The life of mary magdalene. Mary Magdalene - biography, photo, personal life of the saint. Antiquity materials. The riddle of Mary Magdalene

23.11.2020

For the release of the film "Mary Magdalene" April 5, 2018. Mary Magdalene is one of the most mysterious personalities of the Gospel. People formed an idea of \u200b\u200bher mainly from paintings on biblical themes. They usually depict a half-naked repentant sinner with beautiful long hair, which, according to the New Testament, she wiped the feet of Jesus. She also became his most devoted follower. And after the resurrection Christ appeared to her before others. It turns out that Jesus Christ chose the former harlot? The Savior's strange addiction to Mary Magdalene made many scientists who studied the Bible and looked for evidence of the events in history that took place in it, to take a closer look at this woman. But the explosion of interest in it occurred after the appearance of Dan Brown's book "The Da Vinci Code", and then the film, which passed with triumph on the screens of the world. It was then that the idea was first voiced that Mary of Magdala was ... the wife of Jesus and the mother of his child, who became the ancestor of the dynasty of the Great Guardians of the Holy Grail.

* * *

The given introductory fragment of the book Mary Magdalene. The Secret Spouse of Jesus Christ (Sophia Benois, 2013) provided by our book partner - the company Liters.

Great harlot

Magdalene, the woman "from the castle tower"

IN“The Complete Orthodox Theological Encyclopedic Dictionary” says about her: “Mary Magdalene is a myrrh-bearing wife from the city of Magdala. She led a dissolute life, and I. Christ, by his preaching, returned her to a new life and made her his most devoted follower. After the resurrection, I. Christ appeared to her before others. " This short presentation already has its own contradiction, or rather - the opposition on which we decided to build the book. First of all, we encounter two inconsistencies: she was a despicable whore and - after the death of Jesus the teacher - she was the first to whom he appeared ... Strange circumstances that make the believer a priori think that a dirty whore, even a repentant one, is dearer than a half-mother.

For several centuries, among the church fathers, disputes did not subside about whether to consider the Magdalene the harlot, the anoiner of Christ, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, the same woman to whom the resurrected Jesus first appeared. In the VI century. with the blessing of Pope Gregory, the Western Church recognized this identification. Whereas the Orthodox Church, which strictly adhered to the information about the Magdalene known from the New Testament, never recognized this identification. Despite the fact that the western church in the XVI century. will come to agreement with the Eastern Church on this issue, in the minds of the people Mary Magdalene remains a “holy harlot,” anointing the feet of Christ, washing them with tears and wiping them with her beautiful hair.

On the western shore of Lake Gennesaret is the town of Magdala, where Mary Magdalene was from

Was this woman slutty? And was this woman, who bore the name Mary Magdalene, behaved in an obscene manner? Isn't there a mistake in the biblical narrative, or maybe the most mysterious secret is hidden there among the falsified events, carefully hidden from the eyes of a common man in the street, but visible only to the initiated?

According to the official version, Mary Magdalene was born in the town of Magdala on the shores of Lake Gennesaret, in Galilee, in the northern part of the Holy Land, not far from the place where John the Baptist baptized. It is believed that the middle name Magdalene refers to Magdala - her hometown on the western coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bGalilee, and this name, as many believe, comes from the Hebrew word "migdal", "migdol", which means "castle". Hence, Magdalene is a Latinized form of the word meaning "from the tower", "from the castle tower." According to other sources, the small homeland of Mary Magdalene at the time of Christ was called Migdal-El or Migdal Nunnaya, which in translation from Aramaic means "Tower" or "Tower of fish" (here they caught and salted fish). It is also believed that Magdala is translated as "almond".

It may seem strange that Mary Magdalene, unlike other biblical Mary, received her nickname from her place of birth - this was completely unusual for women of that time. As a rule, a woman was given the nickname for her husband or son; in the Bible we find that “Mary of Jacob” (Mark 16: 1) and “Mary of Josiah” (Mark 15:47) was the mother - “Mary, mother of Jacob the least and Josiah” (Mark 15:40), and Maria Kleopova - the wife of Cleopa, who became one of the followers of Jesus Christ. Considering that the nickname of our Mary was given by the name of her hometown, it can be assumed that: a) she led a rather independent lifestyle from men; b) was a wealthy woman living in a castle with towers (tower).

Church of st. Mary Magdalene in the Russian Orthodox Monastery in Magdala was built in 1962. The monastery was built on the place where, according to legend, the Lord expelled demons from Mary Magdalene

It can be mentioned that in addition to Mary from Magdala, an image of Mary from Bethany appears on the pages of the Bible. “What do we know about Mary Magdalene, and what do we know about Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus? Firstly, Magdala is located on the shores of Lake Galilee, not far from Capernaum and Bethsaida, from where the first disciples of Christ were. Martha and Lazarus lived in Bethany, which was located near Jerusalem, which is very far from Magdala. It seems that this circumstance should immediately cross out the commonality of these two names - Mary Magdalene and Mary from Bethany, ”writes the author of the Christian Internet portal A. Tolstobokov. And he explains: “However, let's not rush, because it is not difficult to find a simple explanation for this, given two circumstances: 1) The Lord expelled seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Mark 16: 9; Luke 8: 2), after which she with others, healed and cleansed, followed Jesus through the cities and towns. 2) The woman from Bethany was a sinner who poured precious ointment on Jesus in Simon's house (Luke 7: 37–50; Matt. 26: 6,7; Mark 14: 3). And in John. 11: 2 and John. 12: 1-3 directly says that Mary the sister of Lazarus "anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair." Of course, it can be assumed that there were two women who performed such a good deed towards Jesus at different times. But most likely we are talking about one woman. Then we see that “both” Mary - Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, had an unenviable sinful past. Both Mary received great forgiveness from the Lord, and therefore followed Him. Is this why another nameless sinner, forgiven by Christ, is traditionally associated with Mary Magdalene? (John 8:11) ".

So who is she, this strange stranger ?! Sources revealing the life story of a woman from Magdala are the writings of the authors of the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, John, Luke and some others. Catherine Ludwig Jansen, who published a book about Mary Magdalene based on her monograph, has done an excellent research on this topic. She rightly believes that any research about this character should begin with the New Testament - the oldest historical source confirming the existence of this devoted follower of Jesus. In all four Gospels, this woman is mentioned twelve times, and only once, not in connection with the story of the passion of Jesus of Nazareth. The Gospel of Luke (8: 2–3) says that Mary, called Magdalene, is the woman from whom Jesus cast seven demons. After he healed her, Mary of Magdala, along with John, Susanna and others, became one of his most faithful disciples.

Lazarus with sisters Martha and Mary

According to the New Testament, the disciple of Christ was present at the crucifixion of the Great Teacher (Mat. 27: 56; Mark. 15:40; John. 19:25), they noticed her when he was placed in the tomb (Mat. 27: 61; Mark. 15: 47), as well as on the first day of Passover among those who came to the sepulcher to anoint his body with incense (Mat. 28: 1; Mark 16: 1; Luke 24:10; John 20: 1).

In the Holy Gospel of Mark, recognized by scholars as the oldest of the Gospels, the author says that Mary Magdalene first saw the resurrected Christ on the first day of Easter: Jesus "appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he drove seven demons." Seeing him with her own eyes, she went and announced the resurrection to the other disciples, “but when they heard that He was alive, and she saw Him, they did not believe” (Mark 16: 9-11).

In the Gospel of Matthew, Mary Magdalene on the way out of the tomb meets the resurrected Jesus, who instructs him to tell his brothers that they will see him in Galilee (Mat. 28: 1-10).

But the Evangelist Luke insists that although Mary Magdalene came on the first day of Easter to the empty tomb of Jesus along with other women, Jesus appeared at first not in front of her, but in front of two of his disciples, who were going to the village of Emmaus (Luke 24: 13– fifteen).

Katherine Ludwig Jansen's book on Mary Magdalene

The first day of Easter, described by John, differs little from the accounts of Mark and Matthew, only he pays more attention to the meeting of Mary Magdalene with the resurrected Jesus. This, according to the researchers, is the largest passage in the New Testament dedicated to her. John describes how Mary Magdalene, having come to the tomb and finding it empty, hurries to Peter and John and tells them that the body of the Lord was taken away from the tomb. They immediately go to see everything with their own eyes, but soon come back. And only the devoted Mary Magdalene remains: she stands at the tomb, weeping bitterly. Suddenly, two angels appear to the woman, who ask why she is crying, and Mary answers. Then a man approached her, whom she took for a gardener, who asks: "Whom are you looking for?" She answers, crying out, grieving for her Lord. Then the man calls out to her: "Mary." Finally, she recognizes her Lord and turns to him (John says: Mary addresses the Risen One with the Hebrew word "rabbi" - teacher). Jesus does not allow Mary to touch him, but only tells him to communicate the good news of his resurrection to other disciples and followers of his teachings.

Summing up, we point out that according to the New Testament, Mary Magdalene is exactly the woman whom Jesus of Nazareth healed from demonic possession and who became one of his devoted disciples; Mary served Christ during his life, stood next to the cross on which he was crucified, was present at his position in the tomb, brought ointments and incense to the tomb after his martyr's death, the first to see the risen Christ and became the one who first announced the resurrection to the rest Teachers (said in three of the four Gospels).

