Mary Magdalene life after Christ. Mary Magdalene - interesting facts

Mary Magdalene: biography

Mary Magdalene is a follower mentioned both in Catholicism and in Orthodoxy and Protestantism. Shelters for fallen women are named after her, the image of a repentant sinner is identified with her, and prayers addressed to the icon of Magdalene bestow humility, courage, help in persecution and admonition of non-believers. Mary is traditionally considered the patroness of social workers, preachers and teachers. Mary Magdalene was also a favorite subject of Renaissance artists.

Childhood and youth

The biography of Magdalene is full of mysteries and secrets, because the only source pointing to the reality of the life of the legendary follower of Jesus Christ is the Gospel text. Therefore, to this day, biographers and scientists cannot confirm or deny whether Mary Magdalene is a historical figure.

There is practically no information about the childhood and youth of this heroine. The name of the supporter of the Messiah is mentioned only in some sources - in the Gospel of Luke, where, in the narration of the existence of the Son of God, miraculous healing from demons is mentioned, as well as in the other three manuscripts - John, Matthew and Mark - the woman’s name can be found only in a few episodes.

Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene was born in Israeli city Magdala, located on the shores of Lake Gennesaret, in the northern part of the Holy Land.

One can only guess in what family Mary grew up and was brought up, and who her parents were, because the holy scriptures are silent about this. Although Western European legends say that her parents were called Sir and Eucharia, other sources indicate that Magdalene was an orphan and worked in the market.

It is worth paying attention to the name of the disciple of Jesus Christ. Mary comes from the Hebrew language, and Christian tradition translates this name as “lady.” According to traditional biblical beliefs, this was the name of the mother of Jesus Christ, after whom other revered Christian figures were named. And the nickname Magdalene has geographical roots and means “a native of the city of Migdal-El.”

Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Gethsemane

The toponym literally stands for “tower”, and there are reasons for this. The fact is that in the Middle Ages these buildings were a feudal knightly symbol, and, consequently, this noble connotation was transferred to the personal qualities of Magdalene, who was endowed with an aristocratic character.

But there is another assumption regarding the nickname of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Virgin: in the multi-volume religious codex the Talmud there is the expression “magadella,” which translated from Hebrew means “hair curler.”

Meeting with Jesus Christ

Based on the Holy Scriptures, it can be assumed that the first meeting of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene took place in the house of the Pharisee Simon, where the Savior was anointed with myrrh. Confirmation is a sacrament in which the believer, along with specially prepared consecrated oil, is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

According to the legend, the woman who appeared to Christ poured water on the head of Jesus from an alabaster vessel, and also washed His feet with tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. Judging by the four Gospels, the disciples of Jesus were unhappy that the visiting guest was wasting expensive oil, which could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. The Pharisee also noted that the one touching Christ was a sinner, but Jesus, comparing Simon’s inhospitality and Mary’s efforts, said:

“Therefore I tell you: her many sins are forgiven because she loved much, but he who is forgiven little loves little. He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

But some suggest that the meeting of Magdalene and Jesus took place earlier than in Simon's house. Christ said that she “loved much,” that is, Himself, so it can be assumed that Mary may have been among those who followed the Messiah to Jerusalem. After forgiveness, Magdalene began to be considered Christ’s best disciple, but Mary was not among the 12 apostles in the painting “The Last Supper.”

Magdalene began to follow Christ, serving him and sharing her property, and the messiah trusted this woman with even the most intimate secrets, which is why Magdalene earned the dislike of Christ’s disciples, who demanded that the virgin be removed from His circle.

According to legend, this woman was the only one who did not abandon the Savior when he was arrested, while Peter, the most devoted of the apostles, denied his leader three times after he was taken into custody.

It is known that Mary Magdalene was present at the execution of Jesus Christ along with His mother, mother’s sister and Mary of Cleopas. The follower of the Son of God stood next to Christ, sharing the great maternal suffering of the Mother of God. When the Savior’s heart stopped beating, Mary mourned the Savior, and then accompanied the body of Jesus to the tomb carved by Joseph in the rock.

Byzantine literature indicates that after the crucifixion, Mary Magdalene, together with the Mother of God, went to the ancient city of Ephesus, to John the Theologian, and helped him in his labors. By the way, it is the Gospel of John that contains the most information about the life of Magdalene.

According to legend, Mary Magdalene returned a day after the death of Christ to that cave to show her devotion to the Savior by anointing His body with aromatic oils and myrrh. But when Jesus’ companion approached the rocky mountain, she discovered that the stone covering the entrance to the cave had been moved and the cave itself was empty.

Desperate Mary in grief went to John and Peter to tell them that the body of the Messiah had disappeared from the burial place. Then the apostles, together with Magdalene, again went to the rocky mountain and saw that the cave was empty. The disciples of Christ left the grotto in grief, while Mary remained next to the tomb, crying and trying to understand the reason for the disappearance of Jesus Christ.

Mary Magdalene raised her tear-stained eyes and saw two angels sitting in front of her. When they asked about the reason for the suffering of the unfortunate maiden, she replied that she was tormented by the unknown. Then the woman looked up and saw Jesus Christ, whom she initially mistook for a gardener and asked to indicate where the teacher’s grave was located. But when the one who came said her name, she recognized the Son of God and threw herself at His feet. Based on the gospel accounts, Jesus answered Mary:

“Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; But go to My brothers and say to them: “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”

Christianity

According to biblical legends, the holy virgin became a follower of Jesus Christ after being healed from evil spirits and repenting of sins, so many admirers of Christian traditions have the idea that Mary Magdalene was a great harlot and sinner.

This identification of Mary with the nameless woman of the Gospels who washed the Savior’s feet can be found in the Catholic tradition, but the fornication of a follower of Christ is not mentioned either in the Menaion or in its akathist. Thus, in Catholicism, Magdalene takes the form of a former harlot, and the Italian painter was able to convey the woman’s emotions in his painting “The Penitent Mary Magdalene.”

According to Catholicism, Mary Magdalene was a representative of the oldest profession, and when she met the Son of God, she abandoned her craft and became his follower.

It is worth noting that Orthodox scriptures speak only about Magdalene’s demonic possession, denying her riotous past. But Mary's life was not sweet, because the virgin was not married and had no children. In those days, such women were looked upon with suspicion, and in order to protect herself from the advances of men, Maria had to pretend to be possessed.

In the Orthodox tradition, Mary Magdalene appears as the Holy Myrrh-Bearer Equal to the Apostles (in Protestantism - exclusively as the Holy Myrrh-Bearer). She made an undeniable contribution to the work of preaching. Mary spread the word about Jesus in Italy and one day visited the pagan leader Tiberius.

The woman handed him a gift chicken egg, for lack of anything else, and said “Christ is Risen!” Tiberius stated that resurrection was as impossible as the fact that a donated egg would turn scarlet. However, the egg turned blood red. This is how the Easter tradition was born.

It is believed that Christ’s companion worked a lot in Rome, as evidenced by the book of the New Testament, which contains the collections of the letters of the Holy Apostle Paul.

As for Catholicism, it is said that Mary Magdalene spent the second part of her life in the desert, where she led an ascetic lifestyle and repented of her sins every day. The clothes of the holy virgin had decayed, so the woman’s nakedness was covered with long hair, and Mary herself was carried into heaven by angels in order to heal her exhausted old body. But it is worth saying that this plot is borrowed from the description of the life of the Christian saint Mary of Egypt, considered the patroness of confessing women.

