Mary of Alphaeus, aunt of Jesus
She is a Galilean native of Nazareth. She marries Alphaeus, the elder brother of Saint Joseph and thus becomes the aunt of Jesus and the sister-in-law of the Virgin Mary.[1] She has four sons: Joseph, Simon, James (the apostle), Jude (the apostle). They are the "brothers" of Jesus[2], while the wives of the first two are said to be "the sisters" of Jesus.
In the work, Mary is interchangeably called "Mary (Woman) of Alphaeus" or "Mary (daughter) of Cleophas". See the note below.
She is counted among the Women Disciples closest to the Virgin Mary at Calvary and in the events of the Passion as well as the Resurrection.
She is the one who keeps the house in Nazareth once the Virgin Mary, after the Ascension of Jesus, decides to withdraw into the solitude of Gathhsemane with John.[3]
Character and Appearance[edit | edit source]
She is robust and of a common appearance.[4] While Maria Valtorta attributes around fifty years to her eldest son Joseph, Mary of Alphaeus must be around 70 years old, as confirmed by EMV 14.[5] She is a woman influenced by the prejudices of her time. However, she knows how to overcome them: "her Heart is full of the prejudices of Israel, but naturally good."[6]
Her Conflict with Jesus[edit | edit source]
She is torn between her two sons who follow Jesus and the two who are hostile to him, like her husband Alphaeus. She becomes a widow in the first year of his public life. Now free, and driven by her deep desire[7], she becomes one of the Women Disciples who follow Jesus[8], "the first of the Women Disciples in chronological order". She suffers and works for the conversion of all her children: which occurs.
She is present at many events including the Passion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension.
Her Name[edit | edit source]
In Hebrew Miriam מרים (Myriam – Mirîam).[9] This common name can mean bitterness or "the exalted one," "Prophetess" or the feminine of "Lord" – Historical reference: Aaron’s sister.
Where Is She Mentioned in the Work?[edit | edit source]
EMV 14 EMV 44 EMV 51 EMV 52 EMV 57 EMV 89 EMV 90 EMV 93 EMV 95
EMV 100 EMV 102 EMV 104 EMV 105 EMV 106 EMV 107 EMV 109 EMV 133 EMV 150 EMV 152 EMV 157 EMV 162 EMV 164 EMV 180 EMV 194 EMV 197 EMV 198 EMV 199
EMV 200 EMV 201 EMV 206 EMV 207 EMV 208 EMV 210 EMV 211 EMV 212 EMV 212 EMV 214 EMV 239 EMV 245 EMV 247 EMV 248 EMV 249 EMV 250 EMV 252 EMV 253 EMV 254 EMV 255 EMV 256 EMV 257 EMV 260 EMV 261 EMV 262 EMV 281 EMV 282 EMV 285 EMV 286 EMV 287 EMV 290 EMV 293 EMV 294
EMV 303 EMV 304 EMV 307 EMV 310 EMV 311 EMV 313 EMV 314 EMV 336 EMV 348 EMV 350 EMV 365 EMV 366 EMV 368 EMV 375 EMV 376
EMV 433 EMV 434 EMV 435 EMV 436 EMV 437 EMV 438 EMV 439 EMV 440 EMV 441 EMV 442 EMV 444 EMV 445 EMV 446 EMV 447 EMV 448 EMV 449 EMV 450 EMV 451 EMV 452 EMV 453 EMV 454 EMV 455 EMV 456 EMV 457 EMV 458 EMV 460 EMV 461 EMV 462
EMV 560 EMV 566 EMV 567 EMV 568 EMV 571 EMV 574 EMV 576 EMV 577 EMV 578 EMV 579 EMV 581 EMV 584 EMV 589 EMV 590 EMV 596 EMV 598 EMV 599
EMV 609 EMV 616 EMV 616 EMV 619 EMV 626 EMV 627 EMV 634 EMV 638 EMV 641 EMV 642
Learn More About This Character[edit | edit source]
Mary of Cleophas or Mary of Alphaeus?[edit | edit source]
At the foot of the Cross of Jesus stood "his mother and the sister of his mother, Mary, Woman of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene".[10]
Maria Valtorta does not mention a Woman of Cleophas[11], but rather Mary of Alphaeus (Maria d'Alfeo)[12], sister-in-law (cognata) of the Virgin Mary.[13]
What should one think?
The Vulgate of St. Jerome, as well as the New Vulgate of 1979 both say the same thing:stabant autem iuxta crucem Iesu mater eius et soror matris eius Maria Cleopae et Maria Magdalene.Neither specifies the relationship that binds this Mary to Cleophas, because in Latin, "Mary, Woman of Cleophas" and "Mary, daughter of Cleophas" are translated identically: "Maria Cleopae". Only repeated use makes her the wife, but calling her the daughter is equally correct.
Moreover, the Vulgates speak well of the (sister-) sister of the Virgin Mary, which is the case in Maria Valtorta.
Thus, nothing opposes the idea that Mary of Cleophas in the Gospel is indeed the same as Mary of Alphaeus, sister-in-law of the Virgin Mary, and if one were to specify the relationship, it would be "daughter of," not "Woman of," that should be translated.
But are Mary of Cleophas and Mary of Alphaeus not two distinct persons?
No, in EMV 162.1, Mary Cleophas (Maria Cleofe) is well assimilated as the aunt of Jesus (zia Maria), and therefore the Woman of Alphaeus since Jesus has only one aunt.
It is known that in Nazareth there were several Marys of Alphaeus. To avoid misunderstandings, then, Mary of Cleophas specified the circumstance. Such a misunderstanding could occur between Jude the apostle and Judas of Kerioth, who bearing the same name in Hebrew required an addition for clarity.
This dual designation ultimately caused some confusion: For Eusebius of Caesarea, citing Hegesippus, Clopas was the father of Simon, brother of the Apostles whereas James is well said to be, elsewhere, a son of Alphaeus. This confusion led to the assumption that Clopas and Alphaeus were the same root, which is neither proven nor suggested by anything.
Yet, it is not uncommon in the Gospel to see the same character referred to under several names: Simon, son of Jonah, is one example among others.
In the Dictionary of Characters[edit | edit source]
Excerpts from the Dictionary of Characters of the Gospel, according to Maria Valtorta (Mgr René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Éditions Salvator, 2012):Saint Mary of Alphaeus is celebrated on April 9. According to a tradition reported by Saint Caesarius of Arles (early 6th century), she would have come to Camargue[14]. Her feast was solemnly celebrated there even before the 6th century. The family from Bethany emigrated to Provence following the first persecutions initiated in 41 by Herod Agrippa I. She is known there under the name Mary Jacobe: a nickname she owes to her son James, first bishop of Jerusalem.