 11 years after the Resurrection of Jesus and died at 41.

The earliest surviving biographies of the Virgin Mary are Life of the Virgin created in the 7th century by Saint Maximus the Confessor, who considered the Mother of God a key figure in the early Christian Church.

In the 19th century, the so-called House of the Virgin was found near Ephesus in Turkey. It was found on the basis of the visions of Anna Katerina Emmerich, an Augustinian blessed nun from Germany. The nun, 2 years before her death, during one of the many visions of the Mother of God, received a detailed description of the place where Mary lived before her Assumption.

According to legend, the Blessed Virgin Mary retired to Ephesus during the persecution of Christians along with John the Theologian. In 1950, the House of the Virgin was reconstructed and turned into a chapel.

Virgin Mary in Orthodoxy

In the Orthodox tradition, the doctrine of virginity is accepted. According to this doctrine, the Virgin Mary "conceived a virgin, gave birth to a virgin, remained a virgin." Hymns to the Mother of God are an integral part of worship in the Eastern Church and their positioning within the liturgical sequence indicates the position of the Mother of God after Christ. In the Orthodox tradition, the order in which saints are listed begins with Our Lady, followed by angels, prophets, apostles, church fathers, martyrs, etc.

One of the most beloved Orthodox akathists is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Five of the twelve great church holidays in Orthodoxy are dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

• Nativity of the Virgin

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a holiday dedicated to the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Nativity of the Virgin is celebrated on September 21st.

• Introduction to the Temple

Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary- a holiday dedicated to one of the events in the life of the Virgin Mary. Her parents Joachim and Anna brought their daughter to the Temple at the age of three, as they had already vowed to dedicate the child to God. The holiday is celebrated on December 4th.

• Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The holiday is celebrated exactly 9 months before the birth of Christ. The day is dedicated to the appearance of an angel who announced to the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of God on Earth.

Orthodox holiday celebrated on the day of the death of the Virgin Mary. According to the apocrypha, the Virgin Mary died on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. There is now a Catholic church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the apocrypha “The Legend of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God”, the apostles were transferred to the deathbed of the Mother of God on clouds from all over the world. Only the Apostle Thomas stayed for three days and did not find the Virgin Mary alive. He wanted to say goodbye to the Virgin Mary. At his request, the tomb of the Virgin Mary was opened, but the body was not there. Therefore, it is believed that the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven. The Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on August 28.

• Protection of the Holy Mother of God

Protection of the Holy Mother of God celebrated October 14th. This Orthodox holiday is based on the legend of the appearance of the Mother of God to the holy fool Andrew. It happened in Constantinople, which was besieged by enemies. People in the temple prayed to God for salvation from the barbarians. Holy Fool Andrew saw the Mother of God praying for the salvation of the people of Constantinople. Then the Mother of God removed the veil from her head and covered with it the people who were present in the temple, thereby protecting them from visible and invisible enemies. The cover of the Virgin shone brighter than the rays of the sun. It is believed that the Mother of God saved Constantinople.

Veneration of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church.

The prerequisites for the exaltation of the Virgin Mary by all peoples (kinds) are given in the Bible itself, where it is said on behalf of the Virgin Mary:

... My soul magnifies the Lord, and My spirit rejoiced in God, My Savior, that He looked upon the humility of His Servant, for from now on all generations will please Me; that the Mighty One has done me greatness, and holy is His name ().

In the 11th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the words of a woman from the people are quoted:

... blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that fed you!

Moreover, John the Theologian in the Gospel of John testifies that Jesus performed the first miracle at the request of his mother, therefore the Mother of God is revered as an intercessor for the human race. There are a huge number of icons of the Mother of God. Many of them are considered miraculous.

Mankind has been waiting for its Savior for a very long time. Back in the Old Testament, God promised that the Savior would come into this world through a woman, but without a male seed. The Virgin Mary voluntarily agreed to this, although at that time it was very dangerous, including for life. The Virgin Mary had enough faith, spiritual strength and humility to take this step. The Mother of God knew from the very beginning that the earthly ministry of her Son would end quickly and tragically. As a mother, she endured the worst for the salvation of mankind.

Mariology is the doctrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mariology is the theological doctrine of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. Christian Mariology seeks to connect the Holy Scriptures and the traditions and teachings of the Church about the Virgin Mary in the context of social history.

There are various Christian views on the role of the Virgin Mary in Christianity, from the full veneration of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church to the minimization of Mary's role in Protestant evangelical theology.

A significant number of publications in this field were written in the 20th century by theologians Raimondo Spiazzi (2500) and Gabriel Roccini (900). The centers of modern Mariology are the Pontifical Institute of Mariology and the Pontifical Academy of Mariology.

