OAU (AU) Golden Jubilee 2013 American Inquiry

Matters arising at Magdala Inquiry.

THE NARRATIVE OF THE VIRGIN MARY AS
TOLD BY HERSELF TO TIMOTHY, PATRIARCH
OF ALEXANDRIA
[Brit. Mus. MS. Orient. No. 604, Fol. 25b ff.]


I AM Mary the Virgin, the Mother of God, King of
the living and the dead.

I am the woman who was vowed to God by her father, I am (Fol. 25b, col. 2) the daughter of a barren woman.

I was begotten by Joachim, who was from Jerusalem, and like every man I was begotten by carnal union.

And they vowed me to the House of the Sanctuary (i.e. Temple) from the breasts of my mother.

And I learned all the learning that is written in books and [the rules of virginity] from Zacharias the priest and Simeon, until the day when they betrothed me to the holy old man Joseph the carpenter.

And I lived in his house, and I did the work of my hands in my habitation (or, chamber).

And when the Ruler of all things looked upon the
humility of me His handmaiden—

my Son is the King of kings—

He sent Gabriel unto me, and behold, he heard my voice.