Mary-of-Bethany Theme Pages

A prominent female figure in the New Testament, Mary of Bethany is known for her close relationship with Jesus and her contemplative, devotional role. She is the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and appears in the Gospels of Luke and John.

This panel designed by Henry Holiday for Powell and sons (1891) is in Salisbury Cathedral and depicts two of the Gospel women named Mary: Mary of Bethany (left) and Mary Magdalene (right). It forms part of a thematic sequence celebrating women of devotion and spiritual insight throughout Scripture.

On the left, Mary of Bethany holds a small casket of ointment, referring to her act of anointing Jesus’s feet with costly perfume, a symbol of love and worship (John 12:3). Her long golden hair and downcast gaze evoke quiet contemplation and reverence.