Overview

• July 29 marks the annual Catholic celebration of Saint Martha of Bethany, commemorating her service and faith.
• Parishes across Latin America and Spain today hold special masses, novenas and processions in her honor.
• Biblical narratives present Martha as the active sister who hosted Jesus alongside Mary and Lazarus in their Bethany home.
• She is venerated as the patron saint of cooks, housewives, hoteliers and domestic workers, with believers invoking her aid for household and economic challenges.
• Contemporary Christian feminist movements spotlight Martha as a model of active spirituality and the value of domestic labor.