Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Saint Mary Magdalene is recognized by the Church as a model of faithfulness and devotion to the truth of the Gospel, and Saint Thomas Aquinas gave her the title “Apostle of the Apostles.” 
 
Mary lived in a fishing village called Magdala, located on the western shore of Lake Tiberias, and this likely is where Jesus found her. In Chapter 8 of Luke’s Gospel, she is identified as “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out” (2). While early tradition stated that she was a sex worker, several scholars have refuted that claim, noting that Mary of Magdala was incorrectly identified as the “sinful woman in the city” who washed Jesus’ feet with alabaster oil and her tears in Chapter 7 of Luke’s Gospel (37-39).  
 
Mary accompanied Jesus to Calvary, stood at the foot of the Cross with the Blessed Mother and John, and was still there when Joseph of Arimathea placed the body of Jesus in the tomb, which was then closed with a stone. On the morning of the first day of the week, Mary returnd to the tomb, found the stone rolled away, and ran to tell Peter and John, who then arrived to discover that the body of the Lord was missing. While Peter and John returned home, Mary Magdalene tearfully remained at the tomb and became the first person to encounter the Risen Lord. She was the first to announce the Easter message that Jesus Christ had conquered death.
 
On June 3, 2016, Pope Francis elevated the Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene to a Feast.