VI. SALOME, Wife of Zebedæus, and Mother of St. James Major, and St. John the Evangelist. She was one of those holy Mat.xxvii. 56.Women who used to attend upon our Saviour in his Journies, and to minister to him. ‘Twas she that requested of Jesus Christ, that her two Sons, James and John, might sit on his Right and Left Hand, when he should come into his Kingdom1. But the Son of God answer’d her, and her two Sons that were with her,2 Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my Cup, and be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my Right Hand, and on my Left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
St. Salome gave a great Proof of her Faith, when she follow’d Jesus Christ to CalvaryMark xv. 40. Mat.xxvii. 55,56., and did not forsake him even at the Cross. She was also of the Number of those holy Women who brought Perfumes to embalm him, and who came, for this Purpose, to Mark xvi. 1, 2.the Sepulchre on Sunday Morning early. As they went along, they said to one another, Who shall take away the Stone from the Mouth of the Sepulchre? for the Stone was a very great one. But when they came thither, they found it already removed; and entring into the Tomb, they there saw an Angel, who inform’d them, that Jesus Christ was risen. And as they were returning to Jerusalem, Jesus appear’d to them on the Way, and said to them, Be not afraid; go tell Matthew xxviii. 10.my Brethren, that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. This is what the Scripture informs us of Salome the Mother of the Sons of Zebedee.
Ita Martyrol. Rom. & alii.Some give her the Name of Mary Salome; but there is no good Proof of her being call’d Mary: And what some frivolous Histories relate of the three Maries, Mary the Mother of Jesus, Mary the Mother of James, and Mary Salome, deserves no Consideration. Others3 make her the Daughter of St. Joseph. The Latin Martyrologies make the Feast of St. Salome on the 22d of October. The Roman Martyrology fixes her Death at Jerusalem: Others will have it, that she died in Provence, and that her Body is still there.
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