Two millennia after her death, in 2016, Pope Francis elevated the celebration of St Mary Magdalene from memorial to a feast equal to the apostles in the liturgical calendar.
In the Holy See’s 2016 decree Apostolorum apostola, the decision was made, “for she is the witness to the risen Christ and announces the message of the Lord’s resurrection just like the rest of the Apostles.”
Yet confusion and mystery continue to surround certain aspects of her life—so who exactly was she and what can we learn from “the apostle to the apostles?”
The legend of and biblical St Mary Magdalene
A deep dive into the New Testament leads to the unchallenged conclusion that she was:
- from Magdala,
- cleansed from demonic possession,
- she accompanied our Lord in the last hours before his crucifixion and what one could argue is the defining moment of her life,
- was the first one Jesus appeared to after his resurrection.
She was from an early stage conflated with the “sinful woman” of Lk 7:36-50, and apocryphal texts (as well as the Da Vinci Code) wrongly suggest she was Jesus’ wife.
The sixth-century pope St Gregory the Great unfortunately began the long tradition of associating St Mary with both the “sinful woman” and Mary of Bethany, in his Homily 33:
“The one that Luke calls a sinner, and that John names Mary (Jn 11: 2), we believe that she is that Mary of whom, according to Mark, the Lord has cast out seven demons (cf Mk 16: 9).
“And what are these seven demons, if not the universality of all vices? Since seven days suffice to embrace the whole of time, the number seven rightly represents universality.
“Mary had seven demons in her, for she was full of all vices. But now, having seen the stains that dishonoured her, she ran to wash herself at the source of mercy, without blushing in the presence of the guests. So great was her shame inside that she could not see anything outside to blush.”
And with that, her life was misunderstood for the next 1400 years. (Although some contemporary theologians think St Gregory’s position was the right one!)
Loyal until the end
Yet it was in this same homily St Gregory’s true intention can be found. By reminding us of her perseverance and love of Christ, he wanted to draw attention to her example of keeping Christ at the centre of everything.
“We should reflect on Mary’s attitude and the great love she felt for Christ, for though the disciples had left the tomb, she remained. She was still seeking the one she had not found, and while she sought she wept…” he preached.
“And so it happened that the woman who stayed behind to seek Christ was the only one to see him.”
By keeping focused on Jesus and persevering through her pain and brokenness, she was internally prepared to receive the message of the resurrection and graced to spread the good news first.
It was this St Gregory wished to impart on his congregation, to encourage all Christians to live out our baptismal calling, emboldened with the mercy and love of God.
Devotion to this great saint
St Thomas Aquinas famously attributed to her the title “Apostle to the Apostles” because he knew that having been the first one to announce Jesus’ resurrection, she would help all Christians in their pursuit of holiness and evangelisation.
Today, when evangelisation and perseverance can be difficult, seeking assistance from St Mary is a great way to strengthen ourselves. Here are some ways we can draw closer to her:
- pray a novena to her. Many offer this novena in petition for the conversion of sinners.
- pray the Litany to St Mary Magdalene.
- Pray the traditional prayers on her feast day.
Despite what history has said about her, St Mary Magdalene was a true witness of repentance and how to live out our baptismal calling.
By welcoming her we can rest assured of her protection and gentle push to repentance, perseverance and evangelisation, always reminding us to keep our gaze upon Jesus.