St. Mary's Church is dedicated to the memory Mary's birth in Bethlehem. Although not recorded in the Bible, the young life of Mary is found in the ancient text of the Protoevangelium of James.
| The Angel on the left is said to have appeared to Ann who had prayed fervently for a child. The angel said to her:
"Anna, Anna, the Lord hath heard thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive, and shall bring forth; and thy seed shall be spoken of in all the world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all |
In the Middle we see St. Ann holding up her new born daughter, Mary.
"And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth? and she said: A girl."
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It is also related that the Angel told Joachim, husband of Anna, that their prayers had been heard and that Anna would conceive. So he went to the temple to offer sacrifice. As he left the temple he said: "Now I know that the Lord has been gracious unto me, and has remitted all my sins. And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and departed to his own house." |
(Quotes from Website-New Advent Encyclopedia: Protoevangelium of James.)