To avoid a superficial exposition of the fate of an important heroine, we should also mention the Gnostics, who also wrote their revelations, and often long before the authors of the above holy tests. Gnosticism is a religious and philosophical movement, adherents of which were individual Christian sects of the second century AD.

Crucifixion. Simone Martini artist

And they were united by their belief in gnosis (from Greek: "knowledge", "knowledge"), that is, in knowledge about God, the Universe, the fate of mankind, received from God (the Supreme Cosmic Mind) or as a result of enlightenment. And in each of the three existing Gnostic texts today, Mary Magdalene plays a significant role - the role of the closest and most beloved woman of Jesus, but we will talk about this later.

The Fall. In the arms of Judas of Cariot

The multifaceted figure of Mary Magdalene in our time has become more attractive than ever. But - as already emphasized - most researchers, based on biblical information, assign her the role of a sinful seductress who became a disciple of an extraordinary person who calls himself the Son of God.

Well, by tradition, we will start with the most attractive image - with the usual version of blissful debauchery. Not forgetting that during the late Middle Ages, Mary Magdalene became, after the Virgin Mary, the most revered saint.

And if the most beautiful paintings of great artists depict an attractive sinner, then the most beautiful image painted by the skill of a man-writer was precisely the image of a dissolute virgin in Gustav Danilovsky's book “Mary Magdalene”. However, the church and society, accusing this biblical heroine of carnal sins, giving this woman only the right to be a repentant sinner, deprived the novel of the Polish writer of the right to life and success. Immediately after the book was published in 1912, it was confiscated in various European countries. And of course, the Pope put it on the list of prohibited books. What is the church so afraid of in the "despicable novel", no less fictional than all the brilliant canvases with portraits of this person, but which the church and the world's museums are so proud of ?!

Mary Magdalene. Carlo Crivelli artist

Based on the biblical story told by a Pole who lived a century before us, Mary grew up under the supervision of an older sister named Martha and brother Lazarus.

“Martha found an outlet for her violent vitality, a refuge from the heavy care of her sick brother and from the superstitious horror of her younger sister Mary Magdalene, who lived in a child of madness.

It was not for nothing that Mother Mary, when she was wearing it, dreamed just before childbirth that a wind mixed with fire would be born from her - her daughter from a very young age began to justify this prophetic dream.

Alive like a flame, impressionable, extraordinarily attractive, and at the same time sensible, in childhood she was the joy and light of her family. But as her breasts developed, her home became cramped, stuffy and uncomfortable on the narrow mat of the girl's bedroom. Something unknown drove her to the meadows, groves, free fields, to the hills, to the waters, where, together with the shepherds, she gave herself up to headstrong pranks, sly running, and then secret kisses and fleeting caresses, from which her beauty blossomed and her blood burned. " ...

Why is there so much sensuality in the humble Catholic who wrote these lines? Was he inspired by the paintings depicting the beautiful-faced red-haired Mary, or was he inspired by the biblical story with her strangely crowded Song of Songs? It seems that the latter is much more truthful, because the description of the sinful Magdalene is made as if in unison with the well-known terms from the named love part of the Book of Books.

“Indeed, with her thin, regular nose, pink ears, small as shells, and luxurious golden-reddish hair, Maria sharply differed from the general type of Lazar's family - black-haired brunettes. And only her violet, oblong, sleepy and moist eyes in the hours of tranquility, and a certain lazy languor in movements characteristic of the women of Galilee, known for their beauty, reminded her mother.

Saint Martha

Despite such a bad reputation, everyone loved Mary. Slender, white, as if emerging from a dairy font, turning pink with the slightest excitement, like the morning dawn, with purple lips half-open, like a bursting pomegranate flower, she amazed with her irresistible beauty, disarmed with the charm of her pearly smile, and with long eyelashes and a lingering caressing look attracted the most severe. With her lively mind and fiery temperament, she was able to so deeply capture and attract the innocent inhabitants of her native town that they forgave her for her frivolity.

So, this author allows us to express doubt that the beauty was the legitimate daughter of Lazarus, he directly says that the girl's mother walked her up from a visiting merchant. Such a biography seems to justify the obscenities that the heroine does in adulthood. Everything according to the Bible: for the sins of the parents ?!

Moreover: the author finds the culprit of her fall! He attributes the first adultery between Mary of Magdala and Judas of Cariot. He, as we know, will also be one of the leading characters in the Bible. And since later we will avoid an extensive quotation of this author alone, now we will nevertheless give a description of the biblical character with whom our heroine was dealing.

“Meanwhile, their guesses were actually correct, but only they were mistaken in the personality of the seducer. It was not at all swarthy and flexible like a reed, the young fisherman Saul, but a heavy, ugly, hairy Judas of Cariot, a ragged vagabond who wandered all over Palestine, reached the edge of both seas, wandered along the banks of the Nile, visited Alexandria and even lived not long in distant, mysterious Rome, the formidable residence of Caesar's iron legions.

Christ at Martha and Mary. Artist Henryk Siemiradzki

Eloquent, crafty, keeping in his big red head a chaos of extraordinary thoughts, and in his chest under a patched cloak there are scorpions of powerful desires and self-loving aspirations, strong and unprincipled, he managed to ignite the imagination of an exalted girl, possessed her thoughts, entangled them with dexterous sophisms, and youth fired it up to such an extent that, seizing the moment, overcame her resistance and, having mastered her power, for a long time kept her under the spell of his power. Fearing the consequences, he soon disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. "

Perhaps this is how we approached the most important thing: how it all began in the matter of being drawn into sinfulness. And could it be, as the author claims, that the devil of debauchery Asmodeus so captured our hot beauty with a sheaf of luxuriant hair that she even "reclining" with a slave in the manner of Greek heterosexuals took for her innocent seductive tricks? Was it not enough for her the tender embrace of the patrician, the greedy embrace of the merchants or the strong embrace of fishermen and soldiers?

It is worth recalling once again that according to Christian tradition, Mary Magdalene is not entirely a depraved girl, she is only “possessed by seven demons,” which Jesus will then successfully deal with. But what are these seven demons, and was one of these invisible monsters still the same greedy to love heat Asmodeus? - the biblical history is silent about this.

According to the Bible Dictionary of the nineteenth century Swedish biblical scholar Erik Nyström, the word “Bes” (from the Greek. Daimon or Daimonnon) means an evil spirit who serves its chief devil boss, “the prince of demons” (Matt. 9:34). According to the minister of the church and the author of the Christian Internet portal Andrei Tolstobokov, “John in the first epistle writes:“ He who commits sin is from the devil, because the devil sinned first. For this reason, the Son of God appeared to destroy the devil's works ”(1 John 3: 8). So, there were seven demons in Mary who controlled her way of thinking, way of life. And this image was far from God's principles set forth in His Word, His law.

Judas Iscariot played by Luca Lionello in The Passion of the Christ

This suggests that she was full of sin. But Christ, having authority over unclean spirits (Mark 1:27), can deliver us from these spirits and their leader, just as He freed Mary. Jesus wants to do this, but by force, without our will, without our choice, He cannot free us from sin. “If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1: 9). “If your sins be as scarlet, I will whiten as snow; if they are red like purple, I will whiten like a wave ”(Isa. 1:18). Having received forgiveness, deliverance from many sins, Mary was full of special, trembling feelings for her Liberator. Her reciprocal love moved her to follow Christ and serve Him. "

Archpriest Gennady Belovolov, who visited the homeland of Mary Magdalene, said: “When Magdala is mentioned, the image of Christ's Myrrh-Bearing Equal-to-the-Apostles immediately appears. This place is known throughout the world as the birthplace of Mary Magdalene. It is located on the shores of Lake Tiberias, 5 km from the city of Tiberias.

Russian monastery in honor of St. Mary Magdalene, which is the skete of the Gornensky monastery, is located not far from ancient Magdala on the shore of Lake Tiberias at the site of the source, where, according to legend, the Lord expelled seven demons from Mary. A large plot of land was purchased for the benefit of the Russian mission in 1908, and a church in the name of Mary Magdalene was erected on it in 1962.

Paying tribute to the "classic" sinful image of Mary Magdalene, it should be mentioned once again that she could be associated with another woman bearing the same name - Mary. The second biblical heroine, Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus, also had a sinful past, and both of these Mary received the forgiveness of our Lord.

The woman convicted of adultery and brought to Christ, Mary, from whom seven demons were expelled, the woman who anointed Jesus with precious ointment, Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who also anointed Jesus with myrrh - traditionally Christians saw the same face in all these women. Preachers, theologians, poets, prose writers and artists attributed all these events to Mary Magdalene, about whom, according to Christ, should be announced everywhere (Matt. 26:13; Mark. 14: 9).

The interior of the church of St. Mary Magdalene in Magdala

I wonder if the Polish Catholic Gustav Danilovsky knew or thought about this when he colorfully wrote his novel about the biblical "fallen woman" ?! Did the great artists of the Middle Ages think about this, leaving us dozens of portraits with an incorruptible, indestructible image of Mary Magdalene - a repentant sinner? Or was the principle of complete trust in the church fathers who affirmed this "truth" at work in all these men? ... or in all these men, together with the church fathers, the masculine, wild, ineradicable sin of contempt for the Woman as such was inherent in them?

