She was born and raised in the city of Magdala on the shores of Lake Gennesaret, which is why she received her nickname. The Gospel tells us nothing about youth Mary, but Tradition says that Mary of Magdala was young, beautiful, led a sinful life and fell into a demon. The Gospel says that the Lord cast out seven demons from Mary. Through the illness of Mary Magdalene, the glory of God appeared, and she herself acquired the great virtue of complete trust in the will of God and unshakable devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. From the moment of healing Mary started a new one life, became a faithful disciple of the Savior.

The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene followed the Lord when He and the apostles passed through the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee preaching the Kingdom of God. Together with pious women - Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Susanna and others, she served Him from their estates (Luke 8:1-3) and, undoubtedly, shared evangelistic works with the apostles, especially among women.

Obviously, the Evangelist Luke means her, along with other women, when he says that at the moment of Christ’s procession to Golgotha, when, after the scourging, He carried a heavy Cross on Himself, exhausted under its weight, the women followed Him, crying and sobbing, and He consoled their. The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene was also on Calvary at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion. When all the Savior's disciples fled, she fearlessly remained at the Cross along with the Mother of God and the Apostle John. The evangelists also list among those who stood at the Cross the mother of the Apostle James the Less, and Salome, and other women who followed the Lord from Galilee itself, but everyone names Mary Magdalene first, and the Apostle John, besides the Mother of God, mentions only her and Mary of Cleopas. This indicates how much she stood out from among all the women surrounding the Savior.

Holy Mary Magdalene accompanied the Most Pure Body of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was transferred to the tomb in the garden of Righteous Joseph of Arimathea, and was at His burial (Mt 27:61; Mk 15:47).

Faithful to the law in which she was brought up, Mary, together with the other women, remained at rest the entire next day, for the day of that Saturday was great, coinciding that year with the Easter holiday. But still, before the onset of the day of rest, the women managed to stock up on aromas so that on the first day of the week they could come at dawn to the grave of the Lord and Teacher and, according to the custom of the Jews, anoint His body with funeral aromas. It must be assumed that, having agreed to go to the Sepulcher early in the morning on the first day of the week, holy women Having gone to their homes on Friday evening, they did not have the opportunity to meet each other on the Sabbath, and as soon as the light of the next day dawned, they went to the tomb not together, but each from their own home. Evangelist Matthew writes that the women came to the tomb at dawn or, as Evangelist Mark puts it, very early, at sunrise; Evangelist John, as if complementing them, says that Mary came to the tomb so early that it was still dark. Apparently, she was looking forward to the end of the night, but without waiting for dawn, when darkness still reigned all around, she ran to where the body of the Lord lay.

She came to her senses and again ran to the apostles to fulfill the will of the One who sent her to preach. Again she ran into the house, where the apostles were still in confusion, and announced to them the good news: " I saw the Lord"So Mary became the world's first preacher of the Resurrection, an evangelist to evangelists.

Holy Bible does not tell about the life of Mary Magdalene after the resurrection of Christ, but one can think that if in the terrible moments of the crucifixion of Christ she was at the foot of His Cross with His Most Pure Mother and John, then she remained with them all the near future after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord. Thus, Saint Luke writes in the book of the Acts of the Apostles that all the apostles unanimously remained in prayer and supplication with certain women and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Sacred Tradition narrates that when the apostles dispersed from Jerusalem to preach to all corners of the world, Mary Magdalene also went with them to preach. The brave woman left motherland and went to preach in Rome. Everywhere she proclaimed to people about Christ and His teaching, and when many did not believe that Christ had risen, she repeated to them what she said to the apostles on the bright morning of the Resurrection: “ I saw the Lord". With this sermon she traveled all over Italy.

Tradition says that in Italy, Mary Magdalene appeared to Emperor Tiberius (14-37) and preached to him about the Risen Christ. She brought him a red egg symbol of the Resurrection, a symbol of new life with the words: " Christ is risen!"Then she told the emperor that in his province of Judea, Jesus the Galilean, a holy man who performed miracles, strong before God and all people, was innocently convicted in his province of Judea, executed at the slander of the Jewish high priests, and the sentence was confirmed by the procurator Pontius Pilate appointed by Tiberius. Mary repeated the words of the apostles. that those who believed in Christ were redeemed from a vain life, not with corruptible silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as a spotless and spotless Lamb.

Obviously, it is Mary Magdalene that the Apostle Paul has in mind in his Epistle to the Romans (Rom. 16:6), where, along with other ascetics of the preaching of the gospel, he mentions Mary (Mariam), who " worked hard for us"Obviously, she was among those who selflessly served the Church both with their own means and their labors, exposing themselves to dangers, and shared the labors of preaching with the apostles.

