The
Gospel of James, also known as the
Infancy Gospel of James or the
Protoevangelium of James, is an
apocryphal Gospel probably written about AD 145, which expands backward in time the infancy stories contained in the Gospels of
Matthew and
Luke, and presents a narrative concerning the birth and upbringing of Mary herself. It is the oldest source to assert the
virginity of Mary not only prior to but during (and after) the birth of Jesus. The ancient manuscripts that preserve the book have different titles, including "The Birth of Mary", "The Story of the Birth of Saint Mary, Mother of God," and "The Birth of Mary; The Revelation of James."