At What Age did The Virgin Mary Mary Joseph?

Muslims are often embarrassed by the commonly held view that Mohamed married Aisha, one of his many wives, when she was 6 and consummated the marriage when she was 9.  There are more details but that is not the topic here.

In any case one way Muslims deflect from this is to claim that Mary was very young, and Joseph was very old, when they were married.  Evidently there is something in the "Catholic Encyclopedia" that gives credibility to this notion.  Then again Catholics have an interest in preserving the non-Biblical idea of the "ever-virginity" of Mary, and this idea that Joseph was very old helps justify this notion.  So for example, if Joseph were a young, healthy man when they got married, it would be not be as plausible that Mary remained a virgin forever.  In contrast if he were, say 99 years old and could barely able to stand, then yes, there is no danger to her virginity.


But, if you think about it the title "virgin" applies to people of a certain age.  You do not call a baby a "virgin", nor a small girl.  This is only given to persons of appropriate maturity.
Therefore we can say that the virgin Mary was not a young child when she was married to Joseph.

Let me show you something  from Mark chapter 5:

23 ...and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. ...

39 And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth ...

40 And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him, and goeth in where the child was.

42 And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement.
41 And taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.
42 And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement.

Now contrast this with Luke chapter 1:

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

So the twelve year old girl was called "Little daughter", "child",  "damsel", while Mary was called "virgin".