the virgin mary
the virgin mary — idiom
1. In Christian belief, Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit whi
In Christian belief, Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit while remaining a virgin, and is honoured as the mother of God's son.
In Luke's Gospel, the Virgin Mary learns from an angel that she will give birth to Jesus.
phrase used as a proper-noun subject in religious narrative
Paintings of the Virgin Mary often show her dressed in blue, a traditional symbol of heaven.
phrase used in cultural / artistic context
The cathedral's main altar displays a large wooden statue of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus.
Every December, the church hosts a play with a young girl acting as the Virgin Mary.
- Mary
the same person referred to without the 'Virgin' title; used in neutral or historical contexts
- the Blessed Virgin Mary
a more formal Catholic title emphasising her holiness
- Our Lady
a devotional Catholic title, often used in prayers and church names
用法筆記
This phrase functions as a proper-noun title and is always capitalised. In Catholic tradition she is often called 'Our Lady' or 'the Blessed Virgin Mary'; in Protestant contexts 'Mary, the mother of Jesus' may be preferred.