Mary, Mother of Jesus

Mother of Jesus, revered in Christianity as the Virgin Mary and in Islam as Maryam. Born c. 20-15 BCE, she was betrothed to Joseph when the angel Gabriel announced she would conceive by the Holy Spirit (Annunciation). After visiting her relative Elizabeth (Visitation), she gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem (Birth of Jesus), fled to Egypt to escape Herod (Flight to Egypt), and raised Jesus in Nazareth. She witnessed his first miracle at Cana, stood at the cross where Simeon’s prophecy of a sword piercing her soul was fulfilled (Presentation at Temple), and prayed with the early church at Pentecost (Acts 1:14). Venerated by Catholics and Orthodox as Theotokos (God-bearer), honored by Protestants as blessed among women, and praised in the Quran as chosen above all women (Quran 3:42).