That Time the Virgin Mary Went to Hell
Jesus may be the reason for the season, but as with most births, it’s his mother who’s the real hero of the Christmas story. Having undergone a lengthy and dangerous journey to Bethlehem, the teenage Mary gives birth in uncomfortable conditions and without the support of her immediate family. After the nativity, Mary only makes a few cameos in the Gospels; we hear almost nothing about Jesus’s upbringing and Jesus is dismissive of her on at least two occasions. But there’s a lot more to say about the woman whom Christian tradition describes as “the mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven.”
1. She’s a Big Deal in the Qu’ran and Muslim Tradition
Mary is the most important woman in Christianity, but in truth there are more references to Mary in the Qu’ran than there are in the Bible. In fact, Mary—or Maryam—is the only woman to be referred to by name in the Qu’ran (the names of other women are inferred from tradition). A hadith (traditional saying) adds that “the Prophet names Mary as one of the four spiritually perfected women of the world,” (763) who will “lead the soul of blessed women to Paradise” (143).