Martha, St in the New Testament, the sister of Lazarus and Mary and friend of Jesus. She is taken as the type of a woman who is constantly busied with domestic affairs, from the story in Luke 10 in which she is seen as concerned with household chores while Mary sits and talks with Jesus.

According to medieval legend, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus travelled to Provence after the death of Jesus. Martha is said to have overcome a dragon at Tarascon by sprinkling it with holy water and tying her girdle about its neck; she then led it to Arles, where it was killed. She may be shown with a ladle, a broom, or a bunch of keys, for her housewifely skills, or with the dragon which she overcame. Her feast day is 29 July in the West.

Martha, St. The sister of Mary and Lazarus who according to Luke 10. 38–42 received, and cooked a meal for, Jesus in her house. She is commonly regarded as typifying the active Christian life as contrasted with Mary, who typifies the contemplative. Feast day in E., 4 June; in W., 29 July.