Blessed Virgin Mary – Legend and Story
The Gospels give very little light on the biographical aspects of Blessed Virgin,  Mariam – her parentage? family lineage? her life during the public life of Christ? after Christ’s Ascension and her death? However, her family background and personal life were known to the society during her life-period. But with the passage of time, factual details got blurred in memory in the absence of contemporary records and they became past historical traditions. From the second century onwards, written documents giving stories connected with her personal life began to appear. These stories are considered legendary and apocryphal too. A few of the generally are seen in the works of

•The Protoevangelium of St. James,
•Latin work on the early Life of Blessed Virgin Mariam,
•History of Joseph, the Carpenter (later than fourth century),
•Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew (8th or 9th century).

The name Mary, as expressed in English, is Miriam in Hebrew. Maryam in Syriac and Aramaic. Aramaic name מרים, In the O.T. (Ex. 15: 20), sister of Moses is the only individual named Miriam. Name ‘Moses’ (Hebrew nameמֹשֶׁה ( Moshe) is Egyptian in origin, given by the daughter of King Pharaoh, meaning drawn out of water. ‘Miriam’ may have been derived from the Egyptian name ‘Mery’, (Meryt). or “the name Miriam may be derived from māru, to be well nourished …

Blessed Virgin Mary – Her Name
Orientals consider the idea of well nourished as synonymous with beauty and bodily perfection. Mary means, therefore, the beautiful or the perfect one.” The story is narrated in the Protoevangelium.

Mary is mentioned about 20 times in the Bible & in Quran 70 times.  (Surah 19) – Greatest Woman who ever lived, Chosen one above all woman, pinnacle of righteousness and faith in God, Portrayed as a woman of faith, purity and obedience, Jesus is begotten of Mary, but not begotten of Joseph (Luke 3: 23-38), Joseph – husband of Mary as he was engaged to Mary. (Matt. 1:18-24). Jews called the couples as husband & wife, once they were engaged (betrothed) Gen. 29:21; (Jacob & Rachel) Duet. 22: 23, 24. Joseph is called, as the betrothed, pointing to the ever virginity of Mary

Virgin Mariam was the daughter of the aged parents Joachim (Yuakim) and Hannah (Anna). Joachim was a rich person descended from the royal line of David, and Hannah belonged to the priestly line. This righteous couple were saddened in their life that they did not have any child and could not hope that their descendants would see the Messiah whom every Jew expected to appear any time. Grieved over their barrenness they were offering prayers to God for a child. In response, an angel appeared to them & informed that Hannah will conceive. Accordingly, a girl child was born to Joachim and Hannah whom they called Mariam. In their gratitude to the merciful God, pledged to dedicate the child to the Temple. They dedicated their child in the service of God at the age of three. And she continued to live in the temple till she was betrothed.

Her possible year of birth may be reckoned as 17 B.C. Taking into account the legendary record that she was betrothed at the age of 12/13 and the historical computation that she gave birth to Jesus in 5 B.

Blessed Virgin Mary –Presented to the Temple   
According to the Protoevangelium, she continued to live in the Temple “and when she was twelve years old, there was a council of the priests, saying: Behold, Mary is become twelve years old in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her? lest she pollute the sanctuary of the Lord. And they said unto the High Priest: Thou stands over the altar of the Lord. Enter in and pray concerning her. And whatsoever the Lord shall reveal to thee, that let us do.”

Then High Priest Zacharia, went into the Holy of Holies of the temple & prayed. Grieved over their barrenness they were offering prayers to God for a child. In response, an angel appeared to them and informed that Hannah will conceive. Accordingly, a girl child was born to Joachim and Hannah whom they called Mariam. Another child was born to Joachim and Hannah later, was also named Mary, who was married to Cleopas of Emmaus

Blessed Virgin Mary – Betrothed to Joseph
While praying, an angel of the Lord appeared and advised him to assemble the widowers in the locality who shall bring their rods along with them and on whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, Mariam shall be his wife. Following angel’s words, Zacharia gathered the widowers in the temple. One of the widowers was Joseph.

Casting of Lots: when Maryam was brought to the temple, the rabbis and priests debated who would be responsible for her. They threw their pens (used to write the Torah) into a river to decide, and Zakariyyah’s pen was remained above water. A “Guardian”: – kaffala كَفَّلَ), meaning to put in the charge or care of someone. Zakariyyah was her maternal uncle. The main point in the Quran is to highlight her unique piety, her upbringing under Divine protection (she was provided with food by Allah), and her special status, as she was designated for the miraculous birth of Prophet Isa (Jesus). When they came, Zacharias collected the wooden rods from them and went into the Holy of Holies and prayed.

He returned and gave back the rods to the persons concerned. “Joseph received the last rod; and lo, the staff would bloom forth with flowers a dove came forth of the rod and flew upon the head of Joseph. And the priest said unto Joseph: Unto thee hath it fallen to take the virgin of the Lord and keep her for thyself.” About Joseph, we get information from an Egyptian book titled, “History of Joseph, the Carpenter or Death of Joseph” written in the fourth century (AD) or later. Joseph, aged 91 years is described as belonging to “Bethlehem; he was a carpenter and married and had sons and daughters. His wife had died leaving the children still young.

