THE ANNUNCIATION In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, Full of Grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. Gospel of Luke 1:26-38 THE VISITATION During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Gospel of Luke 1:39-45 THE MAGNIFICAT And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. Gospel of Luke 1:46-56 THE NATIVITY In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Gospel of Luke 2:1-7 Mary in the Qur'an And We Made son of Mary and his mother a Sign ... ([Qur'an 23:50]) Mary, mother of Jesus, enjoys a singularly distinguished and honored position amongst women in the Qur'an: She is the only woman directly named in the Book; declared (uniquely along with Jesus) to be a Ayat Allah or Sign of God to mankind [Qur'an 23:50]}; as one who "guarded her chastity" [Qur'an 66:20]; an obedient one [Qur'an 66:12]; chosen of her mother and dedicated to Allah whilst still in the womb to God [Qur'an 3:36]; uniquely (amongst women) Accepted into service by Allah [Qur'an 3:37]; cared for by (one of the prophets as per Islam) Zakariya (Zacharias) [Qur'an 3:37]; that in her childhood she resided in the Temple and uniquely had access to Al-Mihrab (understood to be the Holy of Holies), and was provided with heavenly 'provisions' by Allah [Qur'an 3:37]; a Chosen One [Qur'an 3:42]; a Purified One [Qur'an 3:42]; a Truthful one [Qur'an 5:75]; a fulfillment of Prophecy [Qur'an 66:12]; a vessel for the Spirit of God breathed into her [Qur'an 66:12]; her child conceived through "a Word from God" [Qur'an 3:45]; and "exalted above all women of The Worlds/Universes" [Qur'an 3:42]. The Qur'an relates detailed narrative accounts of Maryam (Mary) in two places Sura 3 and Sura 91 [Qur'an 3:35] and [Qur'an 91:16]. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Ave MarÃa, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum. BenedÃcta tu in muliéribus, et benedÃctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta MarÃa, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatóribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.