Mary Magdalene
A prominent follower of Jesus, witness to his crucifixion and resurrection, and a historical figure venerated across Christian traditions.
Mary Magdalene, also known as Mary of Magdala, the Magdalene, or the Madeleine, is a historical figure recognized by both secular and religious scholars. According to the four canonical gospels, she was a follower of Jesus who traveled with him, witnessed his crucifixion, and saw him after his resurrection. Her name likely indicates she came from the town of Magdala, though some scholars, including Elizabeth Schrader Polczer and Joan Taylor, suggest "Magdalene" (meaning "tower") could have been an honorary title. She is considered a key supporter of Jesus, believed to have been healed by him, helped fund his ministry, and was present at his death and burial. Among his female disciples, she held a prominent role, though details about her life remain scarce.
In the early Church, Mary Magdalene received only brief mention from Church Fathers. Over time, her image shifted from a minor gospel figure to one conflated with other biblical women. Largely due to a 591 sermon by Pope Gregory I, Western Christianity came to view her as a repentant prostitute—a portrayal with no biblical support. Gnostic writings, however, depict her as a spiritually insightful figure favored by Jesus, challenging traditional patriarchal norms.
The Eastern Orthodox Church has always regarded Mary Magdalene as a virtuous Myrrhbearer and "Equal to the Apostles," distinct from other women in the Bible. The Catholic Church historically merged her with the repentant sinner in Luke 7 but later emphasized her role as the first witness to the resurrection, honoring her as the "Apostle to the Apostles." Various relics attributed to her—including her skull, a piece of forehead flesh, a tibia, and her left hand—are preserved at Catholic sites in France and Mount Athos, where they are displayed and honored in annual processions.
Historians, both secular and religious, agree that Mary Magdalene was a real person, like Jesus. Yet very little is known about her life. She left no writings of her own and is not mentioned in the Pauline or general epistles. The earliest and most reliable sources are the three Synoptic Gospels—Mark, Matthew, and Luke—written in the first century AD.
Her epithet "Magdalene" likely refers to Magdala, a fishing village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Since Mary was the most common Jewish name for women at the time, the gospel authors used this designation to distinguish her from other women named Mary who followed Jesus. The Gospel of Mark, considered the earliest, does not mention her until the crucifixion, but Luke 8:2–3 briefly summarizes her role: Jesus exorcised "seven demons" from her. This detail is repeated in Mark 16:9, part of a longer ending not found in the earliest manuscripts and possibly a second-century addition. In the first century, demons were thought to cause physical and psychological illness. Scholar Bruce Chilton suggests the number seven might mean she underwent multiple exorcisms, possibly over time, as earlier attempts failed. Alternatively, seven could be symbolic of completeness, indicating she was fully overwhelmed by demonic power. In either case, scholars Casey and Ehrman infer she likely suffered severe emotional or psychological trauma, making her devotion to Jesus after healing especially strong.
Mary Magdalene is listed among the women who financially supported Jesus' ministry, leading Casey and Ehrman to conclude she was relatively wealthy. The gospels indicate these women were vital to his work. In the Synoptic Gospels, Mary Magdalene always appears first when listed in a group of women, suggesting she was the most important among them. Scholar Carla Ricci notes that among Jesus' female followers, her position parallels that of Simon Peter among the male apostles.
All four canonical gospels agree that several women watched Jesus' crucifixion from a distance, with three explicitly naming Mary Magdalene. Mark lists Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. Matthew names Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the unnamed mother of the sons of Zebedee (possibly the same as Salome). Luke mentions a group of women but gives no names. John lists Jesus' mother, her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Virtually all reputable historians agree Jesus was crucified by the Romans.
- field
- Follower of Jesus
- known_for
- Witness to crucifixion and resurrection; prominent female disciple
- nationality
- Jewish (from Magdala, a village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee)
Lore & Background
During the Patristic era, Mary Magdalene was mentioned only briefly by early Church Fathers, with her image evolving from a minor gospel figure to being conflated with other women in the Bible. Eventually she became viewed in Western Christianity, largely due to Pope Gregory I's influential 591 sermon, as a repentant prostitute, despite there being no biblical basis for this portrayal. Gnostic writings often portray Mary Magdalene as a prominent, spiritually insightful figure favoured by Jesus, challenging traditional patriarchal norms. The Eastern Orthodox Church has always viewed Mary Magdalene as a virtuous Myrrhbearer and 'Equal to the Apostles', distinct from other biblical women. The Catholic Church historically conflated her with the repentant sinner in Luke 7 but later emphasized her role as the first witness to the resurrection and honoured her as the 'Apostle to the Apostles'. Many alleged relics of Mary Magdalene, including her skull, a piece of forehead flesh, a tibia, and her left hand, are preserved in Catholic sites in France and Mount Athos, with notable displays and annual processions honouring them.
Reader's Guide
Historians, secular and religious alike agree that, like Jesus, Mary Magdalene was a real historical figure. Nonetheless, very little is known about her life. Unlike Paul the Apostle, Mary Magdalene left behind no known writings of her own. She was never mentioned in any of the Pauline epistles or in any of the general epistles. The earliest and most reliable sources about her life are the three Synoptic Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, which were all written during the first century AD. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus exorcised 'seven demons' from Mary Magdalene. That seven demons had possessed Mary is repeated in Mark 16:9, part of the 'longer ending' of that gospel – this is not found in the earliest manuscripts and is possibly a second-century addition to the original text. In the first century, demons were believed widely to cause physical and psychological illness. Bruce Chilton states that the reference to the number of demons being 'seven' may mean that Mary had to undergo seven exorcisms, probably over a long period of time, due to the first six being partially or wholly unsuccessful. The number seven may be merely symbolic, since, in Jewish tradition, seven was the number of completion, so that Mary was possessed by seven demons may simply mean she was completely overwhelmed by their power. In either case, Casey and Ehrman infer that Mary must have suffered from severe emotional or psychological trauma for an exorcism of this kind to have been perceived as necessary. Consequently, her devotion to Jesus resulting from this healing must have been very strong. Because Mary is listed as one of the women who supported Jesus' ministry financially, Casey and Ehrman conclude that she must have been relatively wealthy. The places where she and the other women are mentioned throughout the gospels indicate strongly that they were vital to Jesus' ministry and that Mary Magdalene always appears first, whenever she is listed in the Synoptic Gospels as a member of a group of women, indicates that she was seen as the most important out of all of them. Carla Ricci notes that, in lists of the disciples, Mary Magdalene occupies a similar position among Jesus' female followers as Simon Peter does among the male apostles. All four canonical gospels agree that several women watched Jesus's crucifixion from a distance, with three explicitly naming Mary Magdalen
Did You Know?
- Mary Magdalene's epithet probably means she came from Magdala, a fishing village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
- The Gospel of Luke says Jesus exorcised 'seven demons' from Mary Magdalene.
- Mary Magdalene is listed first among the women who supported Jesus' ministry financially, indicating she was seen as the most important.
- The Catholic Church historically conflated Mary Magdalene with the repentant sinner in Luke 7, but later honoured her as the 'Apostle to the Apostles'.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"This Mary is sometimes referred to as 'Mary of Bethany'. It is disputed whether this is the same 'Mary' as Mary Magdalene. The woman is simply referred to as 'Mary' in the text." — Mary Magdalene "This Mary is sometimes referred to as 'Mary of Bethany'. It is disputed whether this is the same 'Mary' as Mary Magdalene. The woman is simply referred to as 'Mary' in the text." — Mary Magdalene "Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." — Mary Magdalene "Mary Magdalene is a model for many Christian feminists." — Mary Magdalene
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