Love theories

The personal life of Mary Magdalene is shrouded in a halo of mystery, so it is not surprising that various love theories about the Equal-to-the-Apostles saint appear among historians. For example, some believe that Mary Magdalene was the wife of John the Theologian, while others are confident that the myrrh-bearer was the wife of Jesus Christ, because this woman plays a significant role in almost the most important episode of the New Testament.

Since church representatives tried to get rid of unofficial books, there is practically no news about who Jesus’ beloved was, and there is an assumption that the lines about family life the messiahs in the New Testament were specifically cut out.

But most scholars are inclined to favor Magdalene. In the Gospel, there is an indicative episode when the disciples of the Son of God were jealous of Jesus for Magdalene because of a kiss on the lips.

Also, in those days, an unmarried woman did not have the right to accompany wanderers on the road, unlike the wife of one of them. Among other things, scientists refer to the fact that after the resurrection Christ appeared to Mary, and not to his disciples. And besides, men who did not have a wife were considered a strange phenomenon, so an unmarried Jesus would hardly have been able to become a prophet and teacher.

Death

In Orthodoxy, Mary Magdalene died quietly and calmly, a woman died in Ephesus, and her relics were transferred to the Constantinople monastery of St. Lazarus.

According to another branch of the Christian movement, while Mary was a hermit in the desert, she was given communion by a priest who accidentally wandered into those parts, who was at first embarrassed by the naked appearance of the woman. According to Catholicism, the remains of the Equal-to-the-Apostles saint are kept in the church of Saint-Maximin-la-Saint-Baume, in Provence.

In memory of Mary Magdalene, many colorful paintings were written and documentaries were made. It is noteworthy that on the canvases the disciple of Christ is depicted in individual scenes extremely rarely, whereas she can often be seen in the image of the myrrh-bearer, with a vessel of incense.

Memory

• 1565 – painting “Penitent Mary Magdalene” ()
• 1861 – poem “Mary Magdalene” (Nikolai Ogarev)
• 1923 - cycle of poems “Magdalene” ()
• 1970 – rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” (Andrew Lloyd Weber)
• 1985 – song “Maria Magdalena” ()
• 2017 – film “Mary Magdalene” (Garth Davis)

For the release of the film “Mary Magdalene” on April 5, 2018. Mary Magdalene is one of the most mysterious personalities of the Gospel. People got their idea of ​​her mainly from paintings on biblical themes. They usually depict a half-naked, repentant sinner with beautiful long hair, with which, according to the New Testament, she wiped the feet of Jesus. She became his most devoted follower. And Christ, after the resurrection, appeared to her before others. It turns out that Jesus Christ preferred the former harlot? The Savior’s strange predilection for Mary Magdalene forced many scientists who studied the Bible and looked for evidence of the events that happened in history to take a closer look at this woman. But an explosion of interest in it occurred after the appearance of Dan Brown’s book “The Da Vinci Code”, and then the film, which was a 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 founder of the dynasty of the Great Guardians of the Holy Grail.

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

The Great Harlot

Magdalene, woman from the castle tower

IN"Complete Orthodox theological encyclopedic dictionary“It is written about her: “Mary Magdalene is a myrrh-bearing wife from the city of Magdala. She led a dissolute life, and I. Christ, with his preaching, returned her to a new life and made her his most devoted follower. After the resurrection, Christ appeared to her before others.” Already in this short presentation there is a contradiction, or rather, a confrontation on which we decided to build the book. First of all, we encounter two inconsistencies: she was a despicable slut and - after the death of Jesus the teacher - she was the first to whom he appeared... Strange circumstances that force a believer to think a priori that a dirty whore, even a repentant one, is more valuable than a half-mother.

For several centuries, debates continued among the church fathers about whether Magdalene the Harlot, the anointing woman of Christ, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, should be considered the same woman to whom the resurrected Jesus first appeared. In the VI century. with the blessing of Pope Gregory western church recognized this identification. Whereas the Orthodox Church, which strictly adhered to the information about Magdalene known from the New Testament, never recognized this identification. Despite the fact that the Western Church in the 16th century. will come to an agreement with the Eastern Church on this issue, in the minds of the people Mary Magdalene remains the “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 did this woman, who bore the name Mary Magdalene, behave indecently? Is there an error in the biblical narrative, or perhaps there is a most mysterious secret hidden among the falsified events, carefully hidden from the eyes of the common man, 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. The middle name Magdalene is believed to refer to Magdala, her hometown on the western shore of the Sea of ​​Galilee, and the name is believed by many to be derived from the Hebrew word "migdal", "migdol", which means "castle". Therefore, Magdalene is the Latinized form of a word meaning “from the tower,” “from the castle tower.” According to other sources, the small homeland of Mary Magdalene in the time of Christ was called Migdal-El or Migdal Nunnaya, which translated from Aramaic means “Tower” or “Tower of Fish” (fish were caught and salted here). There is also an opinion that Magdala is translated as “almond”.

It may seem strange that Mary Magdalene, unlike other biblical Marys, received her nickname from her place of birth - this was completely unusual for women of that time. As a rule, a woman was given a nickname after her husband or son; in the Bible we find that “Mary of James” (Mark 16:1) and “Mary of Josiah” (Mark 15:47) were the mother – “Mary the mother of James the less and of Josiah” (Mark 15:40), and Maria Cleopas - the wife of Cleopas, who became one of the followers of Jesus Christ. Considering that our Mary was nicknamed after the name of her hometown, we can assume that: a) she led a lifestyle quite independent from men; b) was a rich woman living in a castle with turrets (tower).

Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the Russian Orthodox Monastery in Magdala was built in 1962. The monastery was built on the spot where, according to legend, the Lord cast out demons from Mary Magdalene

It may be mentioned that in addition to Mary from Magdala, the image of Mary from Bethany also appears on the pages of the Bible. “What do we know about Mary Magdalene, and what do we know about Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus? Firstly, Magdala is located on the shores of Lake Galilee, not far from Capernaum and Bethsaida, where the first disciples of Christ were from. Martha and Lazarus lived in Bethany, which was located near Jerusalem, which is very far from Magdala. It seems that this circumstance should immediately negate the commonality of these two names – Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany,” writes the author of the Christian Internet portal A. Tolstobokov. And he explains: “However, let’s not rush, because finding a simple explanation for this is not difficult, given two circumstances: 1) The Lord cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2), after which she others, healed and cleansed, followed Jesus through towns and villages. 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 In. 11:2 and John 12:1–3 directly states 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 in different times. But most likely we are talking about one woman. Then we see that “both” Marys, Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, had unenviable sinful pasts. Both Marys 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?! The sources revealing the life story of the woman from Magdala are the writings of the authors of the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, John, Luke and some others. An excellent study on this topic was carried out by Katherine Ludwig Jansen, who published a book about Mary Magdalene based on her monograph. 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 total, in the 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 out seven demons. After he healed her, Mary of Magdala, along with Joanna, Susanna and others, became one of his most faithful disciples.

Lazarus with sisters Martha and Mary

According to the New Testament, a disciple of Christ was present at the crucifixion of the Great Teacher (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25), and she was also noticed when he was placed in the tomb (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15: 47), as well as on the first day of Passover among those who came to the tomb to anoint his body with incense (Matthew 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 was the first to see the risen Christ on the first day of Easter: Jesus “appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven demons.” Having seen 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 had seen Him, they did not believe” (Mark 16:9-11).