On January 8, the Orthodox Church celebrates Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, the one without which our salvation would not have been possible. The way Christians honor the Mother of God is incomparable with the veneration of any saint. In prayers, she is called “The Most Honorable Cherubim and the Most Glorious Seraphim without Comparison”, that is, higher and more glorious than the highest angelic ranks - Cherubim and Seraphim. More than eight hundred icons of the Mother of God are known. They turn to her in grief, and joy, without exception, with questions and problems, with a request for salvation. Even the personal pronouns “She”, “Her”, when it comes to the Mother of God, are written with a capital letter, as pronouns related to God. But why? After all, even though she was a great righteous woman on earth, she was still not God, and very little is said about her in the gospels ... Why is she so glorified?

Unique Mary

Beato Angelico. Fresco cycle of the Dominican monastery of San Marco in Florence: The Annunciation. OK. 1437 - 1446

Let's start from afar. Throughout many centuries of human history, the world has been waiting for the coming of the Savior. This expectation permeates the entire Old Testament; this is its central theme. The question arises: why did the Messiah not come for so long? The fact is that the greatest feat of self-denial and love was required from the woman who was to become the earthly Mother of God. In order for such a woman to be born, centuries of preparation were needed. Mother of God Mary is the purest humble Virgin of all those born on earth. Such a Child is the result of the efforts and spiritual work of dozens of generations. Mary had to agree to the conception of a special Son, she had to entrust her life to God as much as possible. Now the question may arise for us: what is this about? Just think, a feat - rather, it is a great honor that She was shown, who will refuse such a thing? But in fact, everything was much more complicated. Firstly, the Virgin Mary could not believe the Archangel Gabriel, who told Her what God wants from Her. But She believed. Second, she could say no. It was enough to imagine what could await Her, a very young innocent girl who grew up at the temple, betrothed to the elderly Joseph, who promised to take care of Her in a fatherly way, when it turned out that She was pregnant, and who knows from whom? How many gossip and rumors would give rise to such a situation ... So She could be afraid to say "no". But She trusted God and agreed. Finally, Mary could be proud that the choice fell on her. Perhaps few would have survived in her place. But She meekly answered the Archangel that She was God's servant, and agreed that everything should be according to His will.

Parents of the Virgin

They say that children are a reflection of their parents. And in order to understand how such a meek Virgin, possessing such a strong faith, came into the world, one must remember who Her father and mother were. The parents of the Mother of God are the holy righteous Joachim and Anna. The Lord tested them for a long time, not giving them children. It must be said that the lack of offspring in Old Testament Israel was an extremely serious problem. It was believed that if the family does not have children, then this is God's punishment.

Such people were subjected to ridicule, gossip and even persecution. For example, there is a legend that Mary's father Joachim was expelled from the Jerusalem Temple when he came there to offer a sacrifice. Allegedly, he is a great sinner and somehow angered God, since He does not give him descendants. Joachim withdrew into the wilderness, began to pray fervently, and it was at that moment that he received from God the joyful news that they would have a child with Anna. Both were at an advanced age, it was hard to believe. Everything happened just like that.

The Mother of God, on the one hand, was really an unusual Virgin: a long-awaited child, begged from God, given up for three years in the Temple ... But, on the other hand, She was the most ordinary person who knew the hardships and illnesses of human nature. All the more exceptional is Herrol in history: a simple girl, who did not seek glory and exploits for herself, was exalted by God and became the Mother of Christ.

That's what the gospel says

The question often arises: why is there so little said in the Gospel about the Theotokos, if She is the Mother of Christ, “The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison”? Indeed, there are few references to her, but they are all very informative. For example, in the Gospel of Luke there are prophecies of the veneration of the Mother of God. These are the words of the Archangel Gabriel - a short phrase "Blessed are you among women" (Luke 1:28). "Blessed" means glorified. The archangel does not say this himself, he is only a messenger of God. A little later, the Mother of God, meeting with Her relative Elizabeth, directly says that God made Her great and people will glorify Her (Luke 1:48-49).

According to Church Tradition, the Mother of God told the Apostle Luke about Christ. On the basis of Her story, they compiled their Gospel. Thus, the Virgin Mary was actually a co-author of one of the Gospels.

Another important note: Holy Scripture directly indicates that the Lord was in obedience to Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:51) and even argued with religious teachers who tried to circumvent God's commandment: "Honor your father". At the most terrible moment of His earthly ministry, the Savior, suffering on the Cross, took care that His Mother would not be lonely, entrusting Her care to the Apostle John the Theologian. So Herol in the life of the Son was very serious, even though little is said about it.

The Mother of God had enough faith to be sure of Her destiny, She had enough spiritual strength not to become proud, and enough humility to carry Her cross. She knew from the very beginning that Her Son's earthly ministry would end tragically. And as a believer, and as a Mother, She endured unimaginable suffering. She came to this because she wanted salvation for all of us, for the entire human race. Therefore, they revere Her so highly - The One, without whose feat the Birth of Christ would have become impossible, which means our salvation. She became a heavenly Mother to every Christian. This can be felt by any person who sincerely prays to Him.

