Mary Salome (V)

V. MARY SALOME, Daughter of Mary the Wife of Cleophas, of whom we spoke just now, and Sister of James the Less, and of the others which in Scripture are called the Brethren of our Lord. She was Cousin-German to Jesus Christ according to the Flesh, and Niece to the holy Virgin. She was properly called Salome, and ‘tis without any Reason that she has obtained the Name of Mary, which belongs to her Mother.

Others pretend that Salome was the Daughter of Joseph, the Husband of the Virgin Mary; and this is the Opinion of the modern Greeks, founded upon the Testimony of Epiphanius¹. See SALOME.

The Roman Martyrology gives the Name of Mary Salome to the Mother of St. James the Less. ‘Tis not known what Grounds they had for this, for it cannot be found in Scripture, or in any good Author, that she was called Mary, but was certainly called Salome. Compare Matth. xxvii. 56. with Mark xv. 40. And see Origen upon St. Matthew, p. 206. c. and the other Interpreters. See the Article of SALOME afterwards.

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