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

But the evangelist Luke insists that even though Mary Magdalene came to the empty tomb of Jesus along with other women on the first day of Easter, Jesus appeared 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– 15).

Katherine Ludwig Jansen's book about Mary Magdalene

The first day of Easter, as described by John, differs little from the narratives of Mark and Matthew, only he pays more attention to the meeting of Mary Magdalene with the risen Jesus. This, according to researchers, is the largest passage dedicated to her in the New Testament. 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 has been taken away from the tomb. They immediately go to see everything with their own eyes, but soon return back. And only the devoted Mary Magdalene remains: she stands at the tomb, weeping bitterly. Suddenly two angels appear to the woman and ask why she is crying, and Mary answers. Then a man approaches her, whom she mistook for a gardener, who asks: “Who are you looking for?” She responds by crying out, mourning for her Lord. Then the man calls out to her: “Maria.” Finally, she recognizes her Lord and turns to him (John reports: Mary addresses the Risen One with the Hebrew word “rabbi” - teacher). Jesus does not allow Mary to touch him, but only orders him to tell the good news of his resurrection to other disciples and followers of his teaching.

To summarize, we point out that according to the New Testament, Mary Magdalene is exactly the woman whom Jesus of Nazareth healed from demon 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 martyrdom, was the first to see the risen Christ and became the one who first announced the resurrection to others Teachers (said in three of the four Gospels).

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

Crucifixion. Artist Simone Martini

And they were united by faith in gnosis (from Greek: “knowledge”, “cognition”), that is, in knowledge about God, the Universe, the fate of humanity, received from God (the Higher Cosmic Mind) or as a result of insight. And in each of the three Gnostic texts existing 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 Kariot

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

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

And if the most beautiful paintings of great artists depict an attractive sinner, then the most beautiful image painted by the skill of a male writer was precisely the image of a dissolute maiden 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 Polish writer’s novel of the right to life and success. Immediately after the book was published in 1912, it was confiscated, and different countries Europe. And of course, the Pope added it to the list of prohibited books. Why was the church so afraid of this “despicable novel”, no less fictitious than all the brilliant canvases with portraits of this person, but of which the church and museums of the world are so proud?!

Mary Magdalene. Artist Carlo Crivelli

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

“Martha found an outlet for her violent vital forces, a refuge from the heavy care of her sick brother and from the superstitious horror of her younger sister Mary Magdalene, living in the world of madness.

It was not for nothing that Mary’s mother, when she was carrying her, dreamed just before giving birth that she would give birth to wind mixed with fire - her daughter from a very young age began to justify this prophetic dream.

Alive, like a flame, impressionable, unusually attractive, and at the same time reasonable, in her 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 meadows, groves, free fields, to the hills, to the waters, where she, together with the shepherds, gave herself up to willful pranks, crafty running, and then secret kisses and fleeting caresses, from which her beauty blossomed and her blood ignited.” .

Where does so much sensitivity come from in the humble Catholic who wrote these lines? Was he inspired by paintings depicting the beautiful-faced, red-haired Mary, or was he inspired by the biblical story with its “Song of Songs” strangely squeezed into the pages? It seems that the latter is much more truthful, for the description of the sinful Magdalene is made as if in unison with the well-known terms from the aforementioned love part of the Book of Books.

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

Saint Martha

Despite such a bad reputation, everyone loved Mary. Slender, white, as if emerging from a milk bath, turning pink at the slightest excitement, like the morning dawn, with purple lips, half-opened, 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 gaze attracted the most severe. With her liveliness of mind and fiery temperament, she was able to so deeply capture and attract the simple-minded residents of her native town that they forgave her for her frivolity.”

So, this author allows us to show doubt that the beauty was the legitimate daughter of Lazarus; he directly says that the girl’s mother got her 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 downfall! He attributes the first adultery to Mary of Magdala with Judas of Kerioth. He, as we know, will also be one of the leading characters in the Bible. And since we will subsequently avoid lengthy quotation of this author alone, now we will still give a description of the biblical character with whom our heroine dealt.

“Meanwhile, their guesses were actually correct, but they were mistaken about the identity of the seducer. It was not at all the dark and flexible young fisherman Saul, but the heavy, ugly, hairy Judas of Keriot, a ragged tramp who wandered throughout 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 with Martha and Mary. Artist Henryk Semiradski

Eloquent, crafty, keeping in his big red head a chaos of extraordinary thoughts, and in his chest under a patched cloak the scorpions of powerful desires and proud aspirations, strong and unprincipled, he managed to ignite the imagination of an exalted girl, took possession of her thoughts, entangled them with clever sophisms, and youthful blood he inflamed her to such an extent that, seizing a moment, he overcame her resistance and, having mastered her by force, kept her under the spell of his power for a long time. Fearing the consequences, he soon disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.”

Perhaps this is how we come to the most important thing: how it all began in the matter of involvement in 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 mistook “reclining” with a slave in the manner of Greek hetaeras for her innocent seductive tricks? Was the gentle embrace of the patrician, the greedy embrace of the merchants, or the strong embrace of the fishermen and soldiers not enough for her?

It is worth recalling once again that according to Christian tradition, Mary Magdalene is not a completely 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 the same Asmodeus, greedy for the heat of love? – the biblical story is silent about this.

According to " Bible dictionary” by nineteenth-century Swedish biblical scholar Erik Nyström, the word “Demon” (from the Greek Daimon or Daimonnon) refers to an evil spirit that serves its chief superior, the devil, “the prince of demons” (Matt. 9:34). According to the church minister and author of the Christian Internet portal Andrei Tolstobokov, “John writes in his first letter: “Whoever commits sin is of the devil, because first the devil sinned. For this reason the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). So, in Mary there were seven demons 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 performed by Luca Lionello in the film "The Passion of the Christ"

This suggests that she was full of sin. But Christ, having power over unclean spirits (Mark 1:27), can free 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, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they will be as white as wool” (Isa. 1:18). Having received forgiveness and liberation from many sins, Mary was filled with special, reverent feelings for her Liberator. Her reciprocal love motivated her to follow and serve Christ.”

Archpriest Gennady Belovolov, who visited the homeland of Mary Magdalene, said: “When Magdala is mentioned, the image of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Myrrh-Bearer of Christ immediately arises. 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 a 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 cast out seven demons from Mary. A large plot of land was acquired for the benefit of the Russian Mission in 1908, and a temple 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, sister of Lazarus, also had a sinful past, and both of these Marys received the forgiveness of our Lord.

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

Interior decoration 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 the imperishable, indestructible image of Mary Magdalene - a repentant sinner? Or did the principle of complete trust in the church fathers who affirmed this “truth” work in all these men? ...or was it that in all these men, together with the fathers of the church, the masculine, wild, ineradicable sin of contempt for Woman as such was manifested in them?!

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

It is modern, learned, emancipated ladies who can competently exclaim: “The problems of the soul that arise in women cannot be dealt with by fitting them, women, into some form acceptable to the unconscious culture; Nor can they 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” placed women on the same level as human sins themselves, for already belonging to the female gender implied belonging to the “unclean”.

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

And here is Saint Ambrose, who uttered the famous expression: perfeminam mors, perfeminam vita - through woman death, through woman life, he was ready to classify all of Eve’s fellow tribesmen as sinners. Ambrose does not directly call Mary Magdalene a sinner, he makes it clear: belonging to the female gender is already her sin, for “she is a woman and therefore participates in original sin.” But it will not be long before Mary of Magdala will be contrasted with the “stupid” Eve!

