Mary Magdalene From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Mary Madeline" redirects here. For the American political activist, see Mary Matalin. This article is about a biblical figure. For other uses, see Mary Magdalene (disambiguation). Mary Magdalene Penitent Mary Magdalene by Nicolas Régnier,Palace on the Water, Warsaw Disciple Born Date unknown Place unknown Died Date unknown Place: possibly Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte- Baume, Ephesus, Asia Minor [1] Honored Eastern Orthodoxy in Roman Catholic Church Anglican Communion Lutheranism other Protestant churches Bahá'í Faith Feast July 22 Attributes Western: alabaster box of ointment Eastern: container of ointment (as a myrrhbearer), or holding a red egg (symbol of the resurrection); embracing the feet of Christ after the Resurrection Patronage Apothecaries; Kawit, Cavite; Atrani, Italy; Casamicciola Terme, Ischia; contemplative life; converts; glove makers; hairdressers; penitent sinners; people ridiculed for theirpiety; perfumeries; pharmacists; reformed prostitutes; sexual temptation; tanners; women Mary Magdalene (original Greek Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνή),[2] or Mary of Magdala and sometimes The Magdalene, is a religious figure in Christianity. She is usually thought of as the second-most important woman in the New Testament after Mary, the mother of Jesus.[3] Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus as one of his followers. She was present at Jesus' two most important moments: the crucifixion and the resurrection.[4] Within the four Gospels, the oldest historical record mentioning her name, she is named at least 12 times,[5] more than most of the apostles. The Gospel references describe her as courageous, brave enough to stand by Jesus in his hours of suffering, death and beyond.[3] In the New Testament, Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons",[Lk. 8:2] [Mk. 16:9] sometimes interpreted as referring to complex illnesses.[6] Mary was most prominent during Jesus' last days. When Jesus was crucified by the Romans, Mary Magdalene was there supporting him in his final moments and mourning his death.[4] She stayed with him at the cross after the other disciples (except John the Beloved) had fled. She was at his burial, and she is the only person that all four Gospels say was first to realize that Jesus hadrisen and to testify to that central teaching of faith.[7][8] John 20 and Mark 16:9 specifically name her as the first person to see Jesus after his Resurrection. She was there at the "beginning of a movement that was going to transform the West".[4] She was the "Apostle to the Apostles", an honorific that fourth-century orthodox theologian Augustine gave her[9] and that others earlier had possibly conferred on her. Throughout the centuries there have been many extra-biblical speculations about her role before and after she met Jesus. These have included harlot, wife, mother, secret lover.[4][5][9] and leader among the women following Jesus, similar to the role of Simon Peteramong the men. Mary Magdalene is considered to be a saint by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches—with a feast day of July 22. Other Protestant churches honor her as a heroine in the faith. The Eastern Orthodox churches also commemorate her on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, the Orthodox equivalent of one of the Western Three Marys traditions. Contents [hide] 1 Identity: Marys in the New Testament 2 The "composite Magdalene" of the Middle Ages 3 New Testament sources o 3.1 During Jesus' ministry o 3.2 During the crucifixion o 3.3 After the crucifixion o 3.4 At the resurrection o 3.5 After the resurrection 4 Development of the composite Magdalene o 4.1 In art o 4.2 Medieval legends 5 New Testament Apocrypha and Gnostic texts o 5.1 Gospel of Mary o 5.2 Gospel of Philip o 5.3 Gospel of Thomas o 5.4 Pistis Sophia o 5.5 In historical fiction 6 Religious views o 6.1 Eastern Orthodox tradition o 6.2 Roman Catholic traditions . 6.2.1 Connection with Gaul . 6.2.2 Penitent . 6.2.3 Apostle to the apostles o 6.3 Protestant tradition o 6.4 Easter Egg tradition o 6.5 Bahá'í tradition 7 Speculations o 7.1 Name o 7.2 "Beloved Disciple" in the Gospel of John o 7.3 Conflation with Mary of Bethany o 7.4 Betrothed to John the Evangelist o 7.5 A virgin after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 8 Relationship with Jesus o 8.1 Gnostic texts o 8.2 Medieval dualism 9 Film portrayals 10 Gallery 11 See also 12 References 13 Sources 14 Further reading 15 External links Identity: Marys in the New Testament[edit] Mary in fine clothes, from a German group of the Entombment of Christ Mary was a very common name in New Testament times, held by a number of women in the canonical Gospels. The reception history of Mary Magdalene has been greatly affected by different interpretations as to which biblical references actually refer to her, beyond those where she is identified by the toponym "Magdalene". Historically, the Greek Orthodox church Fathers, as a whole, distinguished among what they believed were three Marys: The Virgin Mary, mother of Christ Mary Magdalene. "St. Mary Magdalen" [10] Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus Luke 10:38- 42 and John 11 In addition, there were Mary, the mother of James and Mary Salome. In the four Gospels, Mary Magdalene is nearly always distinguished from other women named Mary by adding "Magdalene" (η Μαγδαληνή) to her name.[2] Traditionally, this has been interpreted to mean that she was from Magdala, a town thought to have been on the western shore of the Sea of Migdal means מגדל Galilee. Luke 8:2 says that she was actually "called Magdalene". In Hebrew "tower", "fortress"; inAramaic, "Magdala" means "tower" or "elevated, great, magnificent".[11] Talmudic passages speak of a Miriam "hamegadela se‘ar nasha", "Miriam, the plaiter of women‘s hair" (Hagigah 4b; cf. Shabbat 104b), which could be a reference to Mary Magdalene serving as a hairdresser.[12] In the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene is also referred to simply as "Mary" at least twice.[13] Gnostic writings use Mary, Mary Magdalene, or Magdalene. Mary Magdalene's given name Μαρία (Maria) is usually regarded as a Latin form of Μαριὰμ (Mariam), which is the Greek variant used in the Septuagint for Miriam, the Hebrew name for Moses' sister. The name had become very popular during Jesus' time due to its connections to the ruling Hasmonean andHerodian dynasties.[14] The "composite Magdalene" of the Middle Ages[edit] It is almost universally agreed today that characterizations of Mary Magdalene in Western Christianity as a repentant prostitute or loose woman are unfounded,[3][4][9] arising fromconflating or merging her identity with the unnamed sinner who anoints Jesus' feet in Luke 7:36-50.[3] The figures of Mary Magdalene, the anointing sinner of Luke, and Mary of Bethany, who in John 11:1-2 also anoints Jesus' feet, were long regarded as the same person. Though Mary Magdalene is named in each of the four gospels in the New Testament, none of the clear references to her indicate that she was a prostitute or notable for a sinful way of life,[4][9] nor link her with Mary of Bethany. Modern scholarship has restored the understanding of Mary of Magdala as an important early Christian leader.[15][16] Penitent Magdalene, Guido Reni, typically shown half-dressed[17] The Walters Art Museum. The notion of Mary Magdalene being a repentant sinner can be traced at least as far back as Ephraim the Syrian in the fourth century,[18][19] and became the generally accepted view in Western Christianity after the homily of Pope Gregory I ("Gregory the Great") in about 591. Gregory is one of the most influential and authoritative popes. In a famous series of sermons on Mary Magdalene, given in Rome,[20] he identified Magdalene not only with the anonymous sinner with the perfume in Luke's gospel, but also with Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus; this interpretation is often called the "composite Magdalene" in modern scholarship. The seven devils removed from her by Jesus "morphed into the seven capital sins, and Mary Magdalene began to be condemned not only for lust but for pride and covetousness as well."[3] She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark. And what did these seven devils signify, if not all the vices? It is clear, brothers, that the woman previously used the unguent to perfume her flesh in forbidden acts. What she therefore displayed more scandalously, she was now offering to God in a more praiseworthy manner. She had coveted with earthly eyes, but now through penitence these are consumed with tears. She displayed her hair to set off her face, but now her hair dries her tears. She had spoken proud things with her mouth, but in kissing the Lord‘s feet, she now planted her mouth on the Redeemer‘s feet. For every delight, therefore, she had had in herself, she now immolated herself. She turned the mass of her crimes to virtues, in order to serve God entirely in penance. — Pope Gregory the Great (homily XXXIII)[20] The aspect of the repentant sinner became almost equally significant as the disciple in her persona as depicted in Western art and religious literature, fitting well with the great importance of penitence in medieval theology. In subsequent religious legend, Mary's story became conflated with that of St Mary of Egypt, another repentant prostitute who then lived as a hermit.