The Mother of God is the patroness and the Holy Virgin, the most revered in the Christian world. She is called the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin. In Christianity, she is considered the mother of Jesus Christ. She is the most revered and greatest of all saints.

She bears the holy name of the Mother of God, because she gave birth to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom the entire Christian world considers Almighty God.

The Mother of God was born in the city of Nazareth, in Galilee. Mary's parents were Saint Anna and Saint Joachim. They were already quite an elderly married couple, and they had no children. However, Anna had a vision of an angel in heaven that she would soon give birth to a child. A girl was born, they named her Maria. Until the age of three, the girl lived with her parents. Then, along with the rest of the children, she was brought up in a place where she prayed a lot. After reaching the age of majority, she left the temple because a husband had been chosen for her. It was a man from the tribe of David, an elderly man, Joseph the Betrothed. Joseph was chosen because a miracle happened the day before - his staff blossomed in an unusual way. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he announced that she would be the mother of the long-awaited and promised Messiah. Mary conceived it through the Holy Spirit. There was a prediction that the Mother of God would give birth to a son who would save her people from sins. She ended her life in the city of Jerusalem 12 years after the ascension of Christ, she was 48 years old. The death of Mary was marked by her Ascension on the third day, and at the last moment of her life, Jesus Christ himself appeared to her.

Akathist is a song, or rather a genre of Orthodox church hymnography, which is performed while standing. Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos can be read as part of a prayer service and other services. It is especially recommended to do this on the morning of the holiday called Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos. This is one of the main songs in the Christian world. The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is a song of thanksgiving addressed to the Mother of God herself. All Christians honor the image of the Queen of Heaven in a special way, give her honors and praise her deeds.

The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is also gratitude to the one who is the Intercessor for all Orthodox people. It is about her that every Orthodox person thinks when he is offended, humiliated, in sorrows and in distress. The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos says that this saint is waiting for sincere human repentance. She guides sinners on the path of a true Christian and helps them turn to a righteous life. She extends a helping hand to all who turn to her, and even to those who live in sin, but ask for help.

The Akathist to the Mother of God speaks of a special attitude towards immaculate souls, towards people with a pure heart and good thoughts. People with the highest spirituality and purity of heart clearly feel the presence of her son, God, at the moment of turning to the saint. The Akathist to the Mother of God calls to carefully preserve God's word and live as the Virgin Mary lived - in perfect purity.

Icons of the Mother of God are considered miraculous, since a person has a spiritual connection with God, through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos - these are prayers that bring peace and prosperity to family relationships. For example, if you are going to get married, pray near the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos called "Fadeless Color".

The words that usually sound before this icon are requests to choose the right spouse, to get rid of quarrels in the family. Very pure, fiery words of prayer, sounding from the heart, will help you get what you are asking for, and will also allow you to achieve reconciliation in the event of a quarrel in the family. The prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos are filled with the main meaning - purity and chastity.

10.05.2015

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of the Savior. In Christianity, it is considered the Mother of God, as well as one of the greatest saints. The name Mary in Hebrew sounds like Mariam, it can have different meanings, they include it - bitter, rebellious, beloved by the Creator.

The fact is that many scholars who are engaged in sacred writings trust the meaning of “beloved” most of all, and attribute this word to the ancient language of the Egyptians, which is explained by the presence of the Jewish people in an African country for several centuries.

Early Mary is not known to anyone

Almost nothing is known about Mary’s early life, the Gospel begins the story of Mary from the moment when the Archangel Gabriel comes to her in Nazareth, who told that she was honored to be chosen, after which she should give birth to the Messiah. It is known that Mary became engaged to Joseph in those years, but remained a virgin, as evidenced by the words spoken by Mary - “How can I have a child if I do not know a husband?” The angel explained to her that the light and power of the Creator would come upon her, after which Mary agreed, saying: "Let it be as you say." After this event, Mary decided to visit her close relative Elizabeth, to whom the Archangel also came and said that she would have a son, although she was barren and she was many years old. Elizabeth had a son, John the Baptist.

When Mary was next to Elizabeth, she sang her a laudatory song, the Bible says that it resembles the song of Anna, the mother of Samuel, one of the revered prophets. Upon returning to Nazareth, her husband found out that Mary was having a child, after which he decided to let her go and not tell anyone. But the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him too, telling him about the Great Mystery itself.

Mary had to flee the city

In those years, there was a census, and the family was from the family of David, so I had to flee to Bethlehem. Soon a baby, Jesus, was born in the barn. Next, the magi came to the place of birth, who learned about the birth of Christ and walked in the direction of the Star in the sky. The shepherds saw Joseph, Mary and her child. Eight days later, a circumcision ritual was performed and the baby was named Jesus. Forty days later, the husband and wife went to the Temple to perform a purification ceremony in accordance with the law and dedicate the child to God. They sacrificed four birds. When this ritual was performed, Simeon, the elder in the Temple, decided to tell the future of the child to everyone present, after which he said that Mary would participate in the suffering of Jesus.