According to Church tradition, she stayed in Rome until the arrival of the Apostle Paul there and for another two years after his departure from Rome after his first trial. From Rome, Saint Mary Magdalene, already in old age, moved to Ephesus, where the holy Apostle John worked tirelessly, who, from her words, wrote the 20th chapter of his Gospel. The saint ended there earthly life and was buried.

Relics and veneration

The Church canonized Saint Mary Magdalene among the saints equal to the apostles. The Orthodox Church sacredly honors the memory of Saint Mary Magdalene, who, having been called by the Lord Himself from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, showed an example of complete conversion, the beginning new life and never wavered on this path. She loved the Lord and remained with Him both in honor and in dishonor, which is why, knowing her fidelity, He appeared to her first, rising from the grave, and it was she who was vouchsafed to be the first preacher of His Resurrection.

Holy relics Mary Equal to the Apostles were in - years, under Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher (886-912), transferred from Ephesus to Constantinople and laid in the temple

One of the most famous female figures in Orthodoxy is Mary Magdalene, with whom there is a lot of reliable information and speculation from various researchers. She is the main one among, and she is also considered the wife of Jesus Christ.

Who is Mary Magdalene?

A devoted follower of Christ who was the myrrh-bearer is Mary Magdalene. A lot of information is known about this saint:

1. Mary Magdalene is considered equal to the apostles, and this is explained by the fact that she preached the Gospel with special zeal, like the other apostles.
2. The saint was born in Syria in the city of Magdala, which is why the nickname known throughout the world is associated.
3. She was next to the Savior when he was crucified and was the first to exclaim “Christ is Risen!”, holding in her hands Easter eggs.
4. Mary Magdalene is the myrrh-bearer, since she was among those women who, on the morning of the first day of Saturday, came to the Tomb of the risen Christ, bringing with them myrrh (incense) to anoint the body.
5. It is worth noting that in Catholic traditions this name is identified with the image of the harlot who repented and Mary of Bethany. Associated with it a large number of legends.
6. There is information that Mary Magdalene is the wife of Jesus Christ, but there is not a word about this in the Bible.

What did Mary Magdalene look like?

There is no clear description of what the saint looked like, but traditionally in Western art and symbolism she is represented as young and very beautiful girl. Her main pride was long hair and she always has them loose. This is due to the fact that when the girl poured the ointment on Christ’s feet, she wiped them with her hair. More often than usual, Mary Magdalene, the wife of Jesus, is depicted with her head uncovered and a vessel of incense.

Mary Magdalene - life

In her youth, it would be hard to call the girl righteous, since she led a depraved life. As a result of this, she was possessed by demons who began to subjugate her. Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene was saved by Jesus, who cast out demons. After this event, she believed in the Lord and became his most faithful disciple. With this Orthodox figure a lot is connected important events for believers who are described in the Gospel and other scriptures.

Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene

Holy Scripture tells about the saint only from the moment she became a disciple of the Savior. This happened after Jesus delivered her from seven demons. Throughout her life, Mary Magdalene maintained her devotion to the Lord and followed him until the end of his earthly life. IN Good Friday together with the Mother of God she mourned the dead Jesus. Finding out who Mary Magdalene is in Orthodoxy and how she is connected with Christ, it is worth pointing out that she was the first who came to the Savior’s tomb on Sunday morning to once again express her fidelity to him.

Wanting to pour incense on His body, the woman saw that only the burial shrouds remained in the coffin, but the body itself was missing. She thought it had been stolen. At this time, Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection, but she did not recognize him, mistaking him for a gardener. She recognized him when he addressed her by name. As a result, the saint became the one who brought the good news to all believers about the resurrection of Jesus.

Children of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene

Historians and archaeologists in Britain, after their research, declared that the saint was not only the faithful companion and wife of Jesus Christ, but also the mother of His children. There are apocryphal texts that describe the life of Equal-to-the-Apostles. They tell us that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a spiritual marriage, and as a result of the immaculate conception she gave birth to a son, Joseph the Sweetest. He became the founder of the royal house of the Merovingians. According to another legend, Magdalene had two children: Joseph and Sophia.

How did Mary Magdalene die?

After Jesus Christ was resurrected, the saint began to travel around the world to preach the Gospel. The fate of Mary Magdalene brought her to Ephesus, where she assisted the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. According to church tradition, she died in Ephesus and was buried there. The Bollandists claimed that the saint died in Provence and was buried in Marseille, but this opinion has no ancient evidence.

Where is Mary Magdalene buried?

