Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Life story

The Gospels mention these three siblings in two places. Luke 10 tells how Jesus entered the house of the sisters Martha and Mary in an unnamed village: Martha busied herself with hospitality, while Mary sat at his feet and listened. John 11 places the family in Bethany, near Jerusalem, and relates that Lazarus fell ill and died. Jesus arrived after four days and met Martha, who declared him the Christ, the Son of God; he then raised Lazarus from the dead.

John 12 says that six days before Passover, at a meal in Bethany, Martha served, Lazarus sat at table with Jesus, and Mary anointed his feet with costly perfume and wiped them with her hair. The other Gospels also tell of a woman anointing him, but in a different place and setting, so identifying her with Mary is disputed.

Views on Mary differ. In early Western tradition, especially from Pope Gregory the Great, Mary of Bethany was often merged with Mary Magdalene and with the sinful woman in Luke 7. Eastern tradition and most scholars today treat them as separate people. Since 2021 the Roman calendar celebrates Martha, Mary and Lazarus together on 29 July.

The rest is later tradition. A Provençal legend holds that all three came to the south of France, where Martha died at Tarascon; Eastern tradition instead says Lazarus became bishop of Kition on Cyprus. Neither story has evidence from New Testament times.

Works and witness

• Martha and Mary received Jesus in their home (Luke 10)
• Lazarus was raised from the dead at Bethany (John 11)
• Martha declared Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God
• Since 2021 the three are celebrated together on 29 July

Saints from the same country

Saint Peter, Saint Andrew the Apostle, Saint James the Greater, Saint John the Apostle

References

• New Testament – Gospel according to John
• New Testament – Gospel according to Luke
• Martyrologium Romanum

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.