Mary was with Jesus for many years. A well-known fact, when Mary asked her son to turn water into wine, at that time a wedding was taking place in Cana. Then she stayed with Christ in Capernaum. After Christ's execution, she also had to be in place, and Jesus told John to always be with his mother. After Christ ascended to heaven, she, along with those who were close to the Savior, waited for the Holy Spirit. They managed to see the descent of the Spirit, which took on a different form, it was fire. Further, nothing is said about the life of Mary anywhere.

Virgin Mary - the most holy of all women

Before the Council of Nicaea was held in the fourth century, clergymen and figures including Justina Martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, Cyprian and many others argued that Mary's role in the redemption of mankind was undeniable. If we talk about the divine motherhood of the Virgin Mary, then she is considered the greatest woman of all that existed on Earth. According to scientists, in order to become the Mother of God, Mary needed to be honored with great divine favor. In Catholicism, the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary is considered as a logical condition that prepares the Virgin Mary herself for the coming of the Messiah.

Mary was saved from vice

If we talk about Pope Pius, he said that the Holy Virgin Mary became her even before the moment of the immaculate conception took place, everything consisted in the exclusive gift of grace. This suggests that the mother of the Savior was from the very beginning protected from sin, which alienates any creature from God, since the time of the first man, when the fall into sin occurred.

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From the biblical story we do not learn anything about the circumstances of Her Nativity, nor about the Entry into the Temple, nor about the life of the Virgin after Pentecost. Such details of the life of the Mother of God are brought to us by Church Tradition: ancient legends, church-historical writings, homiletic-biblical information about the life of the Mother of God appeared in the early Christian apocrypha: “The story of James about the birth of Mary” (in other words, “The Protoevangelium of James”; 2nd half.– late II century, Egypt), “The Gospel of Childhood” (otherwise - “The Gospel of Thomas”; II century), “The Book of Joseph the Carpenter” (c. 400, Egypt), “St. John the Theologian, the legend of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God" (IV-V centuries).

Not recognizing the Apocrypha as a source of doctrine, at the same time she borrowed from them a number of plots related to the earthly life of the Virgin. At the same time, the apocryphal stories themselves in the new edited version were cleared of the Gnostic element and agreed with the canonical story about the Mother of God contained in the Four Gospels. The popularity of stories borrowed from the apocrypha related to the personality of the Virgin was also facilitated by numerous translations of the ancient apocrypha into various languages: the Gospel of Childhood, for example, was translated into Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Georgian; there are also its Latin (known as the "Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew"), Ethiopian, Arabic and Slavonic ("History of Thomas the Israelite", "Childhood of Christ") versions.

A long, centuries-old work to purify apocryphal materials related to the image of the Mother of God from the non-Orthodox ideas contained here and plots unacceptable to the Church led to the addition of a single and internally consistent Tradition about the earthly life of the Mother of God, to the implementation of the relationship between the circumstances of Her life with the liturgical year cycle (apocryphal legends about The Mother of God was actively used by such famous songwriters as St., St. and St.). Since ancient times, the stories about the life of the Virgin found a lively response among Orthodox Christians, were their favorite reading. They were part of various hagiographic literary traditions of the local Churches. The legends were also reflected in the sermons of the holy fathers (St., St., St. John of Damascus, St., etc.) on church holidays.

Tradition testifies that at the turn of two eras of world history, separated by the birth of Christ, elderly and childless spouses, the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, lived in the city of Nazareth. All their lives, dedicated to the fulfillment of God's will and service to others, they dreamed and fervently prayed that the Lord would grant them a child. Joachim and Anna made a vow: if they still have a son or daughter, then his or her life will be devoted to serving God. Finally, after 50 years of their marriage, the prayer of the elderly righteous was heard: they named their daughter Mary (translated from Hebrew - “lady” or “hope”). The girl, who brought comfort and spiritual relief to the elderly and God-fearing spouses, was destined to become the Mother of the future Savior of the world, the Son of God. According to her father, She came from the tribe of Judah, from the family of David; by mother, from the tribe of Aaron; among her ancestors were the Old Testament patriarchs, high priests, rulers and kings of the Jews.

Church Tradition brings to us a number of significant circumstances of the event of the Nativity of the Virgin. Joachim and Anna suffered greatly because of their barrenness, in which Old Testament morality saw God's punishment. Joachim was even prevented from making sacrifices in the temple, believing that he was objectionable to God, since he did not create offspring for the people of Israel. Joachim knew that many Old Testament righteous, for example. Abraham, just like him, did not have children until his very old age, but then God, according to their faith and prayers, nevertheless sent them offspring. Joachim retired to the desert, set up a tent there, where he prayed and fasted for 40 days and nights. Anna, like her husband, bitterly mourned her childlessness. And she, like her husband, was humiliated for infertility by those around her. But one day, when Anna was walking in the garden and praying to God that He would give her a child, as He once gave offspring to the elderly Sarah, an angel of the Lord appeared before Anna and promised her that she would soon give birth and that her offspring would be talked about all over the world ( Protoevangelium 4). Anna made a vow to dedicate her child to God. At the same time, an angel appeared to Joachim, announcing that God had answered his prayers. Joachim returned home to Anna, where the conception and Nativity of the Mother of God soon took place.