The grave of the Equal-to-the-Apostles is located in Ephesus, where John the Theologian lived in exile at that time. According to legend, he wrote chapter 20 of the Gospel, in which he talks about his meeting with Christ after his Resurrection, under the guidance of the saint. Since the time of Leo the Philosopher, the tomb of Mary Magdalene has remained empty, since the relics were transferred first to Constantinople and then to Rome to the Cathedral of John Lateran, which was later renamed in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles. Some parts of the relics are also located in other churches in France, Mount Athos, Jerusalem and Russia.

The Legend of Mary Magdalene and the Egg

Traditions are associated with this holy woman. According to existing tradition, she preached the Gospel in Rome. In this city, Mary Magdalene and Tiberius, who was the emperor, met. At that time the Jews observed important tradition: when a person first comes to famous person, then he must definitely bring him some kind of gift. Poor people in most cases brought vegetables, fruits and eggs, with which Mary Magdalene came.

One version says that the egg taken by the saint was red, which surprised the ruler. She told Tiberius about the life, death and resurrection of Christ. According to another version of the legend “Mary Magdalene and the Egg,” when the saint appeared to the emperor, she said: “Christ is Risen.” Tiberius doubted this and said that he would believe it only if the eggs turned red before his eyes, which is what happened. Historians doubt these versions, but the people have beautiful tradition with a deep meaning.

Mary Magdalene - prayer

Thanks to her faith, the saint was able to overcome many vices and cope with sins, and after her death she helps people who turn to her in prayer.

1. Since Mary Magdalene conquered fear and unbelief, those who want to strengthen their faith and become more courageous turn to her.
2. Prayer requests in front of her image help to receive forgiveness for sins committed. Women who had an abortion ask her for repentance.
3. Prayer to Mary Magdalene will help protect yourself from bad addictions and temptations. People turn to her with problems to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
4. The saint helps people get protection from magical influence from the outside.
5. She is considered the patroness of hairdressers and pharmacy employees.

Mary Magdalene – interesting facts

With this famous female figure in Orthodox faith There is a lot of information involved, among which several facts can be highlighted:

1. Saint Mary Magdalene is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament.
2. After the church declared the woman a saint, relics from Magdalene appeared. These include not only relics, but also hair, chips from the coffin and blood. They are distributed throughout the world and are found in different temples.
3. There is no direct evidence in the known Gospel texts that Jesus and Mary were husband and wife.
4. The clergy claim that the role of Mary Magdalene is great, since it was not for nothing that Jesus himself called her his “beloved disciple,” because she understood him better than others.
5. After the appearance of various films related to religion, for example, The Da Vinci Code, many people had various doubts. For example, there are a huge number of people who believe that famous icon « last supper“Next to the Savior is not John the Theologian, but Mary Magdalene herself. The Church assures that such opinions are absolutely groundless.
6. Many paintings, poems and songs have been written about Mary Magdalene.

On the shores of Lake Gennesaret, between the cities of Capernaum and Tiberias, was located small town Magdala, the remains of which have survived to this day. Now in its place stands only the small village of Medjdel.

A woman was once born and raised in Magdala, whose name will forever go down in gospel history. The Gospel does not tell us anything about Mary’s youth, but Tradition tells us that Mary of Magdala was young, beautiful and led a sinful life. The Gospel says that the Lord cast out seven demons from Mary. From the moment of her healing, Maria began a new life. She became a faithful disciple of the Savior.

The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene followed the Lord when He and the apostles passed through the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee preaching the Kingdom of God. Together with pious women - Joanna, the wife of Chuza (Herod's steward), Susanna and others, she served Him from their estates (Luke 8:1-3) and, undoubtedly, shared evangelistic works with the apostles, especially among women. Obviously, the Evangelist Luke means her, along with other women, when he says that at the moment of Christ’s procession to Golgotha, when, after the scourging, He carried a heavy Cross on Himself, exhausted under its weight, the women followed Him, crying and sobbing, and He consoled their. The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene was also on Calvary at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion. When all the Savior’s disciples fled, she fearlessly remained at the Cross along with the Mother of God and the Apostle John.

The evangelists also list among those who stood at the Cross the mother of the Apostle James the Less, and Salome, and other women who followed the Lord from Galilee itself, but everyone names Mary Magdalene first, and the Apostle John, besides the Mother of God, mentions only her and Mary of Cleopas. This indicates how much she stood out from among all the women surrounding the Savior.

She was faithful to Him not only in the days of His glory, but also at the time of His extreme humiliation and reproach. As she says Evangelist Matthew, was also present at the burial of the Lord. Before her eyes, Joseph and Nicodemus carried His lifeless body into the tomb. Before her eyes, they blocked the entrance to the cave with a large stone, where the Sun of Life had set...

