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Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth , the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus . She is an important figure of Christianity , venerated under various titles such as virgin or queen , many of which are mentioned in the Litany of Loreto . The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox , Catholic , Evangelical Lutheran , Reformed , Anglican , and Methodist churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God . The Church of the East historically regarded her as Christotokos , a term still used in the liturgy of the Assyrian Church of the East .
She has the highest position in Islam among all women and is mentioned numerous times in the Quran , including in a chapter (surah) named after her . She is also revered in the Baháʼí and Druze faiths. The synoptic Gospels name Mary as the mother of Jesus. The gospels of Matthew and Luke describe Mary as a virgin who was chosen by God to conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit . After giving birth to Jesus in Bethlehem , she and her husband Joseph raised him in the city of Nazareth in Galilee , and she was in Jerusalem at his crucifixion and with the apostles after his ascension .
Although her later life is not accounted in the Bible , Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Protestant traditions believe that her body was raised into heaven at the end of her earthly life, which is known in Western Christianity as the Assumption of Mary and in Eastern Christianity as the Dormition of the Mother of God . Mary has been venerated since early Christianity , and is often considered to be the holiest and greatest saint . There is a certain diversity in the Mariology and devotional practices of major Christian traditions.
The Catholic Church and some Oriental Orthodox Churches hold distinctive Marian dogmas , namely her Immaculate Conception and her bodily assumption into heaven. Many Protestants hold various views of Mary's role that they perceive as being in accordance with the Scriptures. The Confessions of the Lutheran Churches have taught the virgin birth , Theotokos , and perpetual virginity .
The multiple forms of Marian devotions include various prayers and hymns , the celebration of several Marian feast days in liturgy , the veneration of images and relics , the construction of churches dedicated to her and pilgrimages to Marian shrines . Many Marian apparitions and miracles attributed to her intercession have been reported by believers over the centuries. She has been a traditional subject in arts , notably in Byzantine art , medieval art and Renaissance art .