Sans Marie de la Mere, in English, St. Mary's of the Sea, is a quaint little Mediterranean seaside village in the south of France, population about 3,000, though it can swell to half a million during the summer holidays.

In the 6th century, the Archbishop of neighboring Ares created a monastery or church in the town named St. Mary, a favor of the fishermen.

The village became known as Notre Dame de Rates, Our Lady of the Boat, in reference to the century's old tradition that in that area, three Maryys had arrived by boat one spring day,

a boat which carried, according to legend, Mary Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and Mary Salome,

the mother of John, the apostle.

A servant girl named Sarah, Joseph of Arimathea, Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his wife

Martha of Bethany, and Maximum, whose sight had been restored by Jesus. All of whom were driven

from their homes across the sea by the whirlwind of retribution carried out against the believers

of Jesus in the days following his crucifixion.

Just a handful of outcast, they are thought by many to be responsible in large part

for bringing Christianity to a wide swath of Europe.

Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome, and Mary of Clopas were, according to many accounts, present to Jesus' crucifixion,

watching from a distance as dictated by Roman law.

They are also believed to be the women who were the first witnesses to the empty tomb at the resurrection of Jesus,

and they took part in the preparation of his body for burial.

Their names and legends follow in this story.

Joseph of Arimathea is considered by many to be the brother of Mary, the mother of Jesus,

and therefore Jesus' uncle, who asked and received permission from Pontius Pilate to receive Jesus' body,

prepare it for burial, and place it in a tomb, which was a shallow cave located on the side of a hill

with a stone protecting the entrance. It was no poor man's grave. Joseph of Arimathea was

known for his wealth and was a prominent member of the Sanhedron.

The Romans knew him well, and paid him well, for the tin he supplied them from his mines in

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