Perfeminam mors, perfeminam vita: through a woman, death and life ...

These are modern scholarly emancipated ladies who can competently exclaim: “The problems of the soul that arise in women cannot be dealt with by inscribing them, women, in some form acceptable for an unconscious culture; they cannot be squeezed into the intellectual ideas of those who claim to be the only creatures endowed with consciousness ”(according to Clarissa Estes). Nevertheless, as we know, the church fathers "knowingly" put women on a par with the very human sins, for already being female meant belonging to the "unclean".

Opening the Bible, in the Old Testament we read in the “Book of Ecclesiastes”: “I turned with my heart to know, to investigate and seek wisdom and reason, and to know the wickedness of stupidity, ignorance and madness, - and I found that a woman is bitter than death, for she is a snare, and her heart is a snare, her hands are fetters; the good before God will be saved from her, but the sinner will be caught by her. "

And here is Saint Ambrose, who uttered the famous expression: perfeminam mors, perfeminam vita - through a woman death, through a woman life, he was ready to classify all the tribesmen of Eve as sinners. Ambrose does not directly call Mary Magdalene a sinner, he makes it clear: belonging to the female family - this is her sin, for "she is a woman and therefore participates in the original sin." But it will not be very soon that Mary from Magdala will be opposed to the "stupid" Eve!

Meanwhile, back in the 13th century, the Dominican monk and philosopher Aldobrandino da Toscanella, in his work "On Animals", came up with the idea that he wrote: "A woman is an underdeveloped man."

As for the quoted phrase of Saint Ambrose, its explanation sounded in the saint's Paschal sermon, when he asserted that since “mankind fell through the feminine gender, then humanity was reborn through the feminine race, since the Virgin gave birth to Christ, and the woman announced his resurrection from the dead. " According to him, “Mary honored Christ and therefore was sent to the apostles with the news of his resurrection, breaking the hereditary connection of the female sex with immeasurable sin. The Lord does this in secret: for where sin once abounded, grace now abounds (Romans 5:20). And it is right that the woman was sent to the men, since she, who was the first to inform the man about sin, and the first to proclaim the mercy of God. "

And how could any other man - if only he was not Jesus Christ - take the sin of belonging to his masculine race and the sin of copulation on himself, having freed an earthly woman from this sin ?!

Saint Ambrose was ready to classify all the tribesmen of Eve as sinners

It is also curious: what would Ambrose, who had long since died in the Bose, say about a woman, if, according to some other Bible, the resurrected Jesus appeared for the first time not to a woman, but to his male disciple? I suppose then this saint would have angrily pointed out: you see, my shepherds, our Lord despised sinful creatures, even those who followed him and served him, which I advise you too - stay away from this infection in the form of a woman-temptress as far as possible. However, these are all author's fabrications ...

The topic is very interesting for its deep and almost eternal (by the standards of the time of the existence of Christianity) opposition, but we will not go deep, because the author's task is to consider it as simply and easily as possible for each of us and, if possible, to clarify the riddle of Mary Magdalene.

We must not forget that medieval philosophers argued that women are prone to inspired knowledge: mysticism, inspiration, revelations and visions, while men were considered more rational creatures, inclined to acquired knowledge. Also, based on the logic of many medieval thinkers, "all female sin was sexual in nature." But these fabrications were based on early Christian dogmas. When Pope Gregory the Great, who was also nicknamed Gregory Dvoeslov, (540-604) - the last Pope of the ancient world and the first pope of the Middle Ages, with whose name the origin of Gregorian singing is connected, settled in the Vatican, he had to think about the question of personality Mary Magdalene. This was due to the increasing frequency of questions about the unclear interpretation of this image. And it was Gregory Dvoeslov who had a chance to assess the devoted disciple of Christ. We can say in the spirit of modern feminists: based on the fact that the Pope was a man, he attributed to Mary Magdalene the traits and characteristics of a fallen woman.

But this great saint, revered in the West and East, had another reason to impart negative colors to the companion of Christ. During the papal reign of Gregory, the biblical city of Magdala acquired a reputation as a godless and depraved, a kind of follower of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the pope found it possible to take revenge on the townspeople, endowing the native of Magdala with the most unflattering qualities. In this way, these characteristics were laid down for many centuries to come. Here it is - the vector of history in action, when one word dictates the processes taking place in society even after millennia!

Gregory Dvoeslav had a chance to assess Mary Magdalene. He attributed to her the features of a fallen woman ...

So it is likely that it was external circumstances that made it possible to attribute the life of a harlot to Mary Magdalene.

On September 21, 591, Pope Gregory the Great, during a sermon at the Basilica of St. Clement in Rome, introduced the Western Christian world a new image of Mary Magdalene, proclaiming: “We believe that this woman, whom Luke calls a sinner, whom John calls Mary Magdalene, and there is the same Mary, from which, as Mark says, seven demons were expelled. " As you can see, Gregory the Great could identify three different women mentioned in the Gospels with one, dissolute. First on this list was an unnamed sinner who showed up at the house of the Pharisee Simon, where Jesus was eating at that time. In this dramatic scene, described by Luke, a woman doused the Lord's feet with tears, wiped her hair and anointed with ointment. The second - as reported by John - Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha, at whose request Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The third is the demon-possessed Mary Magdalene, who was cured by Jesus of an illness and later became his obedient disciple.

So Mary Magdalene, with very vague and little provable facts of her biography, became the reason that the preachers turned their attention to the Woman and her nature, explaining in numerous sermons the questions that arise in society about the place and purpose of women, the problem of prostitution, and the need for custody of women. (“A man should be the master and master of a woman”; even the Lord is often called the Lord of Mary Magdalene). As K. Jansen wrote, "preachers and moralists invented the image of Mary Magdalene in order to consider the problem that they considered purely feminine."

Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome, where Pope Gregory the Great presented the world with a new image of Mary Magdalene

On the eve of Great Lent in 1497, the famous Italian Dominican priest and dictator of Florence (from 1494 to 1498) Savonarola angrily cried out to the inhabitants of Florence: “O lusty ones, dress up in a robe of hair and indulge in the repentance that you need so much! whose houses are bursting with vanity-pleasing trinkets, pictures, obscene objects and harmful books ... bring them to me - we will burn them or sacrifice them to God. And you, mothers, dressing up your daughters in vain and pretentious garments and decorating their hair with fancy ornaments, carry all these objects to us, and we will throw them into the fire, so that when the day of the Last Judgment comes, the Lord God will not find them in your homes ” ...

In the aforementioned sermon of Pontiff Gregory the Great, it was also directly indicated that the seven demons of Magdalene are seven grave sins. It turned out that the obsession of Mary Magdalene with demons is a disease of the soul called sinfulness, despite the fact that the main evaluator of human sins saw the physical symptoms of the disease in the form of external beauty, some nakedness, adornment of the flesh and sexual intemperance. Medieval commentators of biblical texts also did not doubt that the sin of the woman from Magdala was of a sensual nature, and that she "was sinful in the flesh." The fleshly female sin, of course, was associated with the sexual sphere. In the Gospel of John, if you wish, you can find confirmation that Mary Magdalene committed a sensual sin - in the place where there is a story about a certain unnamed woman taken in adultery. Jesus protected her, and, blessing her, ordered her not to sin again.

But the church fathers looked far more intolerant than Jesus. In one of his public sermons, the Franciscan priest Luke of Padua calls for the fulfillment of the cruel law of Moses, who commanded that adulterers be stoned.

It is worth remembering how medieval preachers loved to cite that passage from the canonical Book of Proverbs of Solomon, where it is said that a beautiful and reckless woman is essentially the same as a pig with a gold ring in its nose, for a beautiful woman will surely sink into the abomination of carnal sin in exactly the same way the same as a pig must roll in the mud. For example, Bernardino of Siena in one of his sermons, following the instructions of the book, directly likened Mary Magdalene to a pig with a gold ring in its nose.

Savonarola's sermon in Florence. Artist Nikolay Lomtev

The preachers condemned practically everything that is somehow connected with a woman; even dances and songs were among the prohibitions! For example, the medieval preacher Jacques de Vitry, in his furious sermons, scourged the “guilty” sinners: “The woman leading the choir is the devil's chaplain; those who answer her are his priests. " Another of his fellow preachers condemned the simple round dance: "The devil is in the center of this dance, and everyone is moving towards destruction."

Or here's another: a Dominican monk, an Italian spiritual writer, author of the famous collection of the lives of the saints "The Golden Legend" Jacob Voraginsky, in his sermon on the conversion of Mary Magdalene to the true path, taught that beauty is false, because she deceived many. He compared feminine beauty with hot coals, a sparkling sword, a beautiful apple, for they also deceive imprudent young men. When the coal is touched, they burn, the sword wounds, and in the middle of the apple a worm hides ...

Isn't this the squalor of the male spirit, which does not allow any decoration for a woman, no freedom, which does not give the right to unique natural beauty and innocent, joyful entertainment? Certainly no less militant were some of the temple attendants during the "enlightenment" of the Magdalene.