Faithful to the law in which she was brought up, Mary, together with the other women, remained at rest the entire next day, for the day of that Saturday was great, coinciding with the Easter holiday that year. But still, before the onset of the day of rest, the women managed to stock up on aromas so that on the first day of the week they could come at dawn to the grave of the Lord and Teacher and, according to the custom of the Jews, anoint His body with funeral aromas.

It must be assumed that, having agreed to go to the Tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week, the holy women, having gone to their homes on Friday evening, did not have the opportunity to meet each other on the Sabbath day, and as soon as the light of the next day dawned, they went to the tomb without together, and each from her own home.

Evangelist Matthew writes that the women came to the tomb at dawn or, as Evangelist Mark puts it, very early, at sunrise; Evangelist John, as if complementing them, says that Mary came to the tomb so early that it was still dark. Apparently, she was looking forward to the end of the night, but without waiting for dawn, when darkness still reigned all around, she ran to where the body of the Lord lay.

So Mary came to the tomb alone. Seeing the stone rolled away from the cave, she hurried in fear to where the closest apostles of Christ lived - Peter and John. Hearing the strange news that the Lord was taken away from the tomb, both Apostles ran to the tomb and, seeing the shrouds and the folded cloth, were amazed. The apostles left and did not say anything to anyone, and Mary stood near the entrance to a dark cave and cried. Here, in this dark coffin, her Lord lay lifeless just recently. Wanting to make sure that the coffin was really empty, she approached it - and then a strong light suddenly shone around her. She saw two Angels in white robes, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus was laid. Hearing the question: “Woman, why are you crying?” - she answered with the same words that she had just spoken to the Apostles: “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they laid Him.” Having said this, she turned around, and at that moment she saw the Risen Jesus standing near the tomb, but did not recognize Him.

Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene and the Lord Jesus Christ. Greek icon

He asked Mary: “Woman, why are you crying, Who are you looking for?” She, thinking that she saw the gardener, answered: “Sir, if you brought Him out, tell me where you laid Him, and I will take Him.”

But at that moment she recognized the voice of the Lord, a voice that was familiar from the very day He healed her. She heard this voice in those days, in those years when, together with other pious women, she followed the Lord through all the cities and towns where His preaching was heard. A joyful cry burst from her chest: “Rabbi!”, which means Teacher.

Respect and love, tenderness and deep reverence, a sense of gratitude and recognition of His superiority as a great Teacher - everything merged in this one exclamation. She could say no more and threw herself at the feet of her Teacher to wash them with tears of joy. But the Lord said to her: “Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brothers and tell them: “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”

She came to her senses and again ran to the Apostles to fulfill the will of the One who sent her to preach. Again she ran into the house, where the Apostles were still in confusion, and announced to them the good news: “I saw the Lord!” This was the world's first sermon on the Resurrection.

The Apostles were supposed to preach the gospel to the world, but she preached the gospel to the Apostles themselves...

Holy Scripture does not tell us about the life of Mary Magdalene after the resurrection of Christ, but there is no doubt that if in the terrible moments of Christ’s crucifixion she was at the foot of His Cross with His Most Pure Mother and John, then there is no doubt that she was with them throughout the immediate time after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord. Thus, Saint Luke writes in the book of the Acts of the Apostles that all the Apostles unanimously remained in prayer and supplication with certain women and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Sacred Tradition tells that when the Apostles dispersed from Jerusalem to preach to all corners of the world, Mary Magdalene also went with them to preach. A brave woman, whose heart was full of memories of the Risen One, left her native land and went to preach in pagan Rome. And everywhere she proclaimed to people about Christ and His teaching, and when many did not believe that Christ had risen, she repeated to them the same thing that she said to the Apostles on the bright morning of the Resurrection: “I saw the Lord.” With this sermon she traveled all over Italy.

Tradition says that in Italy, Mary Magdalene appeared to Emperor Tiberius (14-37) and preached to him about the Risen Christ. According to Tradition, she brought him a red egg as a symbol of the Resurrection, a symbol of new life with the words: “Christ is Risen!” Then she told the emperor that in his province of Judea, Jesus the Galilean, a holy man who performed miracles, strong before God and all people, was innocently convicted, executed at the slander of the Jewish high priests, and the sentence was confirmed by the procurator Pontius Pilate appointed by Tiberius.

Mary repeated the words of the Apostles that those who believed in Christ were redeemed from a vain life not with corruptible silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as an immaculate and pure Lamb.

Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene and the Lord Jesus Christ. Stained glass

Thanks to Mary Magdalene, the custom of giving each other Easter eggs on the day of Christ's Holy Resurrection spread among Christians all over the world. In one ancient handwritten Greek charter, written on parchment, stored in the library of the monastery of St. Anastasia near Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki), there is a prayer read on the day of Holy Easter for the consecration of eggs and cheese, which indicates that the abbot, distributing blessed eggs, says to the brethren: “So we accepted from the holy fathers, who preserved this custom from the very times of the apostles, for the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was the first to show the believers an example of this joyful sacrifice.”

