St Mary Magdalen

Patron of repentant sinners and the contemplative life.

One of the followers of Christ, Mary Magdalen has been wrongly identified as the woman who anointed Jesus' feet with a precious oil.* The Gospels record that she was the first person to see the Risen Christ. On Easter Day she was weeping near the empty tomb when she saw a man who she thought was a gardener. He asked her why she was weeping. She replied: "Sir if you have carried him away tell me where to and I will come and take him."

The man was Jesus. He told her to go and tell the others what she had seen.

There are many apocryphal legends about Mary. In France it said that she evangelised Provence with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus. Hundreds of churches across Europe are dedicated to her.

In 2018 a Hollywood film was made about her starring Mara Rooney and Joaquin Phoenix.
See trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn3OMfnwOt8

Amanda C Dickie reviewed the film for ICN. See: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/34512

*Read more about Mary Magdalen here: www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/who-is-mary-magdalene