Grace Thompson
Mary Magdalene was a devoted follower of Jesus, who healed her from seven demons. She was the first to witness Christ's resurrection and is honoured as the Apostle to the Apostles. She stood by Jesus at the cross and was present at his tomb. According to Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried. French tradition claims that she spent her final 30 years in a cave in southeastern France.
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What You'll Learn
Mary Magdalene's death and burial in Ephesus
Mary Magdalene was a prominent follower of Jesus who played a key role among his female disciples. She financially supported his ministry and stood by him at the cross. She is also said to have been healed by Jesus, who cast out seven demons from her.
According to Eastern tradition, Mary Magdalene retired to Ephesus in Asia Minor with Mary, the mother of Jesus. They are said to have lived out the rest of their lives there. Gregory of Tours states that Mary Magdalene was buried in the city of Ephesus. Modestus, the Patriarch of Jerusalem from 630 to 634, describes a similar tradition, adding that Mary Magdalene came to Ephesus to live with the apostle John following the death of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The earliest mention of the possibility that Mary Magdalene resided in Ephesus can be traced to the synodal letter of the Council of Ephesus in 431. This letter mentions "the city of the Ephesians, where John the Theologian and the Virgin Mother of God St. Mary [lived and are buried]". However, there is no mention of this in the Bible, and the evidence that St. Mary lived in Ephesus is not very strong. There is much stronger evidence that she lived and died in Jerusalem, where the existence of her tomb was testified by Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, in 451.
Mary Magdalene is a central figure in Gnostic Christian writings, including the Dialogue of the Savior, the Pistis Sophia, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Gospel of Mary. She is also mentioned in all four canonical gospels, which affirm her presence at pivotal moments in Jesus' life, such as his crucifixion and burial, and highlight her unique role as one of the few named female disciples.
Mary Magdalene is known in some Christian traditions as the "'apostle to the apostles' because she was the first to witness Jesus' resurrection. She is also honored by the Catholic Church as a symbol of penance.
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The Catholic Church's view of Mary as a penitent sinner
The Catholic Church has historically viewed Mary Magdalene as a penitent sinner and a symbol of redemption. Medieval legends from Western Europe contributed to this perception by portraying Mary Magdalene as a repentant sinner and a former prostitute. This interpretation was solidified by Pope Gregory the Great in a series of sermons delivered in Rome around 591.
In the Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene is often associated with the unnamed "sinful woman" in Luke 7, who anoints Jesus' feet with perfume and dries them with her hair. This act of penitence and devotion is seen as a turning point, where Mary transforms her vices into virtues and dedicates herself wholly to God. Pope Gregory's interpretation further identifies the seven demons expelled from Mary Magdalene by Jesus with the seven deadly sins of medieval Catholicism, including lust, pride, and covetousness.
However, it is important to note that the identification of Mary Magdalene with the "sinful woman" and Mary of Bethany has been a subject of controversy. In 1969, Pope Paul VI officially removed this identification from the General Roman Calendar. Nonetheless, the perception of Mary Magdalene as a penitent sinner has persisted in popular culture and religious art, often shaping her portrayal as a redeemed prostitute or a "holy harlot."
While the Catholic Church emphasizes Mary Magdalene's transformation and repentance, it is worth mentioning that the Eastern Orthodox Church has consistently viewed her as a virtuous Myrrhbearer and "Equal to the Apostles." Additionally, within the Catholic Church, Mary Magdalene is also honored as the ""Apostle to the Apostles" due to her role as the first witness to Jesus's resurrection. This honor is reflected in the recitation of the Gloria on her feast day, a distinction shared only with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The Catholic Church's view of Mary Magdalene as a penitent sinner is part of a broader understanding of human sin and redemption. While the Church acknowledges that all humans have sinned and require salvation, it also recognizes the potential for transformation and forgiveness through penitence and divine grace. In the case of Mary Magdalene, her life serves as a testament to the power of redemption and the possibility of a radical transformation through faith and devotion to Jesus.
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Mary's role as an apostle
Mary Magdalene was a devoted follower of Jesus. She was healed by Jesus, who commanded seven demons to leave her. Her gratitude for this healing led to a life of unwavering loyalty to Jesus. She supported his ministry, both financially and by travelling with him, and stood by him at the cross.
