Martha was the elder sister of Mary and Lazarus, the head of the household at Bethany where Christ often stayed during His visits to Jerusalem. Luke records the famous scene (10:38–42) where, busy with much serving, she came to Jesus and complained that Mary had left her to serve alone. The Lord answered with tenderness: 'Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things; but one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.'
At the death of Lazarus it was Martha who went out to meet Christ on the road. To her He spoke the words of the funeral Mass: 'I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live.' She made the great confession: 'Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world' (Jn 11:25–27).
By Western tradition Martha sailed with Mary Magdalene and Lazarus to Provence; she settled at Tarascon, tamed a dragon called the Tarasque, and died there. Pope Francis in 2021 raised her feast to a joint memorial of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus on July 29.