Every July 22nd, the Catholic Church celebrates with special devotion the feast day of saint Mary Magdaleneone of the closest disciples to Jesus and the first person to witness his Resurrection. Her figure, often shrouded in historical confusion, has been vindicated by the Magisterium as a key woman in the beginnings of Christianity.
Who was this saint? What do we know about her life before she followed Christ? Why has she come to have such a prominent place in the tradition of the Church?
The Gospel identifies it as Mary, who was from Magdalaa small town located on the shores of Lake Galilee. Hence the name Magdalena.
According to Luke 8:2Jesus had expelled from it seven demonsThis expression can allude to a situation of profound physical, spiritual or moral suffering. Be that as it may, what we know with certainty is that, from that encounter with Jesus, his life changed radically.
Thereafter, it becomes disciple and faithful follower of Jesus, accompanying him and other women during his public ministry. Many of them helped with their goods to support the mission.
Mary Magdalene thus represents the figure of the believing woman who, after experiencing divine mercy, leaves everything to follow the Master.
We hardly have any concrete data on Mary Magdalene's life before she met Jesus, but what the Gospels show us is sufficient to understand the depth of her commitment to the Lord.
Tradition has linked Mary Magdalene with the sinful woman who anoints the feet of Jesus with perfume in the house of Simon the Pharisee (cf. Lk 7:36-50), although modern biblical studies tend to distinguish them as different persons.
Nevertheless, the gesture of love and repentance made by that woman shows similarities with the way in which Mary Magdalene responded to the grace received: with total, unreserved dedication. For this reason, he has become a model of sincere conversion, grateful love and radical discipleship.
While many disciples were fleeing in fear after Jesus' arrest, Mary Magdalene remains at the foot of the Cross. The Gospels explicitly mention her as a witness to the Crucifixion and death, together with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other women. This fidelity at the moment of pain and apparent failure proves her unconditional love and deep faith, even though she did not yet fully understand the paschal mystery.
After the death of Jesus, Mary is also mentioned as one of the women who went to the tomb, at dawn on Sunday, carrying perfumes to anoint the body of the Lord without realizing that his word had already been fulfilled and that the Resurrection was a fact.
It is at that moment that one of the most beautiful and significant episodes of the Gospel takes place: Mary Magdalene is the first to see the risen Christ (cf. Jn 20:11-18). Filled with sorrow for the loss of her Master, she weeps outside the empty tomb until Jesus appears to her, although she does not recognize him at first. It is when he calls her by name - Mary - that her eyes are opened and she recognizes the Lord.
This encounter with the Risen One marks a turning point: Jesus entrusts him with to announce the good news to the apostles. Once again it is significant that the Lord wants a woman (at that time they were of little consideration) to be in charge of the proclamation to his disciples.
For this reason, the patristic tradition has given him the title of Apostle to the Apostlesbecause it was sent by Christ Himself to bear witness to His victory over death.
Pope St. John Paul II recalled it in his apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem as an example of the essential role of women in the life of the Church. And in 2016, Pope Francis elevated his liturgical memorial to the status of partythe same rank as the celebrations of the apostles.The report also emphasizes its relevance as a model of discipleship.
This official recognition aims to recover and cleanse the image of Mary Magdalene, often distorted by popular or literary interpretations that have unfairly portrayed her as a prostitute or fallen woman, when in reality she was a brave girl.
The figure of St. Mary Magdalene has been the object of devotion since the first centuries of Christianity. In Western tradition, especially in France and Spain, there are numerous churches, monasteries and shrines dedicated to her name. She has also inspired Christian art, which usually depicts her with a bottle of perfume in her hand, symbolizing her love for the Lord and the moment when she anointed him.
Its history is a constant invitation to hope, forgiveness and fidelity. In a world that often judges and condemns without mercyMary Magdalene reminds us that the love of God can transforming even the deepest wounds into a source of grace.
St. Mary Magdalene is much more than a secondary character in the Gospels. She is the woman renewed by the love of Christ, model of a faithful disciple and first herald of the Resurrection.
As his life challenges us, let us think: do we have the same passionate love for the Lord? Do we know how to stand firm by the Cross? Are we witnesses of the Risen Lord in the midst of the world?