Mary Magdalene is regarded as an apostle, and even an "apostle to the apostles". She is the only female saint, apart from Mary, the mother of Jesus, to be honoured by the Catholic Church in this way. She is also referred to as the "apostle to the apostles" by Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. This is because she was the first to witness Jesus's resurrection, and the first to tell the complete gospel story. She was also present at Jesus's crucifixion and burial.
Mary Magdalene's role in the resurrection narrative is greatly increased in the account from the Gospel of John. According to John 20:1–10, Mary went to the tomb when it was still dark and saw that the stone had already been rolled away. She then told the eleven remaining apostles, who dismissed her story as nonsense.
Mary Magdalene is a central figure in Gnostic Christian writings, including the Dialogue of the Savior, the Pistis Sophia, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Gospel of Mary. She is often given credit for understanding the teachings of Jesus more than anyone else.
Mary Magdalene's image has been conflated with other women in the Bible, including Mary of Bethany and the unnamed "sinful woman" in Luke 7. This confusion led to an inaccurate portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a repentant prostitute, despite no biblical basis for this interpretation. This view of her as a sinner has persisted in popular culture, and she has been depicted in art and literature as a lustful figure. However, the Eastern Orthodox Church has always viewed her as a virtuous Myrrhbearer and "Equal to the Apostles", distinct from other biblical women.
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Mary Magdalene's alleged relics
Mary Magdalene, a disciple and follower of Jesus, is said to have ended her days in prayer and penance in Sainte-Baume cave, in the south of France. The exact location of her tomb was forgotten by the 13th century, and there has since been much debate about her identity and the authenticity of her relics.
The most famous alleged relic of Mary Magdalene is a blackened skull, displayed in a golden reliquary at the basilica of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in Provence, France. The skull was analysed in 1974, and photographs of hair found on it indicate that it belonged to a woman of Mediterranean descent, aged around 50.
In 2018, biological anthropologist Philippe Charlier and forensic artist Philippe Froesch collaborated to create a 3D computer reconstruction of a face that might have belonged to Mary Magdalene, based on photographs of the skull.
Other relics said to have belonged to Mary Magdalene include a foot bone located at the basilica of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini in Italy, a left hand located at the Simonopetra Monastery in Greece, a tooth displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and a rib in the Vezelay Abbey, the Basilica of Ste.
In addition, a piece of forehead flesh, known as the noli me tangere, is said to be from the spot touched by Jesus at the post-resurrection encounter in the garden. This relic is also on display at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.
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Mary Magdalene's presence at Jesus' crucifixion
Mary Magdalene was a devoted follower of Jesus. She was healed by Jesus, who cast seven demons out of her. Her gratitude led to unwavering loyalty; she supported his ministry financially and was present at his crucifixion and burial.
Mary Magdalene was one of the few named female disciples and a key figure in the early church. She was also the first to witness Jesus's resurrection. She was a historical figure, possibly from Magdala, and lived in Galilee at the same time as Jesus Christ.
The four canonical gospels agree that several women watched Jesus's crucifixion from a distance. In Mark 15:47, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, are listed as witnesses to the burial of Jesus. Matthew 27:61 lists Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary" as witnesses. Luke mentions a group of women watching the crucifixion but does not give any of their names. John lists Mary, the mother of Jesus, her sister Mary, wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
E. P. Sanders and Maurice Casey posit that the presence of Mary Magdalene and the other women at the crucifixion of Jesus may be recorded as historical fact. The reason the women watched the crucifixion, even after the male disciples had fled, may have been because they were less likely to be arrested, they were braver than the men, or some combination of the two.
Mary Magdalene's presence at these pivotal moments in Jesus's life speaks of a profound personal history with him. Her name is mentioned at least 12 times in the four Gospels of the New Testament, more than some of the 12 Apostles themselves and more than any other female disciple of Jesus, except for the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
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Frequently asked questions
According to Eastern tradition, Mary Magdalene accompanied St. John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried.
Mary Magdalene is regarded as a devoted follower of Jesus. She was the first to witness Christ's resurrection and announce the "joyful message of Easter". She is also known for standing at the foot of the Cross on Mount Calvary, along with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the disciple, St. John.
Mary Magdalene is believed to have been a Jewish woman who lived among Gentiles. She was initially regarded as a sinner, and Jesus is said to have cast seven demons out of her.
According to a legend, Mary Magdalene remained among the early Christians after Jesus's death. After fourteen years, she was put into a boat and set adrift without sails or oars. The boat landed in southern France, where she spent the rest of her life in solitude, in a cave.