And only a curious woman, a woman exploring the world, is given to see in Mary Magdalene "the archetype of sacred femininity." Just like a nice comment on the topic: the author of the book “Code Secrets. A guide to the mysteries of the Da Vinci Code "Dan Bernstein dedicated his research to Julia," who every day of my life personifies the sacred feminine principle. " How far progress has gone in the perception of women; And maybe our heroine Mary Magdalene played an important role in this upcoming positive?

Jacob Voraginsky argued in his sermon that beauty is deceitful, for it deceived many. Page from the "Golden Legend"

Unfortunately, the ghostly balance in relation to the sexes turns today into a humiliation of men. In fact - in accordance with the well-known biblical expression: "With what measure you measure, the same will be measured to you" ...

And on this path to ghostly equilibrium, there is still a process described by Clarissa Estes in such simple words: “The women who have lived the mythical life of the Primordial Woman for years silently shout:“ Why am I not like everyone else? … ”Every time their life was about to bloom in lush color, someone sprinkled salt on the ground so that nothing would grow on it. They were tortured with various prohibitions that limited their natural desires. If they were children of nature, they were kept within four walls. If they had a penchant for science, they were told to be mothers. If they wanted to be mothers, they were told to know their six. If they wanted to invent something, they were told to be practical. If they wanted to create, they were told that the woman had a lot of housework.

Sometimes, trying to meet the most common standards, they only then understood what they really want and how to live. Then, in order to live their lives, they decided on a painful amputation: they left their family, a marriage that they vowed to keep until their death, a job that was supposed to become a springboard for another, even more stupefying, but also more highly paid. They left their dreams, scattering them along the way. "

For "scattered dreams" and for the more important - for the reckoning (without substantial evidence) of a beautiful virgin, a sweet, helpful and intelligent virgin - Mary Magdalene to the host of daughters of walking, sinful - men as the main accomplices of the infringement of the female essence and now receive what they deserve when their role in society and family is sharply reduced.

Clarissa Estes: "Women who have lived the mythical life of the Primordial Woman for years silently shout:" Why am I not like everyone else? ... "

"Aren't there few prophets who ought to be driven out?"

However, let's move on to the moment when Mary from Magdala heard about the new prophet. How it really was - we will never know, but it is worth guessing what could have happened as follows.

Judas, who dropped by to visit the family where young Magdalene lived, said:

- A new light shone over the quiet Lake of Tiberias, called the Sea of \u200b\u200bGalilee. Some extraordinary prophet casts out evil spirits and demons, heals lepers and the possessed. And his name is Jesus, he is the son of the carpenter Joseph and Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anna, a native of Nazareth.

Simon, who was near, objected: - How do you know that he is true, that he is a real prophet, for whom he pretends to be?

And he lamented: - Was there really so few of all the prophets who should have been driven out of our land?

To which Judas warmly replied: “The Heavenly Sage has not sent us great prophets for a long time, but this one truly works miracles.

Martha, who calmly accepted the news, interjected: - Come again, a new impudent charlatan, who is bringing confusion into our minds. Ugh, seducer.

“Be quiet, woman,” Judas remarked meaningfully with a sigh.

Only one silent Maria gleamed with sly eyes at those who spoke, she already knew what the words and promises of this stranger beggar, homeless vagabond, who picked up various knowledge on the side, were worth.

Carl Anderson as Judas in the film "Jesus Christ Superstar" based on the musical of the same name

Even the biblical portrait of Judas shows us a deceitful and deceitful person by nature, with a rich imagination and a hot temperament, an intriguer who can commit rash misdeeds, followed by repentance.

It is known that the real character of the time when Judea was a space squeezed by the iron ring of the Romans, Judas managed to live with the adherents of the harsh order of the Essenes. But he could not stand the rule to banish any pleasure from everyday life, as evil and sinful, and decided to become a connoisseur and interpreter of Scripture, but the dry scholasticism of the texts seemed to him insipid, devoid of sense for the realities of life. In his search for truth and peace of mind, Judas found himself in the service of the Sadducee priests, but he only drew on doubts about the sanctity of their harsh rituals. His heart fluttered with new joy when he joined the ranks of the zealous followers of John the Baptist, but even then he did not take root, rejecting both the ascetic teaching and the teacher himself.

But the meeting with the new prophet Christ made an extraordinary impression on Judas. The rabbi knew how to broadcast, completely capturing the minds of the listeners. He argued, and he wanted to believe that the first would be the last, and the last the first. He denounced the deceiving priesthood and rebuked the Pharisees. He cared little about rituals and church prescriptions, he was ready to live to the fullest, enjoying life. The new prophet did not avoid incense, women, wine and fun, but at the same time commoners always gathered around him, ready to serve and listen, support and share his opinion, ready to follow him to the end. And the fact that the life of this strange rabbi prepares tests for his followers is also obvious: Jesus, destroying the old and building the new, is in fact an apostate from the law, moreover, he is too lenient towards the weak, sinful, lost, but too harsh and accusatory towards the strong and powerful.

A similar combination of intelligence and courage in one man captured Judas, and he easily fell under the influence of Jesus, sincerely believing that this Son of God was completely different from all the previous prophets.

Kiss of Judas. Cimabue artist

Surely he is the foretold Savior whom the humiliated people of Israel have passionately called upon for many decades. And then the teacher made Judas the guardian of the treasury, and he realized that the rabbi could be completely entrusted not only with his future, but also the future of his people. In addition, Jesus repeatedly assured that his kingdom was approaching, and his disciples, now suffering hardships and persecution, would be in power, acting as shepherds for the lambs of men. And they will have to feed the sheep at a distance from sunrise to sunset, and rule in the capital, more powerful than Rome itself. And their teacher, who is now naked and barefoot, will crown his forehead with a royal crown.

Returning to Jerusalem, Judas immediately began to talk about the new prophet everywhere, praising his talents and skills. And at the same time to spread in secret that this just man Jesus comes from Bethlehem, from the house of David, as the wise men calculated. And, therefore, he really is the prophet, whom the people of Israel have been secretly waiting for.

A little time will pass, and Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, will also start talking about a new prophet, to whom the impudences uttered by Jesus, recorded by people specially sent for surveillance, were reported. It turned out that in many places he visits, he gathers crowds of people around him in order to openly condemn legalists and Pharisees, and he also says insolently:

- Do not think that I came to bring peace to earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

But at the same time, the overseers sent on a secret mission noted, this prophet to all provocative questions gives such surprisingly simple, but such evasive answers that it becomes difficult to convict him of a crime.

“He seems to be an intelligent, but dangerous person,” noted the learned Pharisees, who were carrying on disturbing conversations in their homes. - It would be necessary to send to him the most dexterous, the most intelligent people who would be able to draw sedition out of him in the presence of numerous witnesses, so that, if necessary, be able to accuse him with evidence in hand.

Pontius Pilate on the "Flagellation of Christ" fresco by Giotto di Bondone

Some of those accused by Jesus only nodded their heads when they heard the name of their ill-wisher, and someone called:

- It would be necessary to ask about his plans to several of his students who were seen in the city the other day. All of them are in joy that their teacher is near.

- How close is he? - Anxiously asked the household of the speaker.

- On the way to Jerusalem ... Let him go, but let him not see and not think that it is a great danger for us. We will be able to crush all the arguments and reflections of this Nazarene, we just need to try.

Already on his way to Jerusalem, the prophet sent two apostles who accompanied him to the city to visit Simon, asking him for shelter. Martha, long filled with curiosity, encouraged by Lazarus, joyfully began to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. It was assumed that during the day the prophet with his disciples would be in the city, and that night he would return to the suburbs, to Bethany. So Mary was destined to meet this amazing man, who was called the Son of God. However, the prepared meeting took place under the strangest, most unfavorable circumstances ... So says most of the sources telling about the life of Mary Magdalene, representing this golden-haired beauty as a harlot.

The origin of Jesus Christ: important or not?

Based on the official version, the name Jesus Christ is a "transposition" into the Greek mode of the Hebrew name Yeshua Meshiya, which allegedly was the name of the strange Teacher, born during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus (30 BC - 14 AD) in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in the family of Joseph the Carpenter, later called a descendant of King David, and his wife Mary. The birth of this baby (hence the holiday: the Nativity of Christ) answered the Old Testament prophecies about the birth of the coming Messianic king from the clan of David and in the "city of David" Bethlehem. The appearance of an extraordinary baby was predicted by the angel of the Lord to his mother (hence: the Annunciation), and through her - to her husband Joseph.

Jesus and Pilate. Artist Nikolay Ge

Yeshua (Joshua) Meshiyya contains the concepts: God and salvation, the anointed messiah; however, this man entered the history of Christianity and the history of all mankind under the name of Jesus. Some biblical critics emphasize that the New Testament confirms that Jesus was a Jew, who was perceived as a healer and Teacher, that he was baptized by John the Baptist, and at the end of his short life was accused of inciting rebellion against the Roman Empire and was crucified in Jerusalem. by order of the Roman procurator of Judea Pontius Pilate.

