Maria married aged 12 years with joseph
By apriadiq
@apriadiq (51)
Indonesia
December 6, 2012 8:00pm CST
according to catholic encyclopedia that maria was married at 12 years old with joseph as widower at 60 years old. Invite discussion in a good way and be positive
6 responses
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
7 Dec 12
There is NO reliable evidence for the actual ages of either Mary or Joseph when they were betrothed or married. It is likely that Mary was very young, possibly 13 or 14, since the custom at the time was for girls to be betrothed (and even married) when they reached puberty. Joseph is said to have been 'old' but life expectancy was much shorter then and even 40 might have been considered 'old'.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
7 Dec 12
Those are my thoughts too. I actually feel pity for girls today who are forced into marrying at such young ages in that part of the world.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
7 Dec 12
How do they know she was 12? The bible doesn't give any clue to how old she was, but that we presume she was young.
It would be appalling in tbis day in age for an old man of any age to marry a girl of 12 or 13. A man would be locked up over here as a or pedefile. Back in biblical days cultures were different than they are now and this practice of marrying older children was accepted. I imagine with disease and no real knowledge of microbial and viral infections that the lifespans of people back then might have been shorter than today. That might be a reason to marry young girls.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
9 Dec 12
I don't know if any states allowing children to marry. We have separation of church and state in the US. We don't have a theocracy that would allow for religious cults to exercise the right to marry children. I got married at 17 and I had to have parental concent. I couldn't get married without it. I've never known of anyone 12 or younger being allowed to marry even with parental concent. I did see on a talk show that a 15 year old was allowed to marry with parental concent. Not sure what state that was.
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
8 Dec 12
according to tradition, a Jewish girl could be betrothed at maturity which would be 12 for a girl...This did not mean that she was married in today's sense.
@momof3kids (1894)
• Singapore
7 Dec 12
What about your opinion?
To me most likely Maria had got her period and at that time the mark of marriage for women was when she had her period. Is this the concern or is the age difference which is in question?
