There are several stories about the early life of the Virgin Mary. Most of them come from ancient Coptic (Egyptian Christian) writings. These stories tell how Mary was born to Joachim (also called Cleopas) and Anna. The couple had been mocked by others because they could not have children. One day, they saw a vision of a white dove, and soon after that, Mary was born.
In some stories, Mary’s parents dedicated her to the Lord, and she was later placed under the care of a man named Joseph. While she was weaving cloth for the temple veil, angels often visited and cared for her.
The stories also describe the angel Gabriel’s announcement that Mary would give birth to Jesus. This part of the story is told in great detail, including how Joseph searched for a midwife named Salome to help with the birth. Later accounts tell of tender scenes between Mary and the young Jesus.
Some versions confuse Mary, the mother of Jesus, with other women named Mary mentioned in the Gospels.