Meanwhile, back in the 13th century, the Dominican monk and philosopher Aldobrandino da Toscanella, in his essay “On Animals,” thought of writing: “A woman is an underdeveloped man.”

As for the quoted phrase of Saint Ambrose, its explanation was heard in the saint’s Easter sermon, when he argued that since “mankind committed the Fall through the female gender, then humanity was reborn through the female gender, since the Virgin gave birth to Christ, and the woman announced the his resurrection from the dead." According to him, “Mary revered Christ and was therefore 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, should be the first to announce the mercy of God.”

And how could any other man - unless he was Jesus Christ - take the sin of belonging to his male gender and the sin of copulation upon himself, freeing an earthly woman from this sin?!

Saint Ambrose was ready to classify all of Eve's fellow tribesmen as sinners

It is also curious: what would Ambrose, who had long since passed away in God, say about a woman if, according to some other Bible, the risen Jesus had appeared for the first time not to a woman, but to his male disciple? Perhaps 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 as far away from this infection in the image of a female temptress. However, these are all the author’s inventions...

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

We must not forget that medieval philosophers argued that women were prone to suggestible knowledge: mysticism, inspiration, revelations and visions, while men were considered more rational creatures, prone to acquired knowledge. Also, based on the logic of many medieval thinkers, “all female sin was of a sexual nature.” But these fabrications were based on early Christian dogmas. When Pope Gregory the Great, also called Gregory the Great (540–604), the last pope of the ancient world and the first pope of the Middle Ages, whose name is associated with the origin of Gregorian chant, 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 Grigory Dvoeslov who had the opportunity to evaluate the devoted disciple of Christ. One could 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 attach negative colors to the companion of Christ. During the papal reign of Gregory, the biblical city of Magdala acquired a reputation for godlessness and debauchery, a kind of follower of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the pope found it possible to take revenge on the townspeople by endowing the native of Magdala with the most unflattering qualities. Thus laying down these characteristics for many centuries to come. Here it is - the vector of history in action, when one word dictates the processes occurring in society even after millennia!

Gregory Dvoeslav had the opportunity to evaluate 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 in the Basilica of St. Clement in Rome, introduced a new image of Mary Magdalene to Western Christendom, proclaiming: “We believe that this woman, whom Luke calls a sinner, whom John calls Mary Magdalene, and there is the same Mary from whom, as Mark says, seven demons were cast out.” As we see, Gregory the Great could identify three different women spoken of in the Gospels with one dissolute one. The first on this list was an unnamed sinner who showed up at the house of the Pharisee Simon, where Jesus was eating his fill at that time. In this dramatic scene described by Luke, the woman wet the Lord’s feet with tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with ointment. The second, as John reported, was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha, at whose request Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The third is Mary Magdalene, possessed by demons, who was cured of her illness by Jesus and later became his obedient disciple.

Thus, Mary Magdalene, with the very vague and hardly provable facts of her biography, became the reason that preachers turned their attention to Woman and her nature, explaining in numerous sermons questions arising in society about the place and purpose of a woman, about the problem of prostitution, about the need for guardianship over a woman (“a man should be the ruler 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 a problem that they considered purely feminine.”

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

On the eve of Lent in 1497, the famous Italian Dominican priest and dictator of Florence (from 1494 to 1498) Savonarola angrily appealed to the inhabitants of Florence: “Oh, you who lust, dress yourself in a robe of hair and indulge in the repentance that is so necessary for you!.. Oh you , whose houses are full of vanity-pleasing trinkets, paintings, obscene objects and harmful books... bring them to me - we will burn them or donate them to God. And you, mothers, who dress your daughters in vain and extravagant clothes and decorate their hair with fancy ornaments, bring 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 houses.” .

In the above-mentioned sermon of Pontiff Gregory the Great, it was also directly stated that the seven demons of Magdalene are seven grave sins. It turned out that Mary Magdalene’s possession by demons was a disease of the soul called sinfulness, despite the fact that physical symptoms Diseases were seen by the chief evaluator of human sins in the form of external beauty, some nudity, embellishment of the flesh and sexual incontinence. Medieval commentators on biblical texts also had no doubt that the sin of the woman from Magdala was of a sensual nature, and that she “was a sinner in the flesh.” Carnal 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 caught in adultery. Jesus protected her, and, blessing her, commanded her not to sin in the future.

But the church fathers seemed much more intolerant than Jesus. In one of his public sermons, the Franciscan clergyman Luke of Padua calls for the fulfillment of the cruel law of Moses, who commanded the stoning of adulteresses.

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 her nose, for a beautiful woman will certainly wallow in the abomination of carnal sin in exactly the same way just like a pig always rolls around in the mud. For example, Bernardino of Siena, in one of his sermons, following the instructions of the book named, directly likened Mary Magdalene to a pig with a gold ring in her nose.

Savonarola's sermon in Florence. Artist Nikolay Lomtev

Preachers condemned almost everything that was in one way or another connected with a woman; Even dancing and singing were prohibited! For example, the medieval preacher Jacques de Vitry, in his furious sermons, castigated “guilty” sinners: “The woman leading the choir is the chaplain of the devil; those who answer it are his priests.” Another fellow preacher spoke disapprovingly of a simple round dance: “At the center of this dance is the devil, and everyone is moving towards destruction.”

Or here’s another: Dominican monk, Italian spiritual writer, author of the famous collection of lives of saints “The Golden Legend” Jacob of Voraginsky, in his sermon on the topic of Mary Magdalene’s conversion to the true path, taught that beauty is deceitful, for it has deceived many. He compared feminine beauty with hot coals, a shining sword, a beautiful apple, for they too deceive unwary young men. When touched, the coals burn, the sword wounds, and a worm hides in the middle of the apple...

Isn’t this the wretchedness of the male spirit, which does not allow a woman any decoration, any freedom, which does not give the right to unique natural beauty and innocent, joyful entertainment? Certainly, individual temple servants were no less militant during the time of Magdalene’s “enlightenment.”

And only a woman who is curious, a woman who explores the world, is given the ability to see in Mary Magdalene the “archetype of sacred femininity.” Just as a nice remark on the topic: author of the book “Secrets of Code. A Guide to the Mysteries of The Da Vinci Code" Dan Bernstein dedicated his research to Julia, "who represents the sacred every day of my life feminine" How far progress has come in the perception of women; and maybe our heroine Mary Magdalene played not the least role in this advancing positivity?

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

Unfortunately, the illusory balance between the sexes today turns into the humiliation of men. In fact, in accordance with the well-known biblical expression: “With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you”...

And on this path to illusory balance still the process is underway, described by Clarissa Estes as follows in simple words: “Women who have been living the mythical life of the Primordial Woman for years silently shout: “Why am I not like everyone else? …” Every time their life was ready to blossom, someone sprinkled salt on the ground so that nothing would grow on it. They were tormented by various prohibitions that limited their natural desires. If they were children of nature, they were kept within four walls. If they were academically inclined, they were told to be mothers. If they wanted to be mothers, they were told to know their parentage. If they wanted to invent something, they were told to be practical. If they wanted to create, they were told that women have a lot of housework to do.

Sometimes, trying to meet the most common standards, they only later understood what they really wanted 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 preserve until their death, a job that was supposed to become a springboard for another, even more stultifying, but also better paid. They left their dreams scattered along the road.”

