How Mary was born to two holy parents and grew up close to God.
Story 1: Young Mary, The Girl Chosen by God
(From an early Christian tradition, the Protoevangelium of James.)
A long time ago, in the land of Israel, there lived a kind and faithful couple named Joachim and Anne. They loved God very much, but their hearts were sad, they had no children. They prayed every day for a child, and one day, God sent them a beautiful gift: a baby girl! They named her Mary.
Joachim and Anne were so thankful that they made a promise to God. They said, “We will give Mary back to You.” So, when Mary was just three years old, they brought her to the Temple in Jerusalem. That’s where people came to pray and worship God.
Little Mary grew up in the Temple, surrounded by prayers and songs to God. She was gentle, kind, and loved to help others. The priests saw how special she was. They believed God had a big plan for her.
When Mary turned about twelve, it was time for her to leave the Temple and be taken care of by someone good. God chose a kind man named Joseph to be her guardian. Joseph was a carpenter who lived in Nazareth. He promised to care for Mary and protect her.
Where this story comes from: This story isn’t in the Bible, it comes from an early Christian book called the Protoevangelium of James. The Catholic Church doesn’t treat it as Scripture, but it helps us understand how early Christians believed Mary was special from the very beginning.