Mary

(also: Virgin Mary, The Virgin, Madonna) Mary was the mother of Jesus and, as such, has a special place in the affection and devotion of Christians. The Gospels of Luke and Matthew speak of her as a Virgin who conceived Jesus by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Devotion to the Virgin Mary, also called the Madonna, is especially important in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. In the Orthodox tradition she is known as Theotokos, or God-bearer.