1st century
Saints Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus
The sisters of Lazarus from Bethany who welcomed Christ into their home, as told in the Gospels of Luke and John.
Biography
Martha and Mary, together with their brother Lazarus, made up the family in Bethany that hosted Jesus. The Gospels describe Mary listening attentively to his teaching, while her elder sister Martha attended to the table of hospitality — which is why she heard from Jesus his well-known words about her many cares.
According to the Gospel of John, Mary also anointed Jesus' feet with costly perfume and wiped them with her hair.
Both sisters lived as devout members of the early Christian Church and, according to tradition, died peacefully, without suffering persecution.