For “scattered dreams” and for more important things – for including (without significant evidence) a beautiful maiden, a sweet, helpful and intelligent maiden – Mary Magdalene – among the host of walking, sinful daughters – men are the main accomplices of the infringement of the feminine essence and are now receiving what they deserve when their role in society and family is sharply reduced.

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

“Are there not enough prophets who should be persecuted?”

However, let us move on to the moment when Mary of Magdala heard about the new prophet. We will never know how it really happened, but it is worth assuming that it could have happened as follows.

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

– A new light has shone over the quiet Lake of Tiberias, called the Sea of ​​Galilee. 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, daughter of Joachim and Anna, originally from Nazareth.

Simon, who was nearby, objected: “How do you know that he is true, that he is the real prophet he claims to be?”

And he complained: “Were there really so few prophets who should have been driven away from our land?”

To which Judas warmly responded: “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, bringing confusion into our minds.” Ugh, seducer.

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

Only the silent Maria shone with sly eyes at the speakers; she already knew what the words and promises of this newcomer, a homeless tramp, who had picked up various knowledge on the side, were worth.

Karl 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 crafty person by nature, with a rich imagination and hot temperament, an intriguer who can commit rash offenses, followed by repentance.

It is known that a 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 of expelling any pleasure from everyday life as evil and sinful, and decided to become an expert and interpreter of the Holy Scriptures, but the dry scholasticism of the texts seemed to him insipid, devoid of meaning for the realities of life. In his search for truth and peace of mind, Judas found himself in the service of the Sadducean priests, but only gained doubts about the sanctity of their harsh rites. His heart trembled with new joy when he joined the ranks of zealous followers of John the Baptist, but even here 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 his listeners. He asserted, and wanted to believe it, that the first will be last, and last ones first. He denounced the deceptive priesthood and rebuked the Pharisees. He cared little about rituals and church regulations; 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, common people 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 obvious: Jesus, who destroys the old and builds 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 of the strong and powerful.

Such a 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. Artist Cimabue

Surely he is the prophesied Savior whom the humiliated people of Israel passionately called for for many decades. And then the teacher made Judas the keeper of the treasury, and he realized that the rabbi could be completely entrusted not only with his future, but also with the future of his people. In addition, Jesus assured more than once 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 herd sheep at a distance from sunrise to sunset, and rule in a 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 everywhere about the new prophet, praising his talents and skills. And at the same time spread in secret that this just man Jesus comes from Bethlehem, from the house of David, as the wise men calculated. This means that he really is the prophet for whom the people of Israel have been secretly waiting for a long time.

A little time will pass, and Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea, Samaria and Idumea, will begin to talk about the new prophet, to whom the insolence uttered by Jesus, recorded by people specially sent for surveillance, was reported. It turned out that in many places where he visits, he gathers crowds of people around him to openly condemn the lawyers and Pharisees, and he also says boldly:

“Don’t 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 gives such surprisingly simple, but such evasive answers to all provocative questions that it becomes difficult to convict him of a crime.

“By all appearances, he is an intelligent, but dangerous man,” noted the learned Pharisees, conducting anxious conversations in their homes. “It would be necessary to send to him the most dexterous, most intelligent people who would be able to extract sedition from him in front of numerous witnesses, so that, if necessary, they would be able to accuse him with evidence in hand.”

Pontius Pilate in Giotto di Bondone's fresco "The Flagellation of Christ"

Some of those denounced by Jesus only nodded their heads when they heard the name of their ill-wisher, while others called out:

“We should ask several of his disciples, whom we saw in the city the other day, about his plans.” They are all in joy that their teacher is close.

– How close is it? - the household members of the speaker asked worriedly.

- On the way to Jerusalem... Let him go, but let him not see or think that he poses a great danger to us. We will be able to defeat all the arguments and thoughts of this Nazarene, we just have to try.

Already approaching Jerusalem, the prophet sent two apostles accompanying him to the city so that they would visit Simon, asking him for shelter. Martha, who had long been filled with curiosity, encouraged by Lazarus, joyfully began to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. It was assumed that the prophet and his disciples would be in the city during the day and return to the suburbs, to Bethany, to spend the night. So Mary was destined to meet this amazing person, called the Son of God. However, the prepared meeting took place under the strangest, most unfavorable circumstances... So says most sources telling about the life of Mary Magdalene, presenting 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 “translation” into Greek 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 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 line 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: Annunciation), and through her to her husband Joseph.

Jesus and Pilate. Artist Nikolay Ge

Yeshua (Joshua) Meshiya contains the concepts: God and salvation, the anointed messiah; however, this man entered the history of Christianity and human history 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 life path was accused of inciting rebellion against the Roman Empire and was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate.

I hope many have heard about such a strange process as channeling, meaning receiving information from a certain Higher Mind (Messengers, etc.) through a “channel” through an earthly person. Among us live so-called contactees, through whose mouths certain higher powers speak. According to Pamella Kriebe, she had contact with Jesus, Mary Magdalene and some others historical figures. This is what the disembodied Jesus “told” 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 and I am not the Jesus of the religious scriptures. I am Yeshuaben Joseph. I lived as a person of flesh and blood. And I reached Christ consciousness before you, but I was supported by forces beyond my current understanding. My coming was a cosmic event, and I placed 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 the God-like man who emerged 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 a curious 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, this 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. After all, among the virtual debaters there are many well-read and thoughtful people. And they are concerned about the same questions as many of us.

Evangelist:– Why is Jesus Christ considered a Jew? After all, if you carefully delve into the genealogy, He was not a Jew by blood: Mary was a Galilean on both her father and mother (Akim and Anna), who were not Jews. The names of the parents and the name Maria are by no means Jewish. Joseph, as you all know, was the named father. The appearance of Christ was also not at all 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 scripture: “King of the Jews” do not at all indicate the nationality of Christ. I think making Jesus Jewish was beneficial to the church, which is still based on the Old Testament.

Blueberry: – I think Jesus Christ is considered a Jew because through the Jews Jesus was revealed to the world.

Alex095:– First of all, Mary’s name was Miriam. She was Jewish, like all her relatives. From childhood to adolescence she worked on decorating the Temple. Do you think they could have allowed a non-Jewish woman there? She was a Galilean by place of residence.

Fedor Manov: – The real name of Yeshua’s mother is Miriam, she is from the tribe of Levi, from the family of Aaron. That is, from a priestly family. I think 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 the Divine and Human Natures were united. He is God manifested in the flesh. And just according to the flesh He was a Jew; “that is, the Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law, and the worship, and the promises; theirs are the fathers, and from them is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all, 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 this is a family close to the Jewish one.

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

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

Evangelist: – If Joseph was a real father, then it follows that you do not recognize the divine nature of Christ?! If so, then what is there to argue about...

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

Kadosh2: – The Gospels state that Mary is a relative of John the Baptist’s mother Elizabeth, who was from the tribe of Levi, like his father Zechariah. And Joseph, a Jew from the tribe of Judah, could not take another woman as his wife. tribal affiliation. 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. That's all! It is high time to clear the minds of some Christians who have lost their heads over the “divinity” of the entire Jewish people.

Ivanpetja: – In fact, Jesus was not a Jew. He was born and lived in a family that lived in Nazareth. Just like today, there was no Jewish spirit in this town. The inhabitants professed 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. But 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), Mariam (Mary) are not only Jewish, but also Syrian.

Panorama of Bethlehem from Jerusalem. Photo 1898

Troll: – I recognize every person who is created in His image and likeness as a divine creation. 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 themselves to the extent of their closeness to God.