Elderly parents made sacrifices of thanksgiving to God for the gift given to them. Anna, after the birth of her daughter, made a vow that the baby would not walk the earth until the parents brought Mary into the temple of the Lord. “... They are from Him,” says St. - received the promise of Your birth and, doing well, You, promised to them, in turn promised Him ... ”(Greg. Pal. In Praesent. 8).
When the future Mother of God reached the age of 3, Joachim and Anna, who had been postponing Her consecration to God until that moment, decided that the time had come to bring Mary to the temple. According to legend (Protoevangelium 7), Mary's entry into the temple was accompanied by a solemn procession; young immaculate virgins with lit lamps stood on the way to the temple. “...Let Joachim rejoice with Anna, as the holy fruit of them has come, Mary, the luminiferous, divine candle, and rejoice when entering the temple ...” (sedal on the polyeleos). Her parents placed Her on the first of the 15 high steps of the temple. And here, according to the legend transmitted by Blzh. , a miracle happened: Mary independently, without anyone's support, ascended the steep steps, entered the temple (Hieron. De nativit. S. Mariae). At the same moment, the high priest came out to meet Her: according to legend, Zechariah is the future father of John the Baptist (Forerunner). He, by a special revelation of God, led Mary into the Holy of Holies, where the high priest had the right to enter only once a year.
After that, Joachim and Anna left Mary at the temple. Her whole life in the temple was the work of a special Providence of God. She was brought up and studied together with other virgins, worked on yarn and sewed priestly vestments. Food bud. An angel brought the Mother of God. “Holy of holies, Pure in the holy temple, thou hast loved to dwell, and with the angels, Virgin, conversing, thou art most glorious from heaven, receiving bread, the Nourisher of Life” (troparion of the 4th song of the 2nd canon on the Introduction).

Tradition tells that the Mother of God lived at the temple for up to 12 years. The time had come when She had to leave the temple and get married. But She announced to the high priest and the priests that she had taken a vow of virginity before God. Then, out of respect for her vow and in order to preserve her virginity, so that the young maiden would not be left without protection and care (by that time Her parents had died), Mary was betrothed to the elderly carpenter Joseph, who came from the family of King David. According to legend, the Lord Himself pointed to him as a bud. betrothed and protector of the Virgin. Temple priests gathered 12 men from the lineage of David, put their staffs on the altar and prayed that God would point to the one who was pleasing to Him. Then the high priest gave each his staff. When he gave the staff to Joseph, a dove flew out of it and landed on Joseph's head. Then the high priest said to the elder: "You have been chosen to receive and guard the Virgin of the Lord." (Protoevangelium. 9). The Mother of God settled in the house of Joseph in Nazareth. Here She dwelt in labor, contemplation and prayer. At this time, a need arose for the manufacture of a new curtain for the Jerusalem temple. Part of the work on behalf of the high priest was performed by the Virgin Mary.

The moment of the Annunciation has come. This event is described in the New Testament by the Evangelist Luke (1.26-38). God sent to the Blessed Virgin arch. Gabriel, so that he would announce to Her about the imminent Christmas from Her Lord. According to legend, at the moment when the archangel appeared before Her, She read an excerpt from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah “Behold, the Virgin in the womb will receive ...” (). The Mother of God began to pray that the Lord would reveal to Her the mysterious meaning of these words and quickly fulfill His promise. Just at that moment She saw the arch. Gabriel, who announced to her the imminent birth of a Son. The child will be the Son of the Most High, will be called Jesus, will inherit the throne of David, and His Kingdom will have no end. Mary is perplexed: how can all this be fulfilled if She remains in virginity? The angel answers: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy One who is being born will be called the Son of God "(). Mary, in response to the words of the archangel, gives her voluntary consent to the Incarnation: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word ”(). Arch. Gabriel departs from the Mother of God. The unmarried conception of the Lord Jesus Christ takes place.

After the event of the Annunciation, the Mother of God went to visit Her relative of rights. Elizabeth, future mother of St. John the Baptist (Forerunner). Righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth lived in the Levitical city of Iutah. According to legend, on the way to Iuta, the Mother of God visited Jerusalem and handed over to the temple ready-made needlework - part of the new veil. There, over the Mother of God, the high priest pronounced an exalted blessing, saying that the Lord would glorify Mary in all the generations of the earth (Protoevangelium 12). The event of the meeting of the Virgin and Elizabeth is described by the Evangelist Luke (). At the moment of the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth, the baby jumped in the womb of Elizabeth. She was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke prophetic words about the Mother of the Lord who visited her house. The Mother of God answered her with a solemn poetic hymn: “My soul magnifies the Lord ...” (), glorifying the mercy of God, shown to Israel in fulfillment of ancient prophecies about the Messiah. She testifies that from now on, all generations living on earth will please Her. The Mother of God was in the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth c. 3 months, then returned to Nazareth.

