Mary

Mary was from the town of Nazareth, Galilee, in northern Israel. She was the young virgin mother of Jesus Christ, who was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit. The incarnation—the eternal Word becoming human—is an act of God’s grace and love (John 1:1, 14). At the Ecumenical Church Council held in Ephesus in 431, Mary’s title Theotokos, the Mother of God, was officially affirmed. Although it is questionable, some believe that when the apostle John moved to Ephesus around 66 he brought Mary with him. Mary possibly lived and died in Ephesus, although her tomb has never been found.