On July 22 we celebrate the feast day of the wonderful St. Mary Magdalen. Over the centuries, the memory of this great saint has been clouded with misinformation. We incorrectly identify her with other New Testament women. And we falsely accuse her of being a prostitute, an error made by many other saints and even by the Vatican. So, let’s set the record straight.

St. Mary Magdalen was a member of the community that traveled with Jesus. She had suffered with serious illnesses, which he cured by casting seven demons from her. When Jesus cast out a demon he was always healing someone of a disease—never freeing them from some serious sin. So contrary to mistaken traditional views, Mary Magdalen was neither a prostitute nor a serious sinner.  Some historians now say that she may have been a business woman from the fishing town of Magdala. After her healing, Mary became an eminent disciple, one of his intimate companions alongside the Twelve. With other women, she took care of the Lord’s practical needs on the road (see Lk 8:1-3).

We may identify Mary Magdalen with the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Lk 7:39) and with the woman who anointed his head with expensive ointment (Mt 26:6-8). And we may believe that she is Mary of Bethany. We may also see her anointing his feet and wiping them with her hair (Jn 11:2;12:3). While these beliefs have ancient roots, today scholars say that the Bible does not support the identification of Mary Magdalen with any of these women.

However, this interpretation need not diminish the saint’s significance nor our admiration for her. Mary Magdalen was faithful to Christ to the end. She stood courageously beneath the cross (Jn 19:25) and lurked near the sepulcher (Mt 26:61). With other women she prepared spices and ointments to anoint the Lord’s body. She was the first to discover the empty tomb (Lk 23:55-24:11). And, appropriately, Jesus, risen from the dead, appeared first to her:

“But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’

‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she replied, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, “Woman , why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’

Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’

Jesus said, ‘Mary!’

 She turned round then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’–which means Master.

Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me….. But go and find my brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.,’ and that he had said these things to her (Jn 20:11-19 NJB).

Because Mary brought the good news of the Lord’s Resurrection to the disciples, she is regarded as the Apostle to the Apostles. We may know less about St. Mary Magdalen than we thought. However, what we do know is enough for us to honor her and to love her.

St. Mary Magdalen,

You come with springing tears

To the spring of mercy, Christ…

What can I say, how can I find words to tell

About the burning love with which you sought Him

Weeping at the sepulchre

And wept for Him in your seeking?…

For the sweetness of love He shows Himself

Who would not for the bitterness of tears.

— St. Anselm of Canterbury