St. Mary Magdalene: Apostle to the Apostles
Quick answer
St. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus from whom He cast out seven demons. She followed Him in Galilee, stood at the foot of the Cross, and was the first to see the risen Lord on Easter morning, who sent her to tell the apostles. For this the Church calls her the Apostle to the Apostles. Her feast is July 22.
Key takeaways
- Luke 8:2 says Jesus freed her from seven demons, and she then supported His ministry.
- She stood at the Cross and was present at the burial.
- The risen Jesus appeared to her first and sent her to the apostles (John 20:11-18).
- In 2016 Pope Francis raised her memorial to a feast, equal to those of the apostles.
She stayed when most of the others fled. She came to the tomb while it was still dark. And she was the first person to whom the risen Jesus showed Himself. St. Mary Magdalene is a saint of faithful love.
Who She Was
Mary came from Magdala, a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee. St. Luke tells us that Jesus had freed her from seven demons, and that she and other women followed Him and provided for Him and the Twelve out of their own means (Luke 8:1-3).
At the Cross and the Tomb
When Jesus was crucified, Mary Magdalene stood near the Cross with His Mother and the beloved disciple (John 19:25). She watched where His body was laid. Early on the first day of the week, she came back.
Easter Morning
Finding the tomb empty, she wept. A man she took for the gardener asked her why. Then He spoke her name.
Jesus saith to her: Mary. She turning, saith to him: Rabboni (which is to say, Master). (John 20:16, Douay-Rheims)
He told her to go to His brethren, and she went to the disciples saying, “I have seen the Lord.” For this reason the Church calls her the Apostle to the Apostles, and St. John Paul II wrote of her role as the first witness (Mulieris Dignitatem 16).
Traditions About Her
For many centuries in the West, Mary Magdalene was thought to be the same woman as the repentant sinner who washed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7) and Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus. The Eastern Churches always kept them distinct, and many scholars today do as well. Either way, she has long been a patron of penitents, a sign that no one is beyond Christ’s mercy.
A French tradition holds that she ended her days in Provence, and pilgrims visit the grotto of Sainte-Baume and the basilica at Saint-Maximin.
A Feast Day
In 2016, at the wish of Pope Francis, her celebration on July 22 was raised from a memorial to a feast, the same rank as the feasts of the apostles.
A Prayer to St. Mary Magdalene (Original Prayer)
St. Mary Magdalene, you sought the Lord with tears, and He called you by name. Pray that I may recognize His voice, stay close to Him in suffering, and tell others that He is risen. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read about St. Lazarus, St. Peter, or what Catholics believe about Jesus.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene?
July 22.
Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute?
The Gospels never say so. In the West, from the time of St. Gregory the Great, she was often identified with the sinful woman of Luke 7 and with Mary of Bethany. The current liturgy honors her above all as the first witness of the Resurrection.
Why is she called the Apostle to the Apostles?
Because the risen Christ sent her to announce His Resurrection to the apostles. St. Thomas Aquinas used the title.
Sources
- Gospels of Luke 8:1-3; Mark 15:40-16:11; John 19:25; 20:1-18 (Douay-Rheims)
- Congregation for Divine Worship, Decree raising the Memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a Feast (June 3, 2016)
- Pope St. John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem (1988), no. 16