The Gospels present Jesus Christ as an extraordinary person throughout his entire life: from his 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 about 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 David was indeed the ancestor of Jesus. And since Gabriel talked with Mary, and not with Joseph, there is reason to assume that Mary herself belonged to the family of David. For the father of the child was supposed to be the Holy Spirit, and not the woman’s husband.

However, in Luke we find information that Joseph’s genealogy also goes back to the same King David - but this is not surprising, because among Jews, consanguineous marriages have always been common. The child in this family is born miraculously through an immaculate conception. As we all know well, the appearance of the exceptional baby Jesus, born in a stable, being praised by a host of angels, is like a fairy tale. Shepherds and wise men come to worship him, the bright star of Bethlehem moving across the sky indicating their path to his dwelling.

Having learned about the appearance of the Messiah, the Jewish king Herod the Great, in fear for his power, orders the extermination of all 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, learning of the death of Herod, return to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee, in Northern Palestine. Then, over the course of seven years, Jesus’ parents moved with him from city to city, and everywhere the glory of miracles performed followed him, among which are the following: people were healed, died and were resurrected at his word, wild animals were humbled, inanimate objects and even water came to life. The full-flowing Jordan parted. As a twelve-year-old child, Jesus amazes with his thoughtful answers the teachers of the laws of Moses, with whom he talks in the Jerusalem temple. However, then, for some mysterious reasons, “He began to hide His miracles, His secrets and sacraments, 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 (around 30 AD), and the Holy Spirit descends on him, which leads him into the desert. There, for forty days, Jesus fights the devil, rejecting three temptations one after another: hunger, power and faith. Upon returning from the desert, Jesus Christ begins preaching work. He calls his disciples to him and, wandering with them throughout Palestine, proclaims his teaching, interprets the Old Testament Law and performs miracles. The work of Jesus Christ unfolds mainly in the territory of Galilee, in the vicinity of Lake Gennesaret, also known as Lake Tiberias, but from time to time he visits Jerusalem... On one of these visits, our heroine Maria met an amazing teacher.

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her!”

The 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:

- Harlot!

Following the consciousness-stunning words, stones were thrown at her. Some of the attackers grabbed her by the arms, others by the hair, to drag her to an unknown place for savage reprisals. Maria screamed in horror at the top of her lungs.

At some point, she realized that she had been dragged to the square, and just a moment ago the empty space began to be filled with mobs 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 wanting to deal with her. The woman wriggled her whole body, trying to escape from the hands of the cackling, excited executioners.

And only one person did not show visible curiosity; he was sitting high on the step of the white marble staircase of the magnificent temple standing on the same square. His look would be peaceful and calm, and his neatly combed, slightly wavy hair would shine gold in the sun. Harmony and divine purity were visible in 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 movement, he raised his hand to attract attention and thereby intervene in what was happening. But he immediately stopped his gesture when he saw the Pharisees running towards him in red vestments. This development of events could only mean one thing: they want to drag him into another adventure, force him to make decisions that would diverge from the opinion of the majority. And do this in front of a large crowd of witnesses. Otherwise, why would the bureaucrats need him?

Jesus winced with annoyance and, feigning indifference, bowed down, as if thinking about something of his own.

Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. Artist Gustave Doré

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

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

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 again at the unfortunate creature, and although her bare arms and neck were bruised, and her face showed signs of violence, she was still beautiful, and her thick luxurious hair, located at arm's length from him, smelled of expensive oils. Her strong breasts, hidden under a pale blue tunic, heaved heavily, and she trembled all over, like a hunted doe. And her ankles, covered in the golden braid of her sandals, shook and twitched slightly. The woman did not lower her gaze, as if she was waiting for the verdict, realizing that her fate depended on this beautiful stranger, pondering every word inside himself.

Jesus stood up, a quiet, calm smile running across his lips. And, turning to those gathered, he said, with subtle irony, quietly but firmly:

- He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her!

The smiles faded on the cunning faces of the Pharisees and the mob, realizing that there would be no reprisal, retreated in amazement at the simple answer heard even in the back rows.

Christ and the sinner. Artist Jacopo Tintoretto

Gradually, people, clearly disappointed, but at the same time looking at each other meaningfully, dispersed to attend to pressing matters. And soon there was practically no one left on the steps of the temple, and in the entire square, except Jesus and the girl, still seized with a slight trembling. 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 has judged you? And I'm not your judge. Go in peace and sin no more.

She smiled gratefully, afraid to ask his name, and knowing in her heart that she already knew the name of this strange gentleman, then she turned, intending to leave the steps. He, clearly touched by her appearance, called out:

Maria turned around to accept from his hands the cape he held out to cover her tattered clothes.

A previously unknown tenderness crept into the girl’s heart. And tears of gratitude rolled down her cheeks, bathed in a gentle blush. He, as if not noticing anything, headed towards the gates of the temple and soon disappeared behind the colonnade.

End of introductory fragment.

Saint Mary Magdalene

Saint Mary Magdalene was from Syria, from the Magdala Mountains and the city of Magdala, which is why she had such a nickname. She was possessed by seven unclean spirits and suffered from demonic demons. When the rumors spreading everywhere about the wonderful Healer of all diseases, walking in the surrounding countries of Galilee, reached Mary, she hastened to go meet the One who works wonders and signs. The Savior also showed His mercy over her: He healed her not only from cruel bodily suffering (see: Luke 8:2), but also saved her soul, bringing her out of the disastrous darkness of ignorance, enlightening her mind with the knowledge of the truth and faith in Him, the Son God, sent from God the Father to save the world. And this Mary, the blessed disciple of Christ, became His follower, surrendering to Him with all her soul, and to the end she served Him with the other holy women, heeding His teaching about eternal life, loving with all her heart the One who preaches about love. She did not leave Him even during his suffering. She stood at the Cross together with the Most Pure Virgin Mother of God, weeping bitterly, and with other holy women who looked at the suffering of Christ and wept, consoled and supported as much as possible the inconsolably weeping Mother of Christ Immaculate, exhausted from heartache (see: Matt. 27, 55–56; John 19, 25).

And among these wives, the first holy evangelist calls Mary Magdalene, since she really sympathized with the suffering Christ more than others and sympathized with His grieving Mother, falling with a sob to the one taken down from the cross and washing His most pure wounds with tears.

And just as during His life she relentlessly followed Him, so she wanted to serve the one who died and was laid in the tomb, as His faithful disciple, and was the first to hasten to bring expensive fragrant myrrh, prepared for pouring on the body of the buried one, according to Jewish custom. And not once, but three times she came to the tomb of the Divine Dead - and twice she was rewarded with the vision of the risen Savior who appeared to her (see: John 20: 1-2; Matt. 28: 1).

