Glossary of Terms

Margaret

(c. 1045-Nov. 16, 1093). Queen of Scotland and reformer credited with removing Celtic influences in the Scottish Church. She was born in Hungary and came to England in 1057. Margaret married King Malcolm III of Scotland around 1067. They had eight children. She used her influence to bring Scotland under Roman obedience and remove what […]

Mark the Evangelist, Saint

(Author of the second gospel. He was also known as John Mark. He was the son of Mary of Jerusalem. Although she was a widow, she was a woman of means. She owned a house which was large enough to hold a large Christian gathering, and she had at least one maid. The Last Supper […]

Marks of the Church

See Notes of the Church.

Marquette, Diocese of

The Diocese of Northern Michigan was known as the Diocese of Marquette from Nov. 14, 1895, until June 2, 1937.

Marriage

The sacramental rite of the church in which two persons “enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows” (BCP, p. 861). The union is understood to be intended by God for their mutual joy; for the […]

Marshall, John

(Sept. 24, 1755-July 6, 1835). Third Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was born in Germantown, now Midland, Virginia. Marshall participated in the American Revolution and was part of the Minute Men at the siege of Norfolk. In 1780 he attended a course of lectures on law at William and Mary College, […]

Martin of Tours

(c. 330-Nov. 11, 397). The primary molder of Frankish Christianity and one of the patron saints of France. He was born in Sabaria, the modern Szombathely, in Hungary. After serving in the military, he came under the influence of Hilary of Poitiers. He became a defender of Nicene orthodoxy against the Arians. Around 370 he […]

Martyn, Henry

(Feb. 18, 1781-Oct. 16, 1812). One of the founders of the Christian church in India and Iran. He was born in Truro, Cornwall, England. Martyn received his B.A. in 1801, his M.A. in 1804, and his B.D. in 1805, all from St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1803 he became the curate of Charles Simeon at […]

Martyr

The term comes from the Greek word meaning “witness,” which referred originally to the disciples and apostles who “witnessed” the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Later it came to mean those who had witnessed to their faith in Jesus by their suffering and those who died during persecution since it meant witnessing […]

Martyrium

A church built over a martyr's tomb or relics. The term may also indicate a church built in honor of a martyr. See Relics; see Reliquary.

Martyrs of Japan, The.

Francis Xavier, a Jesuit, first brought Christianity to Japan in 1549. Christianity spread rapidly, causing resentment and leading to persecution. On Feb. 5, 1597, twenty-six Christians-six European Franciscans, three Japan (Nippon Sei Ko Kai), which is the Anglican Church in Japan. These martyrs are commemorated in the Episcopal calendar of the church year on Feb. […]

Martyrs of Lyons

In 177 a persecution of the Christians in Gaul (France) took place. The five persons most savagely persecuted were Attalus, Blandina, Maturus, Sanctus, and Pothinus, the first Bishop of Lyons. Nothing is known about Attalus. Blandina was a virgin slave girl, Maturus a recent convert, and Sanctus a deacon. Pothinus is believed to have been […]

Martyrs of New Guinea

( Eight missionaries and two Papuan martyrs who died at the hands of Japanese invaders in 1942. The first Protestant missionaries to Papua New Guinea were sent by the London Missionary Society in 1870. Anglican missionaries reached New Guinea in 1891. In 1898 the Anglican Diocese of Papua New Guinea was established and remained a […]

Martyrs of Uganda

( The Church Missionary Society began work in Uganda in 1877. At the end of the twentieth century the Anglican Church accounted for about 25% of the population of Uganda. On June 3, 1886, 32 young men, pages in the court of King Mwanga of Buganda, were burned to death on a large single pyre […]

Mary and Martha of Bethany

( Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany were a family and very close friends of Jesus. Mary and Martha were disciples of Jesus who offered him hospitality. Martha provided him food and other courtesies. Mary, who chose the “better part,” sat at Jesus' feet and listened to his teaching. The story shows clearly that these […]

Mary Magdalene, Saint

( A disciple of Jesus, she was from the city of Magdala in Judea, hence the surname Magdalene. She was the woman Jesus delivered from evil spirits. Mary was among the women who accompanied and supported Jesus and the apostles. She was present at the crucifixion. Mary was also the first to witness the resurrection, […]

Mary the Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Saint

( Mary the mother of Jesus has been an object of veneration in the church since the apostolic age. She has been a favorite subject in art, music, and literature. Her humility and obedience to the message of God at the time of the Incarnation have made her an example for all ages of Christians. […]

Maryland, Diocese of

This diocese was organized on Aug. 13, 1783, at Annapolis. On Oct. 12, 1868, the General Convention voted to divide the diocese and place some of the Maryland counties in the new Diocese of Easton. The 1895 General Convention created the Diocese of Washington and placed four Maryland counties in it. The Diocese of Maryland […]

Mason, Lowell

(Jan. 8, 1792-Aug. 11, 1872). An American educator, composer, and hymnal editor. He was born in Medfield, Massachusetts. Mason was a very gifted and energetic person, and his work as a compiler of hymn books began while he was organist and choirmaster of the First Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Georgia. The Boston Handel & Haydn Society […]

Mason, Lucy Randolph

(July 26, 1882-May 6, 1959). Labor activist and suffragette. She was born in Clarens, Virginia, and grew up in Richmond, where her father was an Episcopal priest. In 1914 Mason was appointed industrial secretary of the Richmond YMCA where she worked to get protective labor legislation for women and children and for workmen's compensation. When […]

An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms