SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Saint Mary Magdalene is one of the most important and complex women in the New Testament. She is honored as a faithful disciple of Jesus, a witness to His death, burial, and resurrection, and is often called the “Apostle to the Apostles” because she was the first to proclaim the risen Christ.

Mary Magdalene is first introduced in the Gospel of Luke as one of several women who followed Jesus and supported His ministry. Luke identifies her as the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons, a sign of deep spiritual healing. She is called “Magdalene” to distinguish her from other Marys, referring to her hometown of Magdala, a village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Mary remained close to Jesus during His public ministry and followed Him to the cross, when many of the male disciples had fled. She stood by Jesus at His crucifixion, witnessed His death, and was present at His burial. On Easter morning, she went to the tomb to anoint His body and found it empty. According to the Gospel of John, she was the first to encounter the risen Christ, who called her by name. Jesus then sent her to tell the apostles of His resurrection.

According to tradition, after the Ascension of Jesus, Mary Magdalene traveled to Rome to proclaim the Gospel. As was custom for someone meeting the emperor, she sought an audience with Emperor Tiberius Caesar. When she met him, she held a plain white egg—a symbol of new life—and greeted him with the words Christians still use at Easter: “Christ is risen!”

Tiberius, skeptical of the Resurrection, told her that a man could no more rise from the dead than the egg in her hand could turn red. At that moment, the egg miraculously turned bright red, as a sign of the truth of her witness and the power of Christ’s Resurrection.

Moved by the miracle Tiberius allowed her to speak further, and according to some accounts, she continued preaching throughout the Roman Empire. The red egg became a symbol of the Resurrection in the Eastern Church, and to this day, Christians often dye eggs red at Easter to remember the miracle and Mary Magdalene’s fearless testimony.

Pope Francis elevated her liturgical memorial to a feast in 2016, giving her a status equal to that of the apostles. She is considered a model of conversion, deep love, and unwavering faith.

Her feast day is celebrated on July 22, and she is the patron saint of converts, repentant sinners, contemplatives, and women. Mary Magdalene continues to be a powerful witness to the transforming mercy of Christ and the dignity of women in the life of the Church.

16”x20”

Prayerfully made by Stephen Hotchkiss. Acrylic on wood.

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