Soon Joseph noticed that Mary was carrying a fetus in her womb and was embarrassed by this. He wanted to secretly release her from his home, thereby freeing her from persecution under the harsh Old Testament law. However, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and testified that the Infant born from the Mother of God was conceived by the influx of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, Who should be called the name Jesus, since He will save mankind from sins. Joseph was obedient to the will of God and accepted Mary, again, as before, protecting Her purity and virginity ().

The New Testament story about the event of the Nativity of Christ is contained in two complementary gospels - from Matthew (1:18-2:23) and from Luke (2:1-20). It tells that during the reign of imp. Augustus in Rome (under whose rule Palestine was at that time) and King Herod in Judea, by decision of the emperor, a census was arranged. At the same time, Jews - for their participation in the census - had to come to those cities where their family originated. Joseph and Mary, who by that time were already expecting the imminent birth of the Child, came to Bethlehem, as they came from the family of King David (Euseb. Hist. eccl. I 7. 17). Bethlehem was the city of David. Not finding free places in the hotel, they were forced (although it was a cold season) to settle in a cattle pen - according to Church Tradition, originating in the early Christ. Apocrypha and in the testimonies of the ancient Fathers of the Church (Iust. Martyr. Dial. 78; Orig. Contra Cels. I 51), it was a cave. It was in this cave at night at the Blessed Virgin that the Infant Jesus Christ was born. Christmas was celebrated without the usual physical suffering for women in childbirth. The Mother of God Herself swaddled the Lord on His Nativity and laid him in a manger where they put fodder for livestock. Here, in the cave, She was a witness to the worship of the Lord of the shepherds and composed in Her heart the words of their story about a miraculous appearance in the field of angelic forces ().

On the 8th day after Christmas, the rite of circumcision and naming () was performed on the Divine Infant, and after 40 days they brought Him to the Jerusalem temple. This event is remembered by the Church under the name of the Presentation of the Lord. His circumstances are described by the Evangelist Luke (2.22-38). The baby was brought to the temple in fulfillment of the ancient customs of the Old Testament law of Moses (). In accordance with this law, women after 40 days if a boy was born, and 80 days if a girl was born, had to come to the temple to offer a cleansing sacrifice.

The Mother of God also visits the temple for the sake of making such a sacrifice. She brings 2 turtledoves and 2 pigeon chicks - a sacrifice that, according to the law, is permissible only for the poor. According to custom, after making a sacrifice for the firstborn son, the priest took the baby from the hands of the mother and, turning to the altar, raised the child high, as if handing it over to God. At the same time, he performed 2 prayers over him: one - for the law of redemption (the firstborn sons of the Israelites were intended, as belonging to God (), to serve in the tabernacle and temple - later these duties were assigned to the Levites (), but the law provided for the possibility of liberation from this ministry through a ransom), etc. - for the gift of the firstborn.

The Christ Child was met at the entrance to the temple by the pious and righteous elder Simeon. The elder uttered thanksgiving to God and his famous “Now you are letting go…”. He turned to the Theotokos, prophesying about Her fate: "... and Your very own weapon will go through the soul ...". The words about the “weapon”, that is, about the sword with which the heart of the Virgin will be pierced, is a prophecy about the suffering that She will experience when She becomes a witness to the torment and death on the Cross of Her Divine Son.

According to ancient Tradition, Vost. Church, it was after the event of the Meeting (Ephraem Syri. In Deatess .; and not on the night of Christmas - Ioan. Chrysost. In Matth. 1. 1; cf .: Theoph. Bulg. In Matth. 1. 1) that the Divine Infant was worshiped by those who came from East of the Magi (). Herod, deceived by them, sought the death of Christ, and the Holy Family soon - at the direction of the angel who appeared to Joseph - was forced to leave Palestine and flee to Egypt (). From there, Joseph and the Mother of God with the Child returned to their homeland only after they learned that Herod had died. Joseph learned about the death of the king from an angel who appeared to him in a dream ().

A whole series of pious traditions connected with the stay of the Holy Family in Egypt has been preserved. So, according to one of the legends, on the way to Egypt, they stumbled upon robbers, two of whom were on patrol, the rest were sleeping. One robber, vaguely perceiving the Divine greatness of the Infant, did not allow his comrades to harm the Holy Family. Then the Mother of God said to him: “The Lord God will support you with His right hand and grant you the remission of sins” (Gospel of the Childhood of the Arab Savior. 23). According to legend, it was this merciful robber who later turned out to be that prudent robber whose sins were forgiven by the Lord on the cross, and who was honored to enter paradise with Christ ().

