Saint Mary Magdalene

Apostle to the Apostles

Feast Day

July 22

Born

Magdala, Galilee (traditional)

Saint Mary Magdalene (Mary of Magdala) is presented in the Gospels as the woman from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9), who followed him from Galilee with a number of women providing for him and his disciples out of their resources (Luke 8:1-3). She stood beneath the Cross with the Mother of Jesus and the beloved disciple (John 19:25, Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40), watched the burial of the Lord (Matthew 27:61, Mark 15:47), and on Easter morning was the first witness of the empty tomb and of the risen Christ.

The Gospel of John (20:1-18) records the most personal of these encounters: weeping at the tomb she sees Jesus, mistakes him for the gardener, and recognizes him only when he calls her by name, Mary. He commissions her to announce the Resurrection to the apostles: Go to my brethren, and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. From this commission the Latin patristic tradition (Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Bernard, Saint Thomas Aquinas) gives her the title Apostola Apostolorum, the Apostle to the Apostles.

Western tradition from the time of Saint Gregory the Great (Homily 33 on the Gospels, A.D. 591) identified Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany (sister of Martha and Lazarus) and with the anonymous penitent sinner who anointed the Lord's feet at the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50). Eastern tradition has always kept these three figures distinct, and the Latin liturgical reform of 1969 adopted the Eastern position; the present Roman Calendar honors Mary of Bethany on July 29 (with Martha and Lazarus) and Mary Magdalene on July 22.

By Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship on June 3, 2016, Pope Francis raised the celebration of Saint Mary Magdalene from a Memorial to the rank of Feast in the General Roman Calendar, equal in dignity to the celebrations of the male Apostles. The decree, signed by Cardinal Robert Sarah and Archbishop Arthur Roche, explicitly states that the elevation is intended to underline the special mission of this woman, who is an example and model for every woman in the Church and to acknowledge the gift to the universal Church of this woman who loved Christ much and was greatly loved by Christ.