I hope many have heard of such a strange process as channeling, meaning the receipt of information from a certain Higher Intelligence (Messengers, etc.) through a "channel" through an earthly person. Among us live the so-called contactees, through whose lips some higher powers speak. According to the assurances of Pamela Kriebe, she contacted Jesus, Mary Magdalene and some other historical figures. This is what the disembodied Jesus "said" to her (us) during the 2002 contact:

“I am the one who lived among you and whom you knew as Jesus. I am not the Jesus of the church tradition or the Jesus of the religious scriptures. I am Yeshuaben-Joseph. I lived as a man of flesh and blood. And I reached the consciousness of Christ before you, but I was supported by forces above my current understanding. My arrival was a cosmic event, and I put myself at its disposal. In my earthly incarnation, I carried the energy of Christ. This energy can be called Christ. In my terminology, Jesus is the name of a God-like person who appeared as a result of the infusion of Christ energy into the physical and psychological reality of Yeshua.

View of Bethlehem. Lithograph by D. Roberts

Quite an interesting explanation for those who like to reason and philosophize ... It is likely that such an explanation of the presence and role of Jesus on earth has a very real basis, only for us, ordinary people, it is difficult to understand and accept.

But let's give the floor to our contemporaries, who are arguing on the World Wide Web about the origin and deeds of Christ. Indeed, there are many well-read and thinking people among virtual debaters. And they are worried about the same questions as many of us.

Ewangelist: - Why is Jesus Christ considered a Jew? After all, if you carefully delve into the genealogy, He was not a blood Jew: Mary was a Galilean by her father and mother (Akim and Anna), who were not Jews. The names of the parents and the name Mary are by no means Jewish. Joseph was, as you all know, the named father. Christ's appearance was also by no means Jewish: he was tall, slender, with long or blue eyes and white skin, that is, he was of the Aryan race, so to speak. And the words in the scripture: "King of the Jews" by no means indicate the nationality of Christ. I think that making Jesus a Jew was beneficial to the church, which is still based on the Old Testament.

Blueberry: - I think that Jesus Christ is considered a Jew, because through the Jews Jesus is revealed to the world.

Alex095: - First, Mary's name was Miriam. She was Jewish, like all her relatives. From childhood to her youth, she worked on the decoration of the Temple. Do you think a non-Jewish woman could be admitted there? She was a Galilean in her place of residence.

Fedor Manov: - The real name of Yeshua's mother is Miriam, she is from the tribe of Levi, from the clan of Aaron. That is, from the priestly family. I think that you can guess that the priests at the Temple in Judea were only Jews. Joseph was not the named father, but the normal father of Yeshua.

Christmas. Artist Martin de Vos

Fea: - In Jesus Divine and Human Natures were united. He is God manifested in the flesh. And just in the flesh He was a Jew; “That is, the Israelites, to whom are the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the statute and the worship and the promises; theirs are the fathers, and of them is Christ according to the flesh, who is over all God, blessed forever, amen. (Rom 9: 4,5) ". But among His earthly ancestors there were indeed not only Jews. Ruth, for example, was a Moabite. Although it is close to the Jewish family.

Ahmed ermonov: - Can God be of any nationality? Fear Him! Christ was not only a Jew, but also a Jew!

Yeshua: - Mary was from the lineage of David, that David, whom God anointed to rule over all Jews.

Ewangelist: - If Joseph was a real father, then, therefore, you do not recognize the divine nature of Christ ?! If so, what then to argue about ...

Antidepressant: - Judging by some famous icons, Jesus and His mother were either Hindus or Negroes.

Kadosh2: - The Gospels claim that Mary is a relative of the mother of John the Baptist Elisabeth, who was from the tribe of Levi, like his father Zechariah. And Joseph from the tribe of Judah, Joseph could not marry a woman of another family. And here are the very first words of the New Testament: "Jesus Christ is the son of Abraham, the son of David" also speaks of nationality.

KolyaN: - I have nothing against the Jews themselves. I am against their lies. My point of view is that Jesus is not God for the Slavs. And that's it! It is high time to clarify the minds of some Christians who have lost their heads because of the "divinity" of the entire Jewish people.

Ivanpetja: - In fact, Jesus was not a Jew. He was born and lived in a family living in Nazareth. Like today, there was no Jewish spirit in this town. Residents practiced Judaism for mercantile reasons, since the territory was part of the Roman province of Judea. The ethnic composition of the population was mixed. These were immigrants from different territories of Assyria. And the official texts of the Bible about the origin of Jesus were written in the Middle Ages, and it is naive to consider them the ultimate truth. By the way, the names Yeshua (Jesus), Miriam (Mary) are not only Jewish, but also Syrian.

Panorama of Bethlehem from Jerusalem. Photo of 1898

Troll: - I acknowledge the divine creation of every person who was created in his image and likeness. Including Yeshua of Nazareth. But in him the image and likeness was fully embodied. That is why He could say: "I and the Father are one."

Maria: - Everyone will understand the Truth by himself to the extent of his closeness to God.

The Gospels represent Jesus Christ as an extraordinary person throughout his entire life path: from the miraculous birth to the amazing end of his earthly life. In the Bible we read that the Archangel Gabriel, talking with the virgin Mary, speaks of the child miraculously conceived by her: “ He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. " From these words it is clear that the ancestor of Jesus was indeed David. And since Gabriel talked with Mary, and not with Joseph, then there is reason to assume that Mary herself belonged to the family of David. For the father of the baby was supposed to be the Holy Spirit, and not the husband of the woman.

However, in Luke we find information that Joseph's genealogy also traces back to the same king David - but this is not surprising, because among the Jews, family marriages have always been commonplace. A child in this family is miraculously born at the immaculate conception. As we all well know, the appearance of the exceptional baby Jesus, born in a stable, praised by a host of angels, is like a fairy tale. Shepherds and wise men come to bow to him, the way of which to his dwelling is indicated by the bright Bethlehem star moving across the sky.

Having learned about the appearance of the Messiah, the Jewish king Herod the Great, in fear for his power, orders to exterminate all the babies in Bethlehem and the surrounding area, but Joseph and Mary, warned by an angel, flee with Jesus to Egypt. After a three-year stay in Egypt, Joseph and Mary, having learned about the death of Herod, return to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee in Northern Palestine. Then, over the course of seven years, Jesus' parents move with him from city to city, and everywhere behind him is the fame of perfect miracles, among which are the following: people were healed, died and resurrected at his word, wild animals humbled themselves, inanimate objects and even waters came to life. the deep Jordan parted. As a twelve-year-old child, Jesus amazes the teachers of the laws of Moses with whom he converses in the Jerusalem temple with his thoughtful answers. However, then, for some mysterious reasons, "He began to hide His miracles, His secrets and mysteries, until He was thirty years old."

Madonna della Melagrana, Mary with the Christ Child and six angels. Artist Sandro Botticelli

When Jesus Christ reaches this age, he is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist (about 30 AD), and the Holy Spirit descends on him, leading him into the wilderness. There, for forty days, Jesus wrestles with the devil, rejecting one after another three temptations: hunger, power, and faith. Upon his return from the desert, Jesus Christ begins his preaching work. He summons disciples to him and, traveling with them in Palestine, proclaims his teaching, interprets the Old Testament Law and performs miracles. The activity of Jesus Christ unfolds mainly on the territory of Galilee, in the vicinity of Gennesaret, aka Tiberias, lake, but from time to time he visits Jerusalem ... On one of these visits, our heroine Mary met an amazing teacher.

"Who among you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her!"

Tired beautiful Mary, returning through the streets of Jerusalem from another date, did not expect that someone would dare to attack the Libyan slaves carrying her palanquin (in ancient Rome it was called: lektika).

Massacre of the innocents. Artist Matteo di Giovanni

But this happened, and the abandoned helpless woman, looking after the fleeing slaves, heard hateful cries sent straight to her face:

- The harlot!

Stones followed her mind-deafening words. Some of the attackers grabbed her by the arms, someone by the hair to drag her away to an unknown place for savage reprisals. Maria screamed out of horror that she had strength.

At some point, she realized that she had been dragged to the square, and a moment ago the empty space began to fill up with rabble running from all sides, wanting to either look at what was happening, or take part in the action. One thing was clear: there were more and more people willing to deal with her. The woman wriggled all over, trying to escape from the hands of the giggling, excited executioners.

And only one person did not show any visible curiosity, he sat high on the step of the white marble staircase of the magnificent temple, standing on the same square. His gaze would be peaceful and calm, and his neatly combed, slightly wavy hair shone gold in the sun. Harmony and divine purity shone through his entire appearance. The stranger was dressed in long white clothes, his dark cape lay next to him. It was Jesus.

Hearing the noise and following the flickering, he raised his hand to attract attention and thereby intervene in what was happening. But he immediately stopped his gesture, seeing the Pharisees running towards him in red robes. This development of events could mean only one thing: they want to drag him into another adventure, force him to make decisions that would disagree with the opinion of the majority. And do it with a large crowd of witnesses. Otherwise, why would bureaucrats need him?

Jesus frowned in annoyance and, pretending to be indifferent, bent down, as if thinking about something of his own.

Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. Artist Gustave Dore

When he raised his eyes, he saw right in front of him a beautiful woman, trembling with fright, who was tenaciously held by someone's hands. There was a crowd around, and the first of the closest Pharisees was already boldly asking Jesus sitting on the steps:

- Rabbi, this woman was taken in adultery and there are those among us who testify against her directly!

The crowd shouted loudly:

- We testify! We testify! We testify!

The Pharisee smiled contentedly and continued:

- Moses in his divine law commanded us to stone such girls. What is your word against the word of Moses?

Jesus looked once more at the unfortunate creature, and although her bare arms and neck were bruised, and her face showed traces of perpetrated violence, she was still beautiful, and her thick luxurious hair, which was at an arm's length from him, smelled expensive oils. Her strong breasts, hidden under a pale blue tunic, heaved heavily, and she was trembling like a hunted doe. And her ankles, covered with gold lace of sandals, shook and twitched shallowly. The woman did not lower her gaze, she seemed to be waiting for the verdict, realizing that her fate depended on this beautiful stranger, pondering every word within herself.

Jesus stood up, a quiet, calm smile running across his lips. And, addressing the audience, with subtle irony, he said quietly but firmly:

- Who of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her!

The smiles extinguished on the sly faces of the Pharisees and the rabble, realizing that there would be no reprisal, retreated in amazement from a simple answer, but heard even in the back rows.

Christ and the sinner. Jacopo Tintoretto artist

Gradually, people, clearly disappointed, but at the same time meaningfully exchanging glances, dispersed on their daily business. And soon on the steps of the temple, and in the entire square, there was practically no one left, except for Jesus and the girl, still seized with a small shiver. Mary saw the light in front of her, and saw the wise eyes of the savior. As if through a dream, she heard a question relating to herself:

- Woman, you see, no one condemned you? And I am not your judge. Go in peace, and do not sin in the future.

She smiled gratefully, afraid to ask his name, and in her soul realizing that she already knew the name of this strange gentleman, then turned, intending to go down the steps. He, clearly moved by her appearance, called out:

Maria turned to take the cape out of his hands, stretched out to cover her tattered clothes.

A previously unknown tenderness crept into the girl's heart. And tears of gratitude rolled down her cheeks flooded with a tender blush. He, as if not noticing nothing, went to the gates of the temple and soon disappeared behind the colonnade.

End of introductory snippet.

On the third Sunday after Easter, the Orthodox Church recalls the ministry of the myrrh-bearing women who came to the Savior's tomb to pour incense on His body. Each of the evangelists conveys the meaning of the event with different details. But all four apostles remember Mary Magdalene. Who was this woman? What does the Holy Scripture tell about her? What is the difference between Orthodox and Catholic ideas about the Magdalene? Where did blasphemous heresies come from and how to overcome them? Read about all this below.

How do the Orthodox represent Mary of Magdala?

Mary Magdalene is one of the most famous New Testament characters. The Orthodox Church honors her memory on August 4 in a new style. She was born in the Galilee town of Magdala near Lake Gennesaret, was one of the most faithful disciples of Jesus. The Holy Scriptures very succinctly describe her life and service to Christ, but even these facts are enough to see her holiness.

Healed from demonic possession becomes a devoted disciple of the Savior

The Orthodox view of the personality of Mary Magdalene is entirely based on the gospel story. Scripture does not tell about what a woman did before she followed Christ. She became a disciple of Jesus when Christ delivered her from seven demons.

For the rest of her life, she remained committed to Christ. Together with the Most Holy Theotokos and the Apostle John, she followed to Calvary. She was a witness to the earthly suffering of Jesus, the mockery of Him, being nailed to the Cross and the most terrible torment.

On Good Friday, together with the Mother of God, she mourned the deceased Christ. Mary knew where the secret followers of Jesus - Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - buried the body of the Savior. It was Saturday.

And on Sunday, early in the morning, she rushed to the tomb of the Savior, in order to witness her own fidelity ... True love knows no barriers. This was the case with Mary Magdalene. Even after Jesus died, she came to pour incense on His body.

And instead of a lifeless body in the coffin, she saw only white burial sheets. The body was kidnapped - with such news and tears in her eyes, the myrrh-bearing wife ran to the disciples. Peter and John followed her to the burial place and made sure that Christ was not there.

First saw the risen Lord

The disciples returned to the house, and the myrrh-bearer remained to mourn the Savior. Sitting at the tomb, she saw two angels in shining vestments. Noticing her grief, the heavenly messengers asked why she was crying. The woman replied: "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

Christ was already standing behind her, but the myrrh-bearer did not recognize the Savior even when he spoke. The disciple of Jesus thought that this was the gardener who had taken the Body of Christ, and turned: Master! If you have carried It out, tell me where you put It and I will take It.

Only when the Savior called Her by name, Mary Magdalene recognized her native voice and exclaimed with genuine joy: "Ravuni!", That is, "Teacher!"

It was from Mary that the apostles heard that Christ is alive. The Evangelist John restrainedly describes that the myrrh-bearing wife went and informed the disciples that she had seen the Lord. But surely Mary Magdalene literally burst into the house and shouted joyfully: "I saw Him, Christ is risen!" It was from the lips of this myrrh-bearer that humanity received the good news - the Savior overcame death.

Sermon in Rome and the Red Egg

The Holy Scripture does not announce any more about the life and missionary work of this myrrh-bearing woman, except that the Apostle Paul recalls Mary, who worked hard for us. And the Orthodox Church honors her as equal to the apostles for a reason, because the saint was engaged in spreading the good news among the Romans before the apostle Paul.

In her old age, according to reliable sources, she lived in the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor. There she also preached the gospel, and also helped John the Theologian - according to her testimony, the apostle wrote the 20th chapter of the Gospel. In the same city the saint rested peacefully.

The tradition of painting eggs for Easter is usually associated with the myrrh-bearer from Magdala. She preached the Gospel in Rome, the Equal-to-the-Apostles allegedly appeared to emperor Tiberius ... Among the Jews there was such a custom: if you come to a famous person for the first time, you must bring him some gift. The poor usually gave fruits or eggs. So the preacher brought an egg to the ruler.

According to one version, it was red, which interested Tiberius. Then Mary Magdalene told him about the life of the Savior, death and resurrection. The emperor allegedly even believed her words and wanted to rank Jesus among the Roman pantheon. Senators obstructed such an initiative, but Tiberius decided to at least in writing attest to the resurrection of Christ.

According to another version, the Equal-to-the-Apostles came to the emperor with an egg and said: “Christ is risen! ". He doubted: "If your words are true, let this egg turn red." And so it happened.

Historians question the veracity of these versions. It is possible that the woman did talk with the emperor and brought him a symbolic gift. But thanks to this, the modern world has acquired another beautiful tradition with deep meaning.

Catholics about the Magdalene: between truth and fiction

In the Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene was depicted as a great harlot until 1969. What is the reason for this? With the fact that this disciple of Jesus, they attributed fragments of biographies of many characters in the New Testament history.

It is believed that she indulged in debauchery, for which she was struck with demonic possession. Jesus expelled seven demons from her, after which she became his devoted follower.

The Gospel mentions an unnamed woman who washed Christ's feet with peace and wiped them off with her own hair. According to Catholic teaching, this was Magdalene.
On the eve of the Last Supper, another woman poured precious ointment on Jesus' head. The Gospel does not mention her name, but the Catholic tradition says that it was also Mary of Magdala.
In the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Catholics also revere Mary Magdalene.

In addition, their image of this myrrh-bearing wife is partially intertwined with facts from the life of Mary of Egypt, who, being a harlot, went into the wilderness and spent 47 years there. And according to one version, the myrrh-bearer from Magdala was “attributed” to 30 years of hermitage.

According to another hypothesis, she spent the last years on the territory of modern France. This myrrh-bearing wife lived in a cave near Marseille. There, according to legend, she hid the Grail - a cup, which was filled with the Blood of the Savior by Joseph of Arimathea, who buried Christ.

Mary Magdalene is one of the most revered saints in the Catholic Church. She is considered the patroness of monastic orders; temples are consecrated in her honor.

In general, the image of Mary in Catholicism does not fully correspond to the Gospel text. After all, the attribution of facts to the biography of the saint did not pass without leaving a trace, but led to many conjectures and heretical teachings.

How to resist heresies? Study the Gospel

The mind of a fallen man is unable to contain the mystery of Christian love and the incarnation of the Son of God. This explains the blasphemous version that Magdalene was not only a follower of Christ, but also His life partner.

For the same reason, some readers of Holy Scripture believe that not John was Christ's favorite disciple, but Mary, who is even credited with the authorship of the apocryphal "Gospel of Mary Magdalene."

There are many more versions of who the myrrh-bearing wife was allegedly, but they all look more like stories from the yellow press than the truth.

The Orthodox Church condemns such heretical reflections and calls for a meaningful study of Holy Scripture.

More details about the life of Mary Magdalene are described in this film:

Take it for yourself, tell your friends!

