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47 ST. MARY 47 that on St Poter^s miraculous release from prison, he came to her house, where many were gathered together praying. In verse 5 of the same chapter, it is said that while St. Peter was in prison, ^* prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him." It seems that St. Mary's house was, if not the chief, still one of the principal places where the Christians were in the hahit of assembling for prayer. It was probably on her account that St. Mark withdrew from his companionship with SS. Paul and Barnabas, on the first missionary journey; and when later, Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus, Mary is said to have gone with them and died there. Later tradition said that it was in the house of Mary, that the tongues of fire descended ; that it stood on the upper slope of Zion, escaped the general destruction of the city by Titus, and was still used as a church in the fourth century. Stadler and others, however, say that it is flmost certain the house was not on the hill of Zion, but in an obscure street in the lower part of the city, not far from the walls, near the present Syrian monastery. Mary is honoured on Si Peter's day on account of her having received him in her house. It has been said that she was related to St. Peter, but there is no very clear ground for the supposition, St. Peter calling Mark his son (1 Pet. v. 13) probably refers to his being his dis- ciple and amanuensis, the Gospel written by St Mark being dictated by St. Peter. The idea that Mary died at Alexandria, where St. Mark the Evangelist took up his residence, is grounded on the belief that her son Mark was the same person as St. Mark the Evangelist. This identity is assumed by most commen- tators, but is opposed to the tradition that the Evangelist never saw our Saviour and was converted by St. Peter affcer the Ascension ; whereas John Mark, the son of Mary, must have been familiar with Him and His apostles during the years of His Ministry. B.M. AA.8S. Smith, Die, of the Bible. Butler. Stadler und Heim. St. Maiy (8), the slave, Nov. 1, March 17, May 13, 19. She was the only Christian in the house of the senator Tertullus in the persecution falsely at- tributed to Marcus Aurelius. It was perhaps in the time of Hadrian 1 1 7-138 ; or in the reign of Diocletian that her martyrdom occurred; perhaps in Eome or the neighbourhood ; but according to other accounts, in Cappadocia. Tertullus valued her for her fidelity, and when a strict order was promulgated that all Christians must be killed, he tried to make her save herself by apostasy, but in vain. He made a great feast on his son's birthday in honour of his gods: Mary would not partake of the feast nor join in the games. Her master therefore shut her up in a dark coll and starved her for a time : until being in danger of punishment for harbouring a Christian, he reluctantly gave her up. The populace demanded her death, and she died on the rack. Another version of the story says the spectators pitied her and induced her judge to put a stop to the tortures that she was already undergoing. He there- upon condemned her to free imprison- ment; i.e. a certain degree of liberty under the custody of a soldier. The Christian maiden was more afraid of her guard than of death, so she availed her- self of a chance of escape, and hid among some rocks, one of which is said to have opened and received her. B.M., Nov. 1. AA.SS. Baluze, Mis- cellanies. Ado. Bede. Usuard. Stadler. Baillet. Butler. St. Mary (9), Deo. 2, Nov. 30, + 257, daughter of SS. Adrias and Paulina (1) and M. shortly after her mother and before her father. B.M., Dec. 2. Lightfoot, Hippolytus of Porim. St. Mary ( 1 0), daughter of Satuminus. V. M. with Victoria of Avitina. SS. Mary (ll-28); MM. various dates and places. St. Mary (29), March 22 or 17, V. M. in Persia, in 346, with her brother St. James. He was a priest and she a consecrated virgin of Telaschlila, a small town in Assyria. They were seized by order of Narses Thamsapor, and as they persisted in their religion, he had them beheaded by an apostate Christian, at Teldara on the Euphrates. Stadler.