Upon returning to Palestine, the Holy Family again settled in Nazareth (). According to legend, the Mother of God was engaged in needlework, taught local children to read and write. She was still in prayer and contemplation. Every year the whole Family went - according to the existing religious custom - to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. During one of these trips, Joseph and the Mother of God, who had already left the temple, did not notice that the boy Jesus, who was then 12 years old, remained in Jerusalem. They thought Jesus was going to Galilee with C.L. from their relatives or acquaintances; not finding Him among them and being disturbed by this, Joseph and the Mother of God returned to the Jerusalem temple. They found Jesus here talking to the Jewish teachers, who were amazed at His wisdom beyond his years. The Mother of God told Him about the grief that seized Her and Joseph when they did not find Him among their fellow tribesmen. The Lord answered Her, “Why did you seek Me? or did you not know that I must be in that which belongs to my Father?” (). Then they did not understand the meaning of the Lord's words. And yet the Mother of God kept all His words in Her heart, vaguely foreseeing the future that awaits Her Son and the Mother of God herself ().

In accordance with Church Tradition, after several. Joseph died years after this event. Now about Christ and His brothers (in accordance with the Eastern exegetical tradition, the children of Joseph from his first marriage - Euseb. Hist. eccl. II 1. 2; Theoph. Bulg. In Matth. 13. 56; see: Merzlyukin. S. 25-26) was taken care of by the Mother of God.

After the Baptism of the Lord and a 40-day fast in the desert, the Son of God found himself with His Mother at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. Here the Mother of God asked Him to console the feasting, who lacked wine, and to show His Divine power for this. The Lord first answered that His hour had not yet come, and then, seeing the full hope of the Mother of God in the omnipotence of the Divine Son, and out of respect for Her (Ioan. Chrysost. In Ioan. 2. 4), he miraculously turned water into wine (). According to legend, soon after being married in Cana, the Mother of God, by the will of her Son, moved to Capernaum (Ioan. Chrysost. In Ioan. 2. 4).

Doing the will of the Heavenly Father was incomparably more important for Jesus than family kinship. This is evidenced by a well-known episode described in the Synoptic Gospels (; ; ): having come to the house where Christ preached, the Mother of God and the brothers of the Lord, who wished to see Him, sent to Him to ask for a meeting; Jesus Christ answered that everyone who does the will of His Heavenly Father is His brother, sister, and mother.

During the Lord's suffering on the Cross, the Mother of God was not far from Her Divine Son. She did not leave the Lord at the Cross either, sharing His sufferings with Him. Here She stood before the Crucified together with St. John the Evangelist. Christ said to the Mother of God, pointing to John: “Woman! behold, thy son,” and then to the apostle: “behold, thy mother” (). From this day on. John took upon himself the care of the Mother of God.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Mother of God was glorified among Christians by many of her miracles and was awarded great veneration. According to legend, she witnessed the martyrdom of the archdeacon. Stefan and prayed that the Lord would give him the strength to face his death with firmness and patience. After the persecution of Christians that began under Herod Agrippa and the execution of James, the Mother of God and the apostles left Jerusalem. They cast lots to find out to whom and where the Gospel Truth should be preached. Iveria (Georgia) was assigned to the Mother of God for Her preaching. She was going to go there, but an angel who appeared to Her prevented her from doing so. He announced to the Theotokos that Iveria should be enlightened by the Light of Christ much later, but for now She must remain in Jerusalem in order to go from here to another land that also requires enlightenment. The name of this country was to be revealed to the Theotokos later. In Jerusalem, the Mother of God constantly visited the Tomb of Christ, which was empty after the Resurrection, and prayed. The Jews wanted to overtake Her here and kill her, and even posted guards near the Tomb. However, the power of God miraculously hid the Mother of God from the eyes of the Jews, and She freely visited the cave of the Burial (The Legend of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. 2).

Church Tradition tells of the sea voyage of the Mother of God to Lazarus, who was once resurrected by the Lord and became the Cypriot bishop. On the way, Her ship was picked up by a storm and transferred to Mount Athos. Realizing that this is the same land that the angel announced to Her in Jerusalem, the Mother of God set foot on the Athos Peninsula. In those days, a wide variety of pagan cults flourished on Athos, but with the advent of the Virgin Mary, paganism was defeated on Athos. By the power of Her sermon and numerous miracles, the Mother of God converted the locals to Christianity. Before sailing from Athos, the Mother of God blessed the people and said: “Behold, in my lot be my Son and my God! God's grace to this place and to those who abide in it with faith and with fear and with the commandments of my Son; with little care, everything on earth will be abundant for them, and they will receive heavenly life, and the mercy of My Son will not fail from this place until the end of the age, and I will be a warm intercessor to My Son about this place and about those who are in it "(, Bishop History Athos, St. Petersburg, 1892, part 2, pp. 129–131). The Mother of God sailed with Her companions to Cyprus, where she visited Lazarus. During her journey, the Mother of God visited Ephesus. Returning to Jerusalem, She still prayed often and for a long time in places that were connected with the events of the earthly life of Her Son. As the “Legend of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God” tells, the Mother of God learned from arch. Gabriel. The Mother of God accepted this message with great joy: She had an early meeting with Her Son. As an omen of the glory awaiting the Mother of God after Her Assumption, the archangel handed Her a heavenly branch from a date tree, shining with an unearthly light. This branch was to be carried in front of the tomb of the Mother of God on the day of Her burial.

