NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's wife sparks controversy over Virgin Mary claim

Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, asserted that the Virgin Mary was a Palestinian woman who gave birth under occupation. She is co‑hosting a spiritual retreat in Corsica, France, where tickets cost between $3,000 and $5,000 and include lectures, prayer sessions and meals.

The claim has provoked strong backlash on social media, with critics emphasizing that historical evidence identifies Mary as Jewish and describing the statement as a politically motivated revision of history. Commentators have also criticized the high price of the retreat and questioned the motives behind framing the narrative in a pro‑Palestinian context.