Mary Magdalene continued her evangelism in Italy and in the city of Rome itself. Obviously, it is she who the Apostle Paul has in mind in his Epistle to the Romans (16:6), where, together with other ascetics of the preaching of the Gospel, he mentions Mary (Mariam), who, as he puts it, “has labored a lot for us.” Obviously, they selflessly served the Church both with their own means and their labors, exposing themselves to dangers, and shared the labors of preaching with the Apostles.

Fresco by Giotto in the Church of San Francesco in Assisi, around 1320

According to Church tradition, she stayed in Rome until the arrival of the Apostle Paul there and for another two years after his departure from Rome after his first trial. From Rome, Saint Mary Magdalene, already in old age, moved to Ephesus, where the holy Apostle John worked tirelessly, who, from her words, wrote the 20th chapter of his Gospel. There the saint ended her earthly life and was buried.

Her holy relics were transferred in the 9th century to the capital of the Byzantine Empire - Constantinople and placed in the church of the monastery in the name of St. Lazarus. During the era of the Crusades, they were transferred to Italy and placed in Rome under the altar of the Lateran Cathedral. Some of the relics of Mary Magdalene are located in France near Marseille, where a magnificent temple was erected in her honor at the foot of a steep mountain.

The Orthodox Church sacredly honors the memory of Saint Mary Magdalene - a woman called by the Lord Himself from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.

Once mired in sin, she, having received healing, sincerely and irrevocably began a new clean life and never wavered on this path. Mary loved the Lord, who called her to a new life; She was faithful to Him not only when He, having cast out seven demons from her, surrounded by enthusiastic people, walked through the cities and villages of Palestine, gaining the glory of a miracle worker, but also when all the disciples left Him out of fear and He, humiliated and crucified , hung in agony on the Cross. That is why the Lord, knowing her faithfulness, was the first to appear to her, rising from the grave, and it was she who was vouchsafed to be the first preacher of His Resurrection.

***

Prayer to Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene:

• Prayer to Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene. After the Lord cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene, she accompanied and served Him and the apostles from her estate. She did not leave Him during the execution and burial; she was the first to come to the grave of the Lord. She served the Church by preaching among women in Palestine, then moved to Rome, served there with the apostles Peter and Paul, and in her old age moved to Ephesus, where the Apostle John worked, who wrote the 20th chapter of his Gospel from her words. Mary Magdalene patroness of missionaries and preachers, teachers and social workers. People turn to her in prayer for the granting of faith, humility, good deeds, courage, help in persecution, admonition of sectarians and non-believers, for strengthening in carnal temptations

Akathist to Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene:

Canon of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene:

Hagiographic and scientific-historical literature about Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene:

• Equal to the Apostles Myrrh-Bearer Mary Magdalene- Pravoslavie.Ru

Mary Magdalene is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, one of the myrrh-bearing women from whom the Lord cast out seven demons and who, after healing, followed Christ everywhere, was present at the Crucifixion and witnessed his posthumous appearance. According to legend, some time after the Crucifixion, Magdalene went to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary to John the Theologian and helped him in his labors. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was born in the city of Magdala, near Capernaum, on the shores of Lake Gennesaret, in Galilee, not far from the place where John the Baptist baptized. Leftovers ancient city have survived to this day. Now in its place stands only the small village of Medjdel. From the name of the city, Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary received her nickname Magdalene, to distinguish her from other pious women mentioned in the Gospel with the name Mary. Mary Magdalene was a true Galilean. And a Galilean, a Galilean woman means a lot in preaching and establishing Christianity. Christ the Savior Himself was called a Galilean, since He grew up and lived from infancy and then preached a lot in Galilee. All the first-called Apostles of Christ were Galileans, with the exception of only Judas Iscariot, the traitor who was not a Galilean. The majority of those who believed in the Lord immediately after His Resurrection consisted of Galileans. Therefore, in the beginning, all the followers of Christ the Savior were called “Galileans,” since the Galileans perceived and spread the teachings of Christ more zealously than other Jews. The Galileans also differed greatly and sharply from the Jews of other regions of Palestine, just as the nature of Galilee was contrastingly different from southern Palestine.