When the Mother of God was reclining on her deathbed, a miraculous event took place: by the power of God, the apostles who were then in various countries were gathered in Her house, who, thanks to this miracle, were able to be present at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This miraculous event is evidenced by the divine service of Matins of the Assumption of the Theotokos: “The all-honorable face of the wise apostle gathered miraculously to bury Thy most pure body, the Mother of God all-singed: with them the angel and the multitude are singing, honestly praising Your Resurrection, if we celebrate by faith” (sedalon according to the 1st kathisma on Assumption). According to Church Tradition, the Lord, who appeared with a host of heavenly powers, accepted the radiant purity of the soul of the Mother of God: “I marvel at the angelic forces, in Zion, looking at my Lord, the female soul with his hands, bearing: most purely begotten, sonically proclaiming: Come Pure, be glorified with the Son and God be glorified.” (troparion of the 9th ode of the 1st canon of the Dormition). Only ap. was not at the bed of the Virgin. Thomas (episode and description of the Ascension of the Mother of God according to the Latin version of the Apocrypha on the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God). According to Church tradition, after the death of the Mother of God, the apostles laid Her body in a cave tomb, blocking the entrance with a large stone. On the 3rd day, Thomas, who was absent on the day of the Assumption, joined them, who suffered greatly from the fact that he did not have time to say goodbye to the Mother of God. At his tearful prayer, the apostles rolled away a stone from the entrance to the cave so that he could also say goodbye to the body of the deceased Mother of God. But, to their surprise, they did not find Her body inside the cave. Here lay only Her clothes, from which a wondrous fragrance emanated. The Orthodox Church keeps the Tradition that the Mother of God was resurrected by the power of God on the 3rd day after Her Assumption and ascended into Heaven. “Thou hast taken victorious honors on the nature of the Pure One, having given birth to God: Both, being like Your Creator and Son, obey the natural law more than nature. Even if you die, you rise with the Son forever” (troparion of the 1st song of the 1st canon of the Dormition).

Some ancient writers slipped the idea of ​​the martyrdom of the Mother of God (for example, in the Word attributed to Timothy, the Blessed Jerusalem, V century), but this assumption is rejected by the Holy Fathers (Ambros. Mediol. In Luc. 2. 61), Church Tradition.

The year of the Assumption of the Mother of God is called differently by ancient spiritual writers and church historians. indicates 48 A.D., - 43 A.D., - the 25th year after the Ascension of Christ, Nicephorus Kallistos - 44 A.D.

Source: Smirnov I., prot. Apocryphal tales about the Mother of God and the deeds of the apostles // PO. 1873. Apr. pp. 569–614; Amann E. Le Protoevangelie de Jacques et ses remaniemant latenes. P., 1910; Apocryphal stories about Christ. SPb., 1914. Issue. 3: Book of Joseph the Carpenter; Michel C. Evangelies apocryphique. P., 1924; Krebs E. Gottesgebaererin. Kln, 1931; Gordillo M. Mariologia orientalis. R., 1954; A Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary // Ed. by M. O'Caroll. Wilmington, 1983; Gospel of Childhood (Gospel of Thomas) // Apocrypha of ancient Christians. M., 1989. pp. 142–150; The story of James about the birth of Mary // Ibid. pp. 117–129; Apocryphal stories about Jesus, the Holy Family and witnesses of Christ / Comp. I. S. Sventsitskaya, A. P. Skogorev. M., 1999; Logoi Qeomhtopikoi MonacOj Maximos. Hsuxastherion tes koimhseos tes theotokou. Katounakia; Agion Oros, 1999.

Lit .: Legends about earthly life Virgin: From 14 fig. and 26 polytypes. SPb., 1870; The Four Gospels: Interpretations and Study Guide. SPb., 1893. Serg. P., 2002: Interpretation of the Four Gospels: Sat. Art. for edifying reading; Snessoreva S. Earthly life Rev. Mother of God. SPb., 1892. M., 1997. Yaroslavl, 1994, 1998; The Mother of God: A Complete Illustrated Description of Her Earthly Life and the Miraculous Icons Dedicated to Her Name. / Ed. Poselyanina E. SPb., 1909. K., 1994. M.,; his own. Mother of God on earth. St. Petersburg; M., 2002; Christian Holidays: Christmas Mother of God. Introduction to the Church of St. Mother of God. Dormition of St. Mother of God. K., 1915-1916. Serg. P., 1995; Merzlyukin A. Genealogy Virgin Mary and the origin of the "brothers of the Lord". P., 1955, St. Petersburg, 1995/