Perpetual Virginity of Mary

In Eastern Orthodox theology, the perpetual virginity of Mary (that she remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ, often called “Ever-Virgin” or Aeiparthenos) is a firmly held dogma, rooted in apostolic tradition, the Church Fathers, liturgical texts, and early Christian writings like the Protoevangelium of James.

The question of Joseph accepting Mary (despite her pregnancy) and their change in status from betrothed to “married” is understood in a way that fully supports this doctrine of perpetual virginity — and in fact helps protect and explain it.

Jewish Marriage Customs in the Time of Christ

In ancient Jewish practice (as reflected in the New Testament and understood in Orthodox tradition), marriage was a two-stage process:

Betrothal (erusin) — This was legally binding, equivalent to full marriage in many respects. It required a divorce to break and gave the man legal rights over the woman (she was already called his “wife”).

The second stage — The bride was brought into the husband’s home (often with a wedding feast), and the marriage was consummated.

The Gospels consistently describe Mary and Joseph as betrothed/espoused (e.g., Mt 1:18, Lk 1:27), even after Joseph accepts her pregnancy and “takes her into his home” (Mt 1:24: “he took his wife”). Orthodox theology emphasizes that they never completed the transition to full, consummated marriage. Joseph accepts Mary as his wife in the sense of taking full responsibility as her protector and guardian — but the marriage remains unconsummated.

Many Orthodox sources explicitly say they remained only betrothed (never moving to the consummation stage), or that while legally husband and wife through betrothal + cohabitation, they never had marital relations. This distinction is often made to safeguard the doctrine of Mary’s ever-virginity — any consummation would contradict the tradition.

Key Scriptural and Theological Points

Matthew 1:24–25 states:”…he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son…”
In Orthodox exegesis (following the Church Fathers like St. John Chrysostom), the word “until” (ἕως in Greek) does not imply a change afterward — it simply emphasizes that no relations occurred before and at the time of Christ’s birth. The same Greek construction appears elsewhere in Scripture without implying reversal (e.g., 2 Samuel 6:23 about Michal having no children “until” her death).

The Church teaches that Joseph, as a righteous man (and often traditionally depicted as elderly and a widower with children from a prior marriage), would never have presumed to consummate the marriage after the Incarnation. The womb that bore God Incarnate was considered holy — like the Ark of the Covenant — and approaching it sexually would have been unthinkable (a kind of sacrilege)

.How This Relates to Perpetual Virginity

The moment Joseph accepts Mary and takes her as his wife (fulfilling the angel’s command) is the decisive point where he becomes her guardian. However, this acceptance does not lead to consummation. Instead:

• It provides legal and social protection for Mary and the Child (avoiding accusations of illegitimacy).
• It fulfills the role of Joseph as the righteous protector of the Theotokos.
• It preserves Mary’s virginity intact for her entire life.

This understanding eliminates any notion that their relationship ever became sexually consummated. The “change” from betrothed to Joseph taking her as wife is thus not a movement toward ordinary married life, but the completion of his role as guardian in a virginal, grace-filled union.

In summary, Orthodox theology sees Joseph’s acceptance of Mary as a profound act of obedience and faith that secures her perpetual virginity rather than threatening it. Their union is a unique, virginal marriage — a mystery that points to the holiness of the Incarnation and the special consecration of the Theotokos as Ever-Virgin. This teaching has been consistently upheld in Orthodox liturgy, iconography (where Joseph is called “the Betrothed”), and patristic tradition for nearly two thousand years.