St. Mary Magdalene

St. Mary Magdalene has been called the second-most important woman in the Gospels, after Jesus’ mother, Mary. The Gospels mention her 12 times, more than most of the apostles.


Her name comes from her origin in Magdala, a region in northern Galilee. The Gospels of Mark and Luke tell us that Jesus cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. After that, she traveled with Jesus and his followers, and took a prominent role in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.


She remained at the foot of the cross when most of Jesus’ followers left him, and she is remembered for her courage in faithfully standing with Jesus even as he faced death.


Mary Magdalene is the only person noted by all four Gospels as testifying to Jesus’ resurrection. John and Mark portray her as the first witness of the resurrection, and St. Augustine honored her with the title “the apostle to the apostles” because she was the first to share the news of the resurrection.


For generations, tradition confused Mary Magdalene with two other women of the Gospel. She is not the same person as Mary of Bethany, who is sister to Martha and Lazarus. She is also not the unnamed woman of Luke’s Gospel (7:36-50), who was uncritically assumed to be a prostitute. Both of these other women anoint Jesus’ feet with oil, which is why Mary Magadalene is mistakenly portrayed with a jar of ointment, as in this stained glass window from the Basilica.


We do know that Mary Magdalene was a pillar of the early Christian community, a faithful follower of Jesus who was healed by him, and one of the first people to witness and share the good news.


Various traditions compete to tell the story of what happened to Mary Magdalene in her later life. One legend has it that she retired to Ephesus with Jesus’ mother, Mary. Another has it that she was transported to France with others and evangelized that area. The relics of St. Mary Magdalene rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and she is depicted in stained glass in the Basilica as well as in a wall mural there.


St. Mary Magdalene, who stood with Jesus at the cross, and was the first witness of the resurrection, pray for us!

(from: http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&sitebuilder=1&pgid=10813)