In the New Testament, her name is mentioned only in a few episodes:

She was healed by Jesus Christ from being possessed by seven demons (Luke 8: 2; Mark 16: 9)
Then she began to follow Christ, serving him and sharing her wealth (Mark 15: 40-41, Luke 8: 3)
Then she was present at Calvary at the death of Jesus (Matthew 27:56 and others)
Then she witnessed his burial (Matt. 27:61 and others)
And she also became one of the myrrh-bearing wives to whom the angel announced the Resurrection (Matt. 28: 1; Mark. 16: 1-8)
She was the first to see the resurrected Jesus, at first she took him for a gardener, but when she recognized her, she rushed to touch him. Christ did not allow her to do this (Do not touch Me), but he instructed her to announce his resurrection to the apostles (John 20: 11-18).

In Orthodoxy

Mary Magdalene is revered as an Equal-to-the-Apostles saint, relying only on the gospel testimonies listed above. In Byzantine literature, you can find a continuation of its history: after spending some time in Jerusalem, some time after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene went to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary to John the Theologian and helped him in his labors. (It should be noted that it is John who gives the most information about the Magdalene of the four Evangelists).

It is believed that Mary Magdalene preached the gospel in Rome, as evidenced by the appeal to her in the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans: “Greet Mary, who worked hard for us” (Rom. 16: 6). Probably, in connection with this her journey, an Easter tradition associated with her name arose later. The death of Mary Magdalene, according to this current of Christianity, was peaceful, she died in Ephesus.

The Orthodox tradition, unlike Catholicism, does not identify Mary Magdalene with a nameless evangelical sinner, but venerates her exclusively as an equal to the apostles holy myrrh-bearer. There is no mention of fornication in her akathist. In addition, in Orthodoxy, the identification of Magdalene with several other evangelical women, which happened in Catholicism, did not occur; it traditionally venerated these women separately. Dimitri Rostovsky emphasizes: "The Eastern Greek-Russian Orthodox Church now, as before, recognizes all these three persons mentioned in the Gospels with different signs as different, special, not wanting to base historical information on arbitrary, only probable interpretations."

Relics in Orthodoxy.

According to the "Chetya Menaei" by Demetrius of Rostov, in 886, under Emperor Leo VI Philosophus, the relics of the saint who died in Ephesus were solemnly transferred to the Constantinople monastery of St. Lazarus. Their further fate is not described. At present, it is known about the finding of the relics of Mary Magdalene in the following Athonite monasteries: Simonopetra (hand), Esfigmen (foot), Dochiar (particle) and Kutlumush (particle).

In the Catholic tradition

In the Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene, called directly by name only in the New Testament testimonies listed above, was identified with several more evangelical characters:

Mary, mentioned in the Gospel of John as the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who received Jesus in their home in Bethany (John 12: 1-8)
unnamed woman who anointed the head of Jesus in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper (Matt. 26: 6-7, Mark. 14: 3-9)
an unnamed sinner (harlot) who washed Christ's feet with peace in the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7: 37-38) (for more details, see Jesus' anointing with peace)

Thus, the Magdalene, identifying with these characters (and also borrowing some scenes from the life of the non-Gospel repentant sinner of the 5th century, St. Mary of Egypt), acquires the features of a repentant harlot. A vessel with incense becomes its main attribute.

According to this tradition, the Magdalene earned fornication, after seeing Christ, left her craft and began to follow him, then in Bethany she washed his feet with peace and wiped her hair, was present at Calvary, etc., and then became a hermit in the territory of modern France.

The opinion of the Church Fathers. The image of the harlot.

One of the main reasons for the identification of Magdalene with a harlot is the recognition by the Western Church that she was the nameless woman who washed Jesus' feet in peace.

And behold, the woman of that city, who was a sinner, learning that He was reclining in the house of the Pharisee, brought an alabaster vessel with ointment and, standing behind at His feet and weeping, began to pour tears on His feet and wipe the hair of her head, and kissed His feet. , and smeared with the world. (Luke 7: 37-38).

The Church Fathers solved the problem of reconciling the Gospel stories about the anointing of Jesus by an anonymous woman in different ways (for more details, see The Anointing of Jesus with Myrrh). In particular, Saint Augustine believed that all three anointing was performed by the same woman. Clement of Alexandria and Ambrose of Mediolan also admitted that it could be about the same woman.

Indirect evidence of the identification of Mary of Bethany with Mary Magdalene is first encountered in the "Interpretation on the Song of Songs" by Hippolytus of Rome, who indicates that the first to whom the resurrected Jesus appeared were Mary and Martha. Obviously, this is about the sisters of Lazarus, but placed in the context of the morning of Resurrection, in which Mary Magdalene actually appears in all four Gospels. The identification of all women who appear in the Gospel stories about the anointing of Jesus with Mary Magdalene was finally made by the Pope Saint Gregory the Great (591): “The one whom Luke calls a sinful woman, whom John calls Mary (of Bethany), we believe is that Mary, from whom seven demons were expelled according to Mark ”(23 omiliya). The unspecified sin of Mary Magdalene / Mary of Bethany was interpreted as fornication, that is, prostitution.

In the popular minds of the inhabitants of medieval Europe, the image of the repentant harlot Mary Magdalene gained extraordinary popularity and beauty and has been entrenched to this day. This myth found support and literary processing in the "Golden Legend" by Yakov Voraginsky - the collection of the lives of saints, the second most popular book in the Middle Ages after the Bible.

In the 20th century, the Catholic Church, seeking to correct possible errors of interpretation, softens the wording - after the reform in the 1969 Novus Ordo calendar, Mary Magdalene no longer appears as "repentant." But, despite this, the traditional perception of her as a repentant harlot by the mass consciousness, which has developed over the centuries thanks to the influence of a large number of works of art, remains unchanged.

SUMMARY

And again we are faced in an impenetrable "sacred" fog, let loose in the early Christian centuries by the brilliant "architects" of human history. Do not let it go then, who knows what kind of creative path our civilization would go and what heights it could reach. In the meantime, nothing is reliably known about Mary Magdalene from official sources, but at a subconscious level, the absolute majority formed an erroneous opinion: " this story looks not entirely clean, so don't go into too much detail". This is exactly what the author of these lines thought until now. And if we consider that 90% of parishioners have no idea at all who is depicted on the icons, just a slight unobtrusive hint of" impurity "is enough to compare with the" holy the church fathers "ignored the name of Magdalene.

In fairness, let's summarize a small intermediate summary:

Mary Magdalene was not a harlot, not possessed by demons - because there are no direct indications of this anywhere.

Mary Magdalene was the most beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, to which evidence:
- The Gospels of Philip,
- The Gospel of Mary,
- the mysterious painting by Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper",
- the version of Rigden Djappo himself (!!!), about her later ...

Pure Knowledge from Jesus went with Mary to the early Gnostic groups, which were later mercilessly destroyed by representatives of apostolic Christianity (here you can draw a tragic analogy with the Cathars, in the XII century).
It was Mary Magdalene that Jesus Christ entrusted the secret of the holy grail (more on this in our next publications).

In addition, the history of the Order of the Knights Templar deserves special consideration, who worshiped her as the greatest shrine ...

In conclusion, we can say the following, in our opinion, it is no coincidence that the fog was thrown, and it is no coincidence that the name of Mary has been indirectly discredited today, and defined in the church shadow. They try not to mention her, she is not on the revered icons, they do not know about her. In Orthodox churches, her image can be seen near the crucifixion of Christ, with a hunched back, with a darkened face, a drooping gaze. This is how I see her since those ancient and memorable times, when I first crossed the threshold of an Orthodox church. Neither in the large-circulation Orthodox literature I read later, nor in the "soul-saving conversations" with the confessors later, did I ever hear any mention of either her life or her spiritual exploit.

Consciously or unknowingly, the Church is diligently silent about Mary Magdalene. And we already know why.

A life Mary Magdalene, shrouded in many myths and legends, still
causes desperate controversy among historians of religion and theologians. Who is she, this mysterious woman, who did she belong to Christ, why her image was deliberately distorted, and who was profitable to ascribe to her the past of a harlot. This review provides answers to these controversial questions.

In the Orthodox and Catholic denominations, the interpretation of the image of Mary Magdalene is fundamentally different: in Orthodoxy, she is revered as a holy myrrh-bearer, healed by Jesus from seven demons, and in the tradition of the Catholic Church she is identified with the image of the penitent harlot Mary from Bethany, the sister of Lazarus. Although it is reliably known from the Bible that the Holy Scriptures do not directly say anywhere that Magdalene was a harlot at any period of her life.

Mary Magdalene - the gospel harlot

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/0mariya-0021.jpg "alt \u003d" (! LANG: Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ." title="Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ." border="0" vspace="5">!}

It is the Roman Catholic Church, whether by chance or deliberately in the person of Pope Gregory the Great, invented a nickname that was offensive to Magdalene - “harlot” and identified her with the evangelical sinner.

Mary Magdalene - Equal to the Apostles Holy Myrrhbearer

However, the Orthodox saint Dmitry of Rostov spoke out against considering Mary a corrupt woman, who argued his opinion as follows: "If Magdalene had a tarnished reputation, the opponents of Christ would not fail to take advantage of this. But for all their hatred of the Savior, the Pharisees never caught Him that there was a former harlot among the apostles."