Galilee In Galilee the nature was cheerful and the population was lively and simple; in southern Palestine there is a barren desert and a people who do not want to recognize anything other than the letter and form of the rules. The inhabitants of Galilee readily accepted the ideas of the spirit of the law; Among the Jews of Jerusalem, one routine appearance dominated. Galilee became the birthplace and cradle of Christianity; Judea was withered by narrow Pharisaism and short-sighted Sadducees. However academic schools the Galileans did not start and therefore the proud scribes and Pharisees of the Jews called the Galileans ignorant and fools; For the unclear, indistinct distinction and pronunciation of certain Hebrew guttural letters by the Galileans, the Jewish rabbis did not allow them to read prayers aloud on behalf of the congregation and ridiculed them. The Galileans were ardent, sympathetic, impetuous, grateful, honest, brave - they were enthusiastically religious, loved to listen to teachings about faith and about God - they were frank, hardworking, poetic and loved Greek wisdom education. And Mary Magdalene showed in her life many wonderful qualities of her Galilean relatives, the first and most zealous Christians.

We know nothing about the first period of the life of Saint Mary Magdalene until the moment of her healing from seven demons by Jesus Christ (Luke 8:2). The cause and circumstances of this misfortune of hers are unknown. According to the Fathers Orthodox Church, the “seven demons” of Saint Mary Magdalene are only God’s allowance of her suffering from demonic spells, which did not even arise from the sins of her parents or her own. But in this example, He showed for all others the miracle of the healing of Mary Magdalene as an act of the power and mercy of God performed through His Messiah. And she herself, without these deep sufferings and healing from them, might not have experienced such a high feeling of love and gratitude to Christ and would have remained among many who sympathize with Him, marveling at His miracles or semi-formally professing faith, but without burning, without complete self-sacrifice.

From then on, the soul of Mary Magdalene was inflamed with the most grateful and devoted love for her Savior Christ, and she forever joined her Savior and followed Him everywhere. The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene followed the Lord when He and the apostles passed through the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee preaching the Kingdom of God. Together with pious women - Joanna, the wife of Chuza (Herod's steward), Susanna and others, she served Him from their estates (Luke 8:1-3) and, undoubtedly, shared evangelistic works with the apostles, especially among women. Obviously, the Evangelist Luke means her, along with other women, when he says that at the moment of Christ’s procession to Golgotha, when, after the scourging, He carried a heavy Cross on Himself, exhausted under its weight, the women followed Him, crying and sobbing, and He consoled their. The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene was also on Calvary at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion. When all the Savior’s disciples fled, she fearlessly remained at the Cross along with the Mother of God and the Apostle John.

The evangelists also list among those who stood at the Cross the mother of the Apostle James the Less, and Salome, and other women who followed the Lord from Galilee itself, but everyone names Mary Magdalene first, and the Apostle John, besides the Mother of God, mentions only her and Mary of Cleopas. This indicates how much she stood out from among all the women surrounding the Savior.

She was faithful to Him not only in the days of His glory, but also at the time of His extreme humiliation and reproach. She, as the Evangelist Matthew narrates, was also present at the burial of the Lord. Before her eyes, Joseph and Nicodemus carried His lifeless body into the tomb. Before her eyes, they blocked the entrance to the cave with a large stone, where the Sun of Life had set...

Faithful to the law in which she was brought up, Mary, together with the other women, remained at rest the entire next day, for the day of that Saturday was great, coinciding with the Easter holiday that year. But still, before the onset of the day of rest, the women managed to stock up on aromas so that on the first day of the week they could come at dawn to the grave of the Lord and Teacher and, according to the custom of the Jews, anoint His body with funeral aromas. Evangelist Matthew writes that the women came to the tomb at dawn or, as Evangelist Mark puts it, very early, at sunrise; Evangelist John, as if complementing them, says that Mary came to the tomb so early that it was still dark. Apparently, she was looking forward to the end of the night, but without waiting for dawn, when darkness still reigned all around, she ran to where the body of the Lord lay and saw the stone rolled away from the cave.

In fear, she hurried to where the closest apostles of Christ lived - Peter and John. Hearing the strange news that the Lord was taken away from the tomb, both Apostles ran to the tomb and, seeing the shrouds and the folded cloth, were amazed. The apostles left and did not say anything to anyone, and Mary stood near the entrance to a dark cave and cried. Here, in this dark coffin, her Lord lay lifeless just recently. Wanting to make sure that the coffin was really empty, she approached it - and then a strong light suddenly shone around her. She saw two Angels in white robes, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus was laid.

Hearing the question: “Woman, why are you crying?” - she answered with the same words that she had just spoken to the Apostles: “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they laid Him.” Having said this, she turned around, and at that moment she saw the Risen Jesus standing near the tomb, but did not recognize Him. Apparently, her soul was too heavy, and tears covered her eyes like a veil, and He Himself did not immediately reveal Himself to her, as well as to the apostles who met Him on the way to Emmaus.

