According to the story Joachim and Anne were married for twenty years but they had no children. One year when they went to Jerusalem to celebrate a Feast day in the temple they had a vision of an angel who told them of the coming birth of a daughter whom they should vow to the service of God. When the prophecy came to pass and they had a child, they called her Mary. At the age of three, Mary was presented to the temple where she was nourished by the angels. According to Coptic tradition the feast of St. Mary's presentation to the Temple is celebrated on the 3rd of Kiakh.

At the age of twelve, the priests assembled to discuss what should be done with Mary because the time had come for her to leave the Temple. They called the twelve men of from the tribe of Judah and placed their rods at the Temple. The next day the high priest brought the rods and gave each one his rod. As St. Joseph stretched his hand to take his rod, a dove came out of the top of the rod and flew around the temple and then flew towards heaven. The others all congratulated Joseph telling him that God has chosen him to receive and take care of Mary.

The Coptic Church loves St. Mary, the Virgin and mother of God. We pray and ask her prayers and intercessions for our spiritual progress. Our love for St. Mary is deeply rooted in our hearts.

There are several symbols of St. Mary in the bible and in our church.

1. The Tabernacle or The Second Dome- At the Annunciation, angel Gabriel told St. Mary that the power of the Most High will overshadow you Luke 1:35. According to the book of Exodus 40:35, Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle because it was the Lord's dwelling place and the glory of the Lord filled it. St. Mary is the True Tabernacle where God Himself dwelt.

2. The Ark of the Covenant is a symbol of St. Mary because the Ark of the Covenant was made of incorruptible wood, made with gold inside and outside. In the Theotokia of Sunday we pray and say "And you Mary, also put on the glory of divinity inside and out". The Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of God. David brought it to his house where it remained for three months (2 Sam 6). St Mary also remained in Judea for three months. David's people rejoiced and were happy in the presence of the Ark and St. Mary brought joy to Elizabeth and caused the baby to leap from within his mothers womb.

3. The Cover of the Ark was called in Hebrew "Sekina" which means the "dwelling place" because it represents God's seat of mercy overshadowed by two Cherubim. God appeared between the Cherubim in blue (symbol of heaven) and from there He used to speak to Moses. St. Mary is this cover, a type of the church, where God sits on His throne of mercy among His people, and it is fille with His heavenly creatures. From Sunday's theotokia we read, "Two icons of Cherubim, made of gold overshadow the cover continuously with their wings, they over shadow the holy of holies in the second dome!. Thousands and ten thousands of angels overshadow you also, O Mary".

4. The Vessel of Manna in which there is the Bread of Life which came down from heaven and granted life for the whole world. St. Mary is the Vessel of Manna because she carried for us our Lord Jesus Christ, t he Living bread which came down from heaven so that man may eat from it and not die.

5. The Golden Lampstand bears the ever lightened Lamp. St. Mary became superior to all heavenly creatures because of the True Light she bore. He who dwelt in her womb gives light to every body in the world.

6. The Burning Bush which Moses saw in the wilderness was flaming but its branches were not burned. This is a symbol of St. Mary the pure and spotless Virgin.

7. Aaron's Rod the lifeless rod blossomed (Num 17:8). This is a symbol of St. Mary who brought forth the Son of the Most High-The Word Himself-without human seed.

8. Jacob's Ladder is a symbol of St. Mary because in Jacob's dream he saw heaven open and a ladder from earth leading towards heaven. Jacob saw angels going down the ladder. St Mary is that ladder because she opened the gates of heaven for us.

9. The Rational Mount is when the living Word of God came down on Mount Sinai to give the Law, so also the Word of the Father came down and was incarnated of the Virgin without human, seed to save us.