Yes. The Orthodox Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ. We call this the “perpetual virginity” or refer to her as “ever-virgin.”
This isn’t some medieval innovation. The Church Fathers affirmed Mary’s perpetual virginity from the earliest centuries. Athanasius taught it. So did Epiphanius, Jerome, Augustine, and Cyril of Alexandria. By the time of the Fifth Ecumenical Council, the Church was using the Greek term aeiparthenos (ever-virgin) in its official language. This has been the unbroken teaching of the Church for two thousand years.
But What About Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters?
Fair question. The New Testament mentions Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” in several places, and if you grew up Baptist or non-denominational here in Southeast Texas, you probably learned that Mary and Joseph had other children after Jesus was born. That’s the common Protestant reading.
But the Greek word adelphoi doesn’t work quite the way “brothers” does in English. It can mean biological siblings, sure. It can also mean cousins, close relatives, or kinsmen. The Orthodox Church, following the Fathers, understands these references to mean either cousins or children Joseph had from a previous marriage. Joseph was likely a widower when he became betrothed to Mary, considerably older than her, which is why he disappears from the Gospel narrative early on.
There’s also Matthew 1:25, which says Joseph “knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son.” Protestants often read “until” as implying that relations began afterward. But that’s not how the word functions in Scripture. When 2 Samuel 6:23 says Michal had no children “until the day of her death,” it doesn’t mean she started having kids after she died. The word simply marks a point in the narrative. It doesn’t tell you what happened next.
Why Does This Matter?
You might wonder why the Church cares so much about this. Can’t we just agree Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived and leave it at that?
Here’s the thing. Mary’s perpetual virginity isn’t just about biology. It’s about who Jesus is and what the Incarnation means. The Church has always understood that the womb that bore God couldn’t be shared with ordinary human conception afterward. Not because sex or childbearing are bad, they’re not, they’re gifts from God. But because Mary’s calling was unique. She became the dwelling place of the Most High. The Ark of the Covenant was set apart for God’s presence, and nobody touched it casually. How much more would the living Ark who bore the Word made flesh remain consecrated to that calling?
This is why we call her Theotokos, God-bearer. It’s why the Church has always treated her with such reverence. And it’s why her ever-virginity matters theologically, not just as a historical curiosity.
What About the Reformers?
Interestingly, the early Protestant Reformers actually agreed with the Orthodox on this one. Martin Luther affirmed Mary’s perpetual virginity throughout his life. So did John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli. It was only later Protestantism, with its increasing emphasis on sola scriptura and its rejection of tradition, that moved away from this ancient teaching.
The difference comes down to authority. If you read Scripture alone, without the interpretive tradition of the Church, you might conclude that “brothers” means brothers and “until” means what it seems to mean in English. But if you read Scripture the way the Church has always read it, within the living Tradition handed down from the Apostles, you see something different. You see the Fathers’ consistent witness. You see the liturgical life of the Church, which has always called Mary ever-virgin. You see two millennia of unbroken teaching.
Living With This Teaching
When you first hear about Mary’s perpetual virginity, it might feel strange if you’re coming from a Protestant background. That’s normal. Give yourself time. Attend the services, especially the feasts of the Theotokos. Listen to how the Church prays. Read what the Fathers wrote. Talk to Fr. Michael or one of the catechumens who’ve been at St. Michael’s longer than you.
The teaching will start to make sense not as an isolated doctrine you have to accept, but as part of the whole fabric of how the Church understands the Incarnation, holiness, and what it means that God truly became man. Mary’s yes to Gabriel changed everything. Her womb became the meeting place of heaven and earth. The Church has always known that wasn’t temporary.