He asked Mary: “Woman, why are you crying, Who are you looking for?” She, thinking that she saw the gardener, answered: “Sir, if you brought Him out, tell me where you laid Him, and I will take Him.” Mary Magdalene does not even mention His name - she is so convinced that everyone knows Him, everyone should be as convinced as she is that He is God, and it is impossible not to know Him. This absolute, childlike, selfless faith in the Lord, complete and selfless love for Him does not allow her to think how she, who is not physically very strong, can carry His Body, although exhausted by the labors of earthly life, alone. And only when He calls her by name, she recognizes her Teacher in Him, and with this name on her lips she falls prostrate before Him, and He tells her not to touch Him, for he has not yet ascended to the Father, teaching her reverence for in relation to those Divine changes that occurred to him after His wondrous Resurrection.

Mary Magdalene and the resurrected Jesus Christ But it is she who He trusts to bring His disciples the news of His ascension to His Father and, having uttered these words, becomes invisible, and the joyful Mary Magdalene runs to the apostles with the joyful news: “I have seen the Lord!” This was the world's first sermon on the Resurrection. The Apostles were supposed to preach the gospel to the world, and she preached the gospel to the Apostles themselves. That is why Saint Mary Magdalene is canonized as a saint equal to the apostles. Saint Gregory the Theologian finds a wonderful allusion in this: in Old Testament from the serpent the wife accepted the tempting drink of death - the juice in the forbidden fruit - and gave it to the first man. The wife heard the Good News in the New Testament and announced it. Whose hand deprived humanity of Eternity, the same - through the centuries - brought him the cup of Life. Legends about later life of Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles, are diverse. She accompanied the Mother of God and the apostles in their apostolic service on earthly ways. It is known that the tradition of exchanging painted eggs at Easter also came from historical event, associated with the stay of Saint Mary Magdalene in Rome at the court of Emperor Tiberius, when she presented him with a red egg with the same words: “Christ is Risen!” and told in simple, heartfelt language about the entire history of the Lord’s earthly life, about the unjust trial of Him, about the terrible hours of the Crucifixion and the sign that happened at the same time, testifying then to His miraculous Resurrection and Ascension to the Father.

Mary Magdalene by Emperor Tiberius It was such a sincere sermon, imbued with love for the Lord, that Tiberius himself believed and almost included Christ among the host of Roman gods (!!!), which, naturally, the Senate opposed. Then the emperor issued a decree prohibiting insulting Christians and their faith, which greatly contributed to the further spread of Christianity - and this is also due to the merits of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene before the Lord. Thanks to Mary Magdalene, the custom of giving each other Easter eggs on Easter Day Christ's Resurrection spread among Christians all over the world. In one ancient handwritten Greek charter, written on parchment, stored in the library of the monastery of St. Anastasia near Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki), there is a prayer read on the day of Holy Easter for the consecration of eggs and cheese, which indicates that the abbot, distributing the consecrated eggs, says to the brethren : “So we accepted from the holy fathers, who preserved this custom from the very times of the apostles, for the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was the first to show the believers an example of this joyful sacrifice.”

At first, Easter eggs were painted red, but over time the decorations became richer and brighter, and now Easter eggs have become not only part of the Easter meal that we prepare for consecration in Maundy Thursday, but also a subject of creativity - from folk wooden paints to masterpieces of the most famous jewelers, for example, Faberge. Mary Magdalene continued her evangelism in Italy and in the city of Rome itself. From Rome, Saint Mary Magdalene, already in old age, moved to Ephesus, where the holy Apostle John worked tirelessly, who, from her words, wrote the 20th chapter of his Gospel. There the saint ended her earthly life and was buried. In the 11th century, under Emperor Leo the Philosopher (886 - 912), the incorruptible relics of Saint Mary Magdalene were transferred from Ephesus to Constantinople. It is believed that during the Crusades they were transported to Rome, where they rested in the temple in the name of St. John Lateran. Later this temple was consecrated in the name of St. Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles. Part of her relics is located in France, in Provage, near Marseille. Parts of the relics of Mary Magdalene are kept in various monasteries of Holy Mount Athos and in Jerusalem, where in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives there is a wonderfully beautiful monastery of St. Mary Magdalene.

Memory Saint Mary Magdalene Equal to the Apostles is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on August 4 according to the new style, as well as on the week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, on the second Sunday after Easter.

