Apocrypha
Nativity of Mary
Birth of the Virgin
4 chapters · read and listen
Reading note
An apocryphal or pseudepigraphal text — outside the canon of the Western churches, yet widely circulated among ancient Jews and Christians. Published here from a public-domain translation, edited for continuous reading.
Chapters
Dossier
A short, orderly version of Mary's birth, written for liturgical reading, without the stranger episodes of the sources behind it.
Where this text comes from
Medieval Latin, derived from Pseudo-Matthew and, through it, from the Protevangelium of James. It circulated widely after being included in the Golden Legend.
Why it is not in the Bible
Apocryphal in every tradition.
What you will find
- It is the leanest version of the story of Anna and Joachim, made to be read aloud.
- Joachim, the rich man who gave a double offering, and Anna, grieving alone — the text moves between the two until the announcement.
- Mary's dedication to the temple and the choice of Joseph by the sign of the rod.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this different from the Protevangelium of James?
- It is a later Latin rewriting, shorter and without the scenes the Western church found problematic, such as the test of virginity performed by Salome.