The first time was early in the morning, when, having conquered her feminine fear, she came there (together with another Mary) and, seeing the stone rolled away from the tomb, hurried to return and announce to the disciples Peter and John that “the Savior was taken from the tomb.” And when, warning each other, they hurried to the Holy Sepulcher, Saint Mary Magdalene followed them and went there a second time. When those two disciples, seeing only burial shrouds in the tomb, left, then Mary, who could not tear herself away from the place where she had placed the shrine and treasure of her heart, remained there, as if still waiting for the One for whom all her soul yearned her, and, bending over His empty tomb, sobbing, she said: “They took my Lord and I don’t know where they laid Him.” But suddenly, looking back, she saw the Lord Himself standing and, not recognizing Him, asked Him, mistaking Him for a gardener: did he take the body of Jesus and where did he put it? And when Christ called her by name: “Mary!” - then she recognized Him and bowed at His feet, although He forbade her to touch Him, saying: Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; go to My brothers and tell them: I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God(see: John 20, 11–17). And having heard these words, Mary Magdalene went and announced them to the other disciples. All this happened early in the morning (see: Mark 16:2), before the sun rose. The third time Mary came with other myrrh-bearing women at dawn on the very first day, and when, after a vision of an Angel who told them that Christ had risen and that they would see Him in Galilee, they hastily returned, frightened and joyful, then Jesus met them on the way, he said to them: Rejoice! Do not be afraid, go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me(Matt. 28:10).

In these three visits to the Holy Sepulcher, the warmth of Mary Magdalene’s love was expressed, which inspired her, above all others, with an incessant desire for her Teacher, although deceased. And the Lord loved her and honored her first with His appearance after the Resurrection (see: Mark 16:9). And the first witness of the Resurrection of the Son of God also became His first evangelist. After His ascension, He traveled through many countries, preaching about Christ, just like the holy apostles. In Rome, appearing before Emperor Tiberius, Saint Mary Magdalene presented him with a red egg with the words: “Christ is risen!” Then she told the emperor about the Savior’s suffering on the cross. The offering of an egg was generally perceived at that time as an expression of joy. Since the time of Saint Mary, the exchange of eggs between Christians on the day of the Resurrection of the Lord has become a custom.

Having left Rome, Saint Mary Magdalene arrived in Ephesus, where she stayed with the holy Apostle John the Theologian and there, sharing with him the apostolic preaching and labors for the salvation of human souls, in the blessed Assumption she reposed before her Lord and was laid at the nativity scene entrance (in which they subsequently fell asleep seven holy youths).

During the reign of Leo the Wise (889–912), the holy relics of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the monastery of St. Lazarus.

From the book The Bible in Illustrations author's Bible

Mary Magdalene at the tomb. Gospel of John 20:11-13 And Mary stood at the tomb and wept. And when she cried, she leaned into the tomb, and saw two Angels, sitting in white robes, one at the head of the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus lay. And they say to her: wife! Why are you crying? Tells them:

From the book Sophia-Logos. Dictionary author Averintsev Sergey Sergeevich

From the book Questions for a Priest author Shulyak Sergey

4. Was Mary Magdalene a sinner? Question: Was Mary Magdalene a sinner? Was she a sinner before Jesus Christ cast out seven demons from her? In the West, her image is interpreted as a repentant sinner, but nowhere in the Gospel texts have we found this

From the book 100 Great Biblical Characters author Ryzhov Konstantin Vladislavovich

6. How did Mary Magdalene die? Question: How did Mary Magdalene die? Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) answers: After the resurrection of Christ, the saint Mary Equal to the Apostles Magdalene evangelized in Rome and other Italian cities. It includes the words of St. Apostle Paul:

From the book 1115 questions to a priest author section of the website OrthodoxyRu

Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (she was a native of the city of Migdal-El) was one of the most ardent and most faithful followers of Christ. We have already given the few information that the Gospels provide about her above in the story about Jesus. Neither in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, nor

From the book The Explanatory Bible. Volume 9 author Lopukhin Alexander

From the book Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene [Followers of Jesus in History and Legends] by Erman Barth D.

Was Mary Magdalene a sinner? Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was from the Galilean city of Magdala (tribe of Issachar), located on the western shore of Lake Gennesaret, near Capernaum. She is mentioned by all four evangelists.

From the book A Guide to the Bible by Isaac Asimov

How did Mary Magdalene die? Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) After the resurrection of Christ, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene preached the gospel in Rome and other Italian cities. It includes the words of St. Apostle Paul: Greet Miriam, who worked hard for us (Rom.

From the book Orthodox Saints. Miraculous helpers, intercessors and intercessors for us before God. Reading for salvation author Mudrova Anna Yurievna

From the book Orthodox calendar. Holidays, fasts, name days. Calendar of veneration of icons of the Mother of God. Orthodox fundamentals and prayers author Mudrova Anna Yurievna

61. And Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. (Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55, 56). A reference to the women mentioned in verse 56. While the other women left, the two Marys sat opposite the coffin, watching the burial take place. But Luke tells

Mary Magdalene Among the women who saw the crucifixion was Mary Magdalene: Matthew 27:55–56. There were also many women there, watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving Him; among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Josiah, and the mother

From the author's book

Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene, Myrrh-Bearer (I) August 4 (July 22, O.S.) Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women: Mary Magdalene, Mary of Cleopas, Salome, Joanna, Martha and Mary, Susanna and others; righteous Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - 3rd Week (Sunday) after EasterOn the shore

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Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene, Myrrh-Bearer of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women: Mary Magdalene, Mary of Cleopas, Salome, Joanna, Martha and Mary, Susanna and others; righteous Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - 3 Week (Sunday) after Easter. On the shore of Lake Gennesaret, between

From the author's book

1.3. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene was born in the Galilean city of Migdal-El and lived at the same time as Jesus Christ. She was brought to Jesus for healing - Mary Magdalene was possessed by seven demons. After Jesus healed the sick woman, she

Mary Magdalene is rightfully considered the most mysterious character in the New Testament. We know nothing about her childhood, her parents, or her loved ones. We know nothing about her life either. In any case, none of the four Gospels can tell us how this woman lived after her execution Jesus Christ...

When there is little information, they make it up. The Fathers of the Church also had to think about this information when the question arose: to make the aforementioned Mary a saint or not?

Since Mary Magdalene was the first to behold the risen Christ, it was difficult to get rid of this character. And she was canonized, but... under special conditions - by attributing to the unfortunate woman actions and deeds that she had never committed! In the church understanding, the holiness of Magdalene was expressed in the fact that she turned from a great sinner into a great righteous woman.

One and a half thousand years have passed, and modern researchers of Magdalene’s life did exactly the opposite with her: they made a great sinner out of a great righteous woman and declared that this was wonderful. Who exactly was this extraordinary woman?

Entity multiplication

Mary first appears in the Bible when Jesus cast out seven demons from her. Having been healed, the woman followed the Savior and became one of His admirers.

Mary of Magdala was a wealthy woman; she willingly took on Jesus' expenses. When Jesus was captured and sentenced to death, she was present at the execution along with two other Marys - the mother of Christ and the sister of Lazarus. She participated in the burial of Jesus and anointed His dead body with Myrrh.
It was she who came to the cave where Jesus was buried and discovered that His body had disappeared. And it was she who first saw the risen Christ and told the apostles about him. It was also mentioned that she visited Rome, where she also spoke about Christ.

Nothing more can be extracted from the New Testament. But besides the four canonical Gospels, there are several that are not recognized by the church, that is, non-canonical. These Gospels were rejected by the church because of their Gnostic (teachings hostile to Christianity) origin and content.

In the first centuries, when Christianity had not yet formed into a world religion, some Christians shared the views of the Gnostics, who affirmed the knowability of God and the possibility of acquisition by any person through knowledge of the divine essence. In the Gnostic Gospels, Mary of Magdala was given a very important role. She was considered the beloved and most faithful disciple of Christ. Mary herself was the author of one of the Gospels - the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

Judging by this text, Mary of Magdala was most interested in the question of posthumous transformations of the soul. It is not for nothing that the non-canonical Gospels claimed that this woman became the founder of a philosophical Christian community and her own church. Of course, official Christianity smeared these Gospels as dangerous and incorrect. And it offered a completely different image of Mary of Magdala.

