Mary Magdalene Basics

Today’s drawing of Mary Magdalene

The attributes of Mary Magdalene in art are long red or blonde hair, with curls escaping out of a veil, a skull representing the contemplation of life as finite, the color red in reference to prostitution, tears in reference to the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. She is also seen with Jesus in the Cruxificion scene and in the Resurrection scene in the garden. These last 2 scenes are references to the Bible passages in which Mary Magdalene is mentioned.

In apocryphal texts, such as The Gospel of Mary, the character of Mary Magdalene is portrayed as someone who has learned deeply the lessons taught by Jesus. She appears as a woman with a voice and as a visionary who can see beyond this reality.

In contemporary research, Mary Magdalene is recognized as someone mentioned by name in the Bible, denoting her importance. Her importance is also recognized through the number of times that she is mentioned in the Bible, 13 times, which is more than any other woman’s name is mentioned in the New Testament. She has also been given the title apostle to the apostles because she was the person who brought the news of Jesus’ Resurrection to the other apostles.

In ancient literature, the story of Mary Magdalene appears in The Golden Legend. The Golden Legend is a collection of 153 hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in Europe during the Late Middle Ages. Mary Magdalene is portrayed as a woman of noble birth who, after witnessing the Resurrection, embarks on a life of contemplation in the wilderness. The Golden Legend combines various traditions about Mary Magdalene, including her being a former sinner, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, and a follower of Jesus. In The Golden Legend narrative Mary Magdalene is miraculously transported by angels to hear heavenly music during her solitary life.

In contemporary fiction, authors get inspired by different aspects of the Bible and popular legends to portray Mary Magdalene according to current findings and inspirations.

Learning about Mary Magdalene can be a type of evolution of the mind. The more we learn, the more connections we can make to construct a possibility based on facts and research, imagination and legend. Maybe this is why Mary Magdalene is so appealing. She can be what we need at different states of development of our minds and our souls.