Biography of Saint Mary Magdalene
Very little reliable information has reached us about the life of Saint Mary Magdalene. It is known that she was from the city of Magdala, located near Capernaum. In the Gospel her name is mentioned several times. She suffered from demonic possession and received healing from Christ, after which she began to follow Him, serving Him and helping with her money (Luke 8:3). IN catholic church It is generally accepted that the evangelical sinner who washed Christ’s feet with myrrh was Mary Magdalene, but in Orthodoxy this point of view is not shared, and in the akathist and canon dedicated to this saint there is no mention of the prodigal life that she led before meeting Christ. From the Gospel it is known that Mary Magdalene, along with other women, was present at death on the cross the Savior, as well as at His burial (Matt. 27:56, Matt. 27:61). Evangelist John also tells that Mary Magdalene was the first to whom the risen Christ appeared. According to this story, she early morning came to the Holy Sepulcher, without waiting for the other myrrh-bearing women, and there she was honored with a meeting with the Savior, whom at first she did not recognize and mistook for a gardener (John 20, 11:18). Having received a command from Him to convey everything he saw and heard to the disciples of Christ, Mary Magdalene went to them with good news, thus beginning her preaching ministry.
Tradition tells that after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, together with the other apostles, began preaching Christianity, first in Jerusalem, and then in Rome, where she also visited Emperor Tiberius. According to legend, she was supposed to bring him some gift, and, having nothing, she brought an egg to the emperor. After Tiberius listened to her sermon about the life and teaching of Christ, as well as His resurrection, he said that this was as impossible as the red egg. After this, the egg brought by Mary Magdalene turned red, and since then there has been a tradition of giving each other red eggs.
It is also known from tradition that Mary Magdalene preached in Ephesus together with the Apostle John the Theologian, where she died peacefully.

Veneration of Saint Mary Magdalene
The relics of Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles, were for a long time at the place of her burial in Ephesus and only in the 9th century were they transferred to Constantinople, but during the Crusades they were captured by the crusaders and transferred to Rome. Currently, particles of the relics of Mary Magdalene are located in Jerusalem, on Mount Athos, and also in France.
In the Orthodox Church, Saint Mary Magdalene is revered as equal to the apostles and is remembered on the day of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, who became the first witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ. In the Catholic Church there is a special cult of Mary Magdalene, in whose image it is customary to see a sinner who achieved holiness through repentance and ascetic deeds. According to Western tradition, Mary Magdalene spent last years life in the desert, where through tears and repentance she received forgiveness of her great sins and was buried by a certain hermit monk. Thus, in the Catholic tradition, the image of Mary Magdalene merges with the image of Mary of Egypt. In Western countries there are many churches consecrated in honor of this saint, although in our country she is highly revered and is the patron saint of many Christian women. Her example of sacrificial love and self-denial in serving the Lord deserves respect and is worthy of emulation.

Troparion, tone 1:
You followed Christ, born of the Virgin for our sake,/ the venerable Magdalene Mary,/ keeping those justifications and laws./ Meanwhile today we celebrate your all-holy memory,/ the resolution of sins// through your prayers is acceptable.

Kontakion, tone 3:
Standing, glorious one, at the Cross of Spasov with many others,/ and compassionate with the Mother of the Lord, and shedding tears,/ offering this in praise, saying:/ what is this strange miracle?/ Hold all creation to suffer as you please.// Glory to Thy power.

Magnification:
We magnify you, /myrrh-bearing holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, /and we honor your illnesses and labors, /for which you labored /in the gospel of Christ.

Prayer:
O holy myrrh-bearer and all-praised equal-to-the-apostles disciple of Christ, Mary Magdalene! To you, as the most faithful and powerful intercessor for us, sinners and unworthy God, we now earnestly resort to you and pray in contrition of our hearts. In your life you have experienced the terrible machinations of demons, but by the grace of Christ you have clearly freed them, and through your prayers you have delivered us from the snare of demons, so that in all our life we ​​may faithfully serve the only Holy Master God in our deeds, words, thoughts and secret thoughts of our hearts, as they were promised to Him. You loved the sweetest Lord Jesus more than all earthly blessings, and you followed Him well through all your life, with His Divine teachings and grace not only nourishing your soul, but also bringing many people from pagan darkness to Christ’s wonderful light; then, knowingly, we ask you: ask us from Christ God for the grace that enlightens and sanctifies, so that we, overshadowed by it, may succeed in faith and piety, in the labors of love and self-sacrifice, so that those who earnestly strive to serve our neighbors in their spiritual and physical needs, remembering the example of your love for mankind. You, holy Mary, have lived your life on earth cheerfully by the grace of God and have peacefully departed to the heavenly abode, pray to Christ the Savior, that through your prayers He will grant us the power to complete our journey without stumbling in this vale of weeping and to end our life in peace and repentance, so that Having lived in holiness on earth, we will be granted eternal blissful life in Heaven, and there with you and all the saints together we will praise the Indivisible Trinity, we will glorify the One Divinity, the Father and the Son and the All-Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.