Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene, sometimes called Mary of Magdala or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine, was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to his crucifixion and its aftermath. She is mentioned by name twelve times in the canonical gospels, more than most of the apostles and more than any other woman in the gospels, other than Jesus's family. Mary's epithet Magdalene may mean that she came from the town of Magdala, a fishing town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in Roman Judea. The Gospel of Luke 8:2–3 lists Mary as one of the women who traveled with Jesus and helped support his ministry 'out of their resources,' indicating that she was probably relatively wealthy. The same passage also states that seven demons had been driven out of her, a statement which is repeated in the longer ending of Mark. In all the four canonical gospels, Mary Magdalene was a witness to the crucifixion of Jesus and, in the burial of Jesus, she was also present. She was among the women who went to the tomb on the first day of the week and found it empty. According to the Gospel of John, she was the first person to see the risen Jesus. She is known as the 'Apostle to the Apostles' because she was the first to announce the news of Christ's resurrection to the Twelve. Throughout the Middle Ages, Mary Magdalene was frequently conflated in Western tradition with Mary of Bethany and the unnamed 'sinful woman' who anoints Jesus's feet in Luke 7:36–50. This resulted in a widespread but historically disputed reputation as a repentant prostitute or promiscuous woman. Modern biblical scholarship and the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar have clarified her distinct identity. She remains a symbol of devotion, penance, and the transformative power of faith.