The Orthodox Church was inclined to see in Mary one of the women healed by Christ, possessed by demons. This liberation became the meaning of her life, and in gratitude the woman decided to devote her whole life to the Lord. And according to the Orthodox tradition, unlike Catholicism, Mary is considered a symbol of the personification of a Christian woman and is revered as an equal to the apostles holy myrrh-bearer.

Mary Magdalene - the best disciple of Christ and the author of the Fourth Gospel

Among the disciples of the Savior, Mary occupied a special place. She was revered for such a sincere and ardent devotion to Christ. And it was no coincidence that the Lord honored Mary with the honor of becoming the first witness who saw him resurrected.

Not only that, most Bible scholars today claim that the Fourth Gospel was created by an unknown follower of Jesus, mentioned in the text as a beloved disciple. And there is an assumption that this was Mary Magdalene, who was one of the first founding apostles and leaders of the early Christian church.

But over time, her image became a common victim of the struggle for church power. By the 4th-5th centuries, even imagining a woman leader had already become heresy, and they decided to overthrow Mary Magdalene. "This topic has become part of a constant internal church struggle between supporters of the authority of the Church and defenders of personal revelation."

Mary Magdalene - the wife of Jesus Christ and the mother of his sons

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/0mariya-0004.jpg "alt \u003d" (! LANG: “Penitent Mary Magdalene.” State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Author: Titian Vecellio." title=""Penitent Mary Magdalene". State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

The image of the Gospel Magdalene was widely popularized by masters of Italian painting, in particular Titian, Correggio, Guido Reni. By her name"кающимися магдалинами" стали называть женщин, после развратной жизни одумавшихся и вернувшихся к нормальной жизни.!}

According to the traditions of Western art, Mary Magdalene has always been portrayed as a penitent, half-naked exile with an uncovered head and loose hair. And all works of art on this topic are so similar that most of us are still convinced of its great sin.

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/0mariya-0005.jpg "alt \u003d" (! LANG: “Penitent Mary Magdalene.” Paul Getty Museum (USA). Author: Titian Vecellio." title=""Penitent Mary Magdalene". Paul Getty Museum (USA).

In 1850, the first version of this painting was purchased by Nicholas I for the Hermitage museum collection. Now it is in one of the Italian offices of the New Hermitage.

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/0mariya-0016.jpg" alt="Mary Magdalene holding the crown of thorns of Christ. Author: Carlo Dolci" title="Mary Magdalene holding the crown of thorns of Christ.

", мы продолжаем собирать и связывать воедино рассыпанную информацию о загадочном, овеянном древними легендами, тайнами и священными почитаниями имени. Зачем копаться в преданиях тысячелетней старины, когда не ведаешь достоверно, что творилось всего век назад, спросит читатель. За окнами дел непроворот, может проще оставить как есть и привычно довольствоваться общепризнанными версиями православной и католической традиции? В этом привычном и равнодушном довольствовании, признаем ведь, человечество провело поистине страшных две тысячи лет, пройдя через кровавые войны, завоевательские и крестовые походы, вехи экономического порабощения, в результате построив всего-то технократическую модель потребительского общества, в которой полностью утрачены знания о природе человека и цели его кратковременного пребывания на этой маленькой прекрасной планете. И сегодня, пусть кто-то и не верит, но мы приблизились к грани, за которой возможно очередное глобальное уничтожение. Почему? На этот вопрос мы и попытаемся ответить через глубинное рассмотрение сути такого грандиозного, кажущегося фантастическим и немыслимым для обычного посредственного сознания явления, как . Ведь за этим именем, поверьте, стоит намного больше, нежели история одного из преданных учеников одного из Учителей человечества.!}

Mary Magdalene (Hebrew מרים המגדלית, Old Greek Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνή, Latin Maria Magdalena) - a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, a Christian saint, a myrrh-bearer who, according to the Gospel text, followed Christ, was present at His Crucifixion and was a witness of his posthumous appearance. In the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the veneration of Magdalene is different: Orthodoxy honors her according to the Gospel text - exclusively as a myrrh-bearer, healed of seven demons and appearing only in a few episodes of the New Testament, and in the tradition of the Catholic Church for a long time it was customary to identify with it the image of the penitent harlot and Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, as well as provide extensive legendary material.

In the New Testament, her name is mentioned only in a few episodes:

She was healed by Jesus Christ from being possessed by seven demons (Luke 8: 2; Mark 16: 9)
Then she began to follow Christ, serving him and sharing her wealth (Mark 15: 40-41, Luke 8: 3)
Then she was present at Calvary at the death of Jesus (Matthew 27:56 and others)
Then she witnessed his burial (Matt. 27:61 and others)
And she also became one of the myrrh-bearing wives to whom the angel announced the Resurrection (Matt. 28: 1; Mark. 16: 1-8)
She was the first to see the resurrected Jesus, at first she took him for a gardener, but when she recognized him, she rushed to touch him. Christ did not allow her to do this (Do not touch Me), but he instructed her to announce his resurrection to the apostles (John 20: 11-18).

In the Orthodox tradition

In Orthodoxy, Mary Magdalene is revered as an Equal-to-the-Apostles saint, relying only on the evangelical testimonies listed above. In Byzantine literature, you can find a continuation of its history: after spending some time in Jerusalem, some time after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene went to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary to John the Theologian and helped him in his labors. (It should be noted that it is John who gives the most information about the Magdalene of the four evangelists).

Orthodox tradition, in contrast to Catholicism, does not identify Mary Magdalene with a nameless evangelical sinner, and venerates her exclusively as an equal to the apostles holy myrrh-bearer. There is no mention of fornication in her akathist. In addition, in Orthodoxy, the identification of Magdalene with several other evangelical women, which happened in Catholicism, did not occur, it traditionally venerated these women separately. Dimitri Rostovsky emphasizes: "The Eastern Greek-Russian Orthodox Church now, as before, recognizes all these three persons mentioned in the Gospels with different signs as different, special, not wanting to base historical information on arbitrary, only probable interpretations."

Relics in Orthodoxy.

In the Catholic tradition

In the Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene, called directly by name only in the New Testament testimonies listed above, was identified with several more evangelical characters:

Mary, mentioned in the Gospel of John as the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who received Jesus in their home in Bethany (John 12: 1-8)
unnamed woman who anointed the head of Jesus in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper (Matt. 26: 6-7, Mark. 14: 3-9)
an unnamed sinner (harlot), who washed Christ's feet with peace in the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7: 37-38) (for more details, see Jesus' anointing with peace).

The opinion of the Church Fathers. The image of the harlot.

One of the main reasons for the identification of Magdalene with a harlot is the recognition by the Western Church that she was the nameless woman who washed Jesus' feet in peace.

SUMMARY

And again we are faced in an impenetrable "sacred" fog, let loose in the early Christian centuries by the brilliant "architects" of human history. Do not let it go then, who knows what kind of creative path our civilization would go and what heights it could reach. In the meantime, nothing is reliably known about Mary Magdalene from official sources, but at a subconscious level, the absolute majority formed an erroneous opinion: " this story looks not entirely clean, so don't go into too much detail ". This is exactly what the author of these lines thought until now. And if we consider that 90% of parishioners have no idea at all who is depicted on the icons, just a slight unobtrusive hint of" impurity "is enough to compare with the" holy the church fathers "ignored the name of Magdalene.

In fairness, let's summarize a small intermediate summary:

Mary Magdalene was not a harlot, not possessed by demons - because there are no direct indications of this anywhere.
Mary Magdalene was the most favorite student Jesus Christ, of which the testimonies:
- the Gospel of Philip,
- The Gospel of Mary,
- the mysterious painting by Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper",
- the version of Rigden Djappo himself (!!!), about her later ...
Pure Knowledge from Jesus went with Mary to the early Gnostic groups, which were later mercilessly destroyed by representatives of apostolic Christianity (here you can draw a tragic analogy with the Cathars, in the XII century).
It was Mary Magdalene that Jesus Christ entrusted the secret of the holy grail (more on this in our next publications).
In addition, the history of the Order of the Templars, who worshiped her as the greatest shrine, deserves special consideration ...

Consciously or unknowingly, the Church is diligently silent about Mary Magdalene. And we already know why.

Prepared by Dato Gomarteli (Ukraine-Georgia)

views

Save to Odnoklassniki Save VKontakte

* * *

How do the Orthodox represent Mary of Magdala?

Healed from demonic possession becomes a devoted disciple of the Savior

First saw the risen Lord

Sermon in Rome and the Red Egg

Catholics about the Magdalene: between truth and fiction

How to resist heresies? Study the Gospel

In the New Testament, her name is mentioned only in a few episodes:

In Orthodoxy

Relics in Orthodoxy.

In the Catholic tradition

The opinion of the Church Fathers. The image of the harlot.

SUMMARY

Mary Magdalene - the gospel harlot

Mary Magdalene - Equal to the Apostles Holy Myrrhbearer

Mary Magdalene - the best disciple of Christ and the author of the Fourth Gospel

Mary Magdalene - the wife of Jesus Christ and the mother of his sons

In the New Testament, her name is mentioned only in a few episodes:

In the Orthodox tradition

In the Catholic tradition

SUMMARY

You may also like