Saints
M

Saint · Apostolic age

Mary, Mother of Jesus

Venerated as Theotokos, “God-bearer”, in many traditions

Period
1st century
Feast days
25 March · 15 August · 8 September
Associated region
Nazareth and Jerusalem

Mother of Jesus, honoured above all other saints in Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

Key timeline

View full timeline (4)
  1. 1st centuryNew Testament account

    Annunciation and birth of Jesus

    As narrated in Luke and Matthew.

  2. 1st centuryNew Testament account

    At the cross

    John’s Gospel places Mary at the crucifixion.

  3. 431

    Council of Ephesus

    Affirms the title Theotokos.

The Gospels present Mary as a young woman of Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph, who conceives Jesus by the Holy Spirit. She appears at Cana, at the crucifixion and with the apostles in Jerusalem after the resurrection.

Principal written sources

  • Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John
  • Acts of the Apostles 1:14
  • Protevangelium of James (2nd century; not part of the biblical canon)

Full timeline

  1. 1st centuryNew Testament account

    Annunciation and birth of Jesus

    As narrated in Luke and Matthew.

  2. 1st centuryNew Testament account

    At the cross

    John’s Gospel places Mary at the crucifixion.

  3. 431

    Council of Ephesus

    Affirms the title Theotokos.

  4. 1854 and 1950

    Catholic Marian dogmas

    Immaculate Conception (1854) and Assumption (1950) defined by popes.

The Council of Ephesus (431) affirmed the title Theotokos. Catholic teaching later defined her Immaculate Conception (1854) and Assumption (1950); Orthodox churches celebrate her Dormition but did not adopt the 1854 definition.

Feast days
  • 25 March — Annunciation
  • 15 August — Dormition (Orthodox) / Assumption (Catholic)
  • 8 September — Nativity of Mary
Venerated in (starting dataset)
Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran. Honoured in different ways across traditions. The Church of the East prefers the title “Mother of Christ” to Theotokos; Protestant churches generally honour her without invoking saints.
Patronage and roles (starting dataset)
All Christians, Mothers, Universal Protection
Places
Nazareth · Bethlehem · Jerusalem

Accounts in the starting dataset

The source workbook lists these under “Confirmed Miracle / Key Event”. The Atlas does not treat them as confirmed: each is labelled by the kind of evidence behind it.

  • New Testament accountGospel account and doctrine

    “Apparition & Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ, the Incarnation of God”

    The virginal conception is narrated in Matthew and Luke and taught by most churches. The workbook’s word “apparition” appears misplaced here.

  • TraditionalReported apparitions

    “Apparition at Our Lady of the Pillar (40 AD) & Guadalupe / Lourdes / Fatima”

    Our Lady of the Pillar (Zaragoza) rests on a medieval tradition; its “40 AD” date is legendary. Guadalupe (1531), Lourdes (1858) and Fátima (1917) are apparitions approved for devotion by the Catholic Church, which does not require belief in them.

About the image · Editorial design

Editorial initial. No likeness of Mary survives; icons and paintings are devotional images.

Editorial status

Editorial draft. Built from the starting workbook with editorial corrections and framing. It has not yet been checked against independent sources.

References

  • Workbook linkNot yet checked

    britannica.com

    Link supplied in the source workbook (“Top 100 Saints”, row 11). It has not been checked to confirm that it supports every claim in that row.

Original workbook record

Imported unchanged from “Top 100 Saints”, row 11. Values here are the starting dataset, not verified facts; where the Atlas differs, the reason is noted below.

#
3
Saint / Title
Saint Mary (Theotokos / Mother of God)
Primary Traditions Veneration
Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran
Feast Day(s)
Aug 15 / Sept 8 / Mar 25
Era / Lived
1st Century BC – 1st Century AD
Origin / Region
Nazareth / Jerusalem
Patronage & Major Roles
All Christians, Mothers, Universal Protection
Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 1
Apparition & Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ, the Incarnation of God
Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2
Apparition at Our Lady of the Pillar (40 AD) & Guadalupe / Lourdes / Fatima
Key Contribution / Historical Significance
Mother of Jesus Christ; uniquely revered across ancient traditions as the God-bearer (Theotokos).
Reference Link
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-mother-of-Jesus

Editorial notes on this record

  • Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 1: “Apparition & Virgin Birth” merges a doctrine with an apparition category.
  • Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2: “Our Lady of the Pillar (40 AD)” gives a legendary date as fact.
  • Era / Lived: “1st Century BC – 1st Century AD” — shown simply as 1st century.