Blessed Virgin Mary – Veil for the Temple
Now there was a council of the priests and they said: Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord. And the priest said: Call unto me pure virgins of the tribe of David. And the officers departed and found seven virgins. And the priests called to mind the child Mary, that she was of the tribe of David and was undefiled before God; and the officers went and fetched her. And they brought them into the temple of the Lord; and the priest said: Cast me lots, which of you shall weave the gold and the undefiled (the white) and the fine linen and the silk and the Hyacinthine, and the scarlet and the true purple. And the lot of the true purple and the scarlet fell unto Mary, and she took them and went unto her house. (And at that season Zacharias became dumb, and Samuel was in his stead until the time when Zacharias spoke again).

While Virgin Mariam was living with Joseph the Council of Priests of the Jerusalem Temple called her and assigned her the job of making a veil for the temple of the Lord. Mary took the scarlet and began to spin it.” The Annunciation Virgin Mariam earnestly carried on the task of weaving the veil assigned to her, at the house of Joseph.

Blessed Virgin Mary – Chastity Test
The Protoevangelium contains an interesting story of Virgin Mariam and Joseph being accused of consummating their marriage without proper formalities before the High Priest, subject them to undergo a chastity test (Num. 5: 11–31) to prove their innocence. ²⁶The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. ²⁷If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse. ²⁸If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.

Joseph was full of weeping. And the priest said: I will give you to drink of the water of the conviction of the Lord, & it will make manifest your sins before your eyes. And the priest took thereof and made Joseph drink and sent him into the hill-country. And he returned whole. He made Mary also drink and sent her into the hill-country. And she returned whole. And all the people marveled, because sin appeared not in them.“And the priest said: If the Lord God hath not made your sin manifest, neither do I condemn you. And he let them go. Joseph took Mary and departed unto his house rejoicing, and glorifying the God of Israel.”

Blessed Virgin Mary – Virgin Birth of Jesus
It was during this juncture that she experienced the unusual heavenly annunciation from God’s archangel Gabriel. The story told in the Proto-evangelium is like this: And she took the pitcher and went forth to fill it with water; and lo, a voice saying: Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. ” Angel of the Lord stood before her said: Fear not Mary, for thou hast found grace before the Lord, thou shalt conceive of His word.” And she abode three months with Elizabeth and day by day her womb grew: and Mary was afraid and departed unto her house and hid herself from the children of Israel.

Virgin Birth The event of Virgin Mariam giving birth to Jesus is mentioned very briefly in the Gospel of Matthew as “Jesus was born at Bethlehem” and in Luke as “She gave birth to her first-born son and laid him, in a cave.” Without any further details regarding the circumstances surrounding it. But St. James gives the following story about the incident, in the Protoevangelium.

Blessed Virgin Mary – Virgin Birth in a Cave
Now there went out a decree from Augustus, the King, that all that were in Bethlehem of Judaea should be recorded. And he saddled the she-ass and set her upon it and his son led it and Joseph followed after (along with Salome, the mid-wife). And they reached hill cave of Bethlehem, & Mary said unto him: Take me down from the ass, that which is within me press me, to come forth. he took her down from the ass and said unto her: Whither shall I take thee to hide thy shame; the place is desert. And he found a cave there and brought her into it and set his sons by her; and he went forth and sought for a mid-wife of the Hebrews in the country of Bethlehem.

And behold a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said to me: Man whither goes thou? And I said: I seek a mid-wife of the Hebrews ……… And the mid-wife went with him. And they stood in the place of the cave: and behold, a bright cloud overshadowing the cave. And the mid-wife said: My soul is magnified this day, because mine eyes have seen marvelous things: for salvation is born unto Israel. And immediately the cloud withdrew itself out of the cave, and a great light appeared in the cave so that our eyes could not endure it. Salome, disbelieved this birth of a virgin woman and her hands shrivelled.

Blessed Virgin Mary – Salome Healed 
And by little and little that light withdrew itself until the young child appeared. And she bowed her knees unto the Lord, saying: O God of my fathers remember that I am the seed of Abraham and Issac and Jacob; restore me unto the poor,  thou knowest Lord, that in thy name did I perform my cures, did receive my hire of thee.” And lo, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying unto her: Salome, Salome, the Lord hath hearkened to thee: bring thine hand near unto the young child and take him up, and there shall be unto thee, salvation and joy.

And Salome came near and took him up, saying: I will do him worship, for a great king is born unto Israel. And behold, immediately Salome was healed; and she went forth of the cave justified. And lo, a voice saying, Salome, tell none of the marvels which thou hast seen, until the child enter into Jerusalem.” According to the Egyptian Coptic Church tradition “the angel again appeared to Salome, bade her to go back to Mary and remain in her services for good. She consented and returned back to the cave and told Mary, the message of the angel.”  Virgin Mariam retained the services of Salome. When Joseph, at the behest of God’s angel fled to Egypt with Virgin Mariam and infant Jesus, Salome went with them.