From student to student

It didn’t take much effort to turn a faithful student into a representative of the first ancient profession. It was only necessary to unite with Mary of Magdala all the women mentioned but not named in the New Testament.

The first candidate to complement the image of Magdalene was the woman who washed Christ’s feet with myrrh and wiped them with her hair. Another candidate is the woman who anointed Christ's hair. The third is the harlot whom Jesus saved from stoning and who followed him. As a result, unnamed women easily turned into the already famous Mary of Magdala.

The image of the improved Mary became like this: before, she walked around with a painted face and loose hair and engaged in prostitution, but Jesus saved her from death, cast out demons from her, which should be understood as vices, and Mary became a virtuous and faithful companion of the apostles.

Somewhere in the background of the Gospels she was with Susanna, John and Salome. Only the mother of Jesus, in view of her complete purity and divine inspiration, was allowed to take a place next to Jesus, and only because He was her son.

Orthodox Christians had a simple attitude towards women: they were all daughters of Eve, who succumbed to temptation in paradise and thus burdened humanity with original sin. Mary of Magdala simply repeated the path of Eve, but in the opposite direction - she was cleansed from sin by her faith. And when Christians in the fifth century appeared Saint Mary of Egypt, who in her earthly life actually engaged in fornication, but repented, the image of Magdalene was completed. They say she is a harlot and nothing else.

The kiss that offended the apostles?

Centuries have passed. In 1945, famous scrolls written in Coptic were found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt. These were the same texts not recognized by the church that miraculously survived the period of struggle against heresies. Here it was unexpectedly revealed that Jesus called Mary of Magdala his beloved disciple and often kissed her on the lips.

And the other disciples were very jealous of Christ and even demanded an explanation from him why he singled out this Mary to the detriment of the others. Jesus responded to this allegorically and evasively. Modern researchers immediately had a nasty suspicion that Jesus did not kiss Mary of Magdala as a disciple...

Mary Magdalene embraces the cross on which the Savior was crucified. She could not hug Jesus during life, but she could after death. In all the paintings and icons, she worries about the death of the Savior more than any of the apostles

Researchers were quick to note that Jesus did not just kiss Mary, but often on the lips. The peculiarity of such kisses in the 20th century was clear as day. There were two options why Jesus kissed Mary on the lips - either He lived with his disciple in sin, or He was simply married to her.

The sinful relationship somehow denigrated the name of Jesus. Well, Jesus having a wife did not contradict the Jewish laws of that time; on the contrary, a man of Jesus’ age was simply obliged to have a wife! But while in the sixth century it was possible to turn Magdalene into a harlot based on the text, in the twentieth century it became impossible to turn Jesus into a married man. More than one generation of theologians has worked on the purity and integrity of His image!

So He couldn’t have any wife, because He wasn’t supposed to. And to the question of why Jesus kissed Mary Magdalene on the lips, they began to answer with murderous logic: because in the first century it was customary among Christians to kiss each other on the lips. But the essence of the question still eluded those who answered: why then did Jesus do this so often that the other disciples were offended and indignant?

Mother of Jesus' Heirs

And then a revelation appeared from British historians and archaeologists Baigent, Ley and Lincoln, “The Sacred Riddle,” where Magdalene was declared not only the companion, disciple and wife of Jesus Christ, but also the mother of His children.

In general, there is nothing surprising in the existence of children married man No. If, of course, it weren’t for the man’s name. But in early Christian times, such versions existed safely. Let's say some features are to blame for this knightly era. Even the name of Mary Magdalene was deciphered as “Mary of the city of Magdal-El,” which in turn was simply translated as “Mary of the city with towers.” Images of Mary from Magdala were readily complemented by the turret in the background.

In that wonderful era, apocryphal (hagiographical) texts appeared that depicted Magdalene’s life as follows. She was the spiritual wife of Jesus and through virgin birth gave birth to his son Joseph the Sweetest. This baby became the ancestor of the royal house of the Merovingians. To save the child, Magdalene had to flee to Marseille. But soon she earthly life ended, and Jesus took her to heaven in the Bridal Chamber.

There is another legend. According to her at Magdalene had two children- boy and girl: Joseph and Sofia. Magdalene lived to a ripe old age and was buried in the south of France.

Although Magdalene is mentioned only 13 times in the New Testament, after she was declared a saint, holy relics of Magdalene also appeared. Bones, hair, coffin chips and even blood. There was a desperate struggle for the relics of Magdalene, and in the eleventh century there was even a period that historians call the “Magdalene ferment”! Mary Magdalene was worshiped not only by the Albigensian heretics, but also by the Knights Templar. It is not for nothing that the knightly Baphomet personified the “baby Magdalene” Sophia, that is, Wisdom. But already in the Renaissance, the image of the repentant Magdalene became the favorite image of artists. As the time goes, so do the images and relics.

Nikolay KOTOMKIN
"Riddles of History" November 2012

The Holy Grail is a symbol of immortality, spiritual purity, the door to heaven, the cosmic principle, inspiration, renewal and rebirth, a way of communicating with the spiritual world, the mystical center of the Earth. The search for the Grail symbolizes the desire for self-realization and merging with the Divine.

The mystery of the Holy Grail is one that will never be solved. You can only touch it. We don't even know what the Grail was. His image, dimly visible through the curtains of centuries, appeared to people different eras in different ways: in the form of a vessel, bowl, casket, precious stone.

The legend of the Grail arose in the 12th century, seemingly suddenly. Its appearance is associated with the chivalric novels of Chrétien de Troyes and Robert de Boron about King Arthur. Wolfram von Eschenbach undertook the continuation and at the same time “correction” of them a century later, at the beginning of the 13th century, under the leadership of a certain Kyoto, who allegedly found in Toledo the original source of the legend, written in Arabic by a pagan astrologer named Flegetan.

Earlier documentary references to the Grail, dating back to the 8th century, describe it as a vessel studded with precious stones, shining so dazzlingly that the flames of candles dim next to it.

. Descent from the Cross. 15th century / DESCENDIMIENTO ARAGONES (S.XV)

More ancient European legends say that the Grail is a sacred cup with divine blood. The vessel carved from a solid emerald, from which Jesus drank with his disciples during the Last Supper with the words “this is my blood,” after the arrest of Jesus was first handed over to Pilate, and later filled with the blood of the crucified Jesus Christ and preserved by Joseph of Arimathea.

According to the Gospel text, a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea, removed the body of Jesus from the cross and buried it in a tomb-tomb he prepared for himself not far from Golgotha. According to the apocryphal “Gospel of Nicodemus,” Joseph served the Roman governor, and therefore his request to remove the dead body was not refused, and at the same time they gave the found vessel.

. Giovanni di Paolo (c.1400-1482) Lamentation of Christ, 1445 / GIOVANNI DI PAOLO DI GRAZIA. Il Lomento. 1445. settemuse.it. Mary Magdalene in a red dress with her hair down.

When Joseph, with the help of the Gospel Nicodemus, removed the body of Jesus, blood flowed again from the wound inflicted by the centurion’s spear, and it was collected in this vessel.

. Limburg brothers. The magnificent book of hours of the Duke of Berry "Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry", 15th century / Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 157r - The Entombment the Musée Condé, Chantilly. Clickable via

After the resurrection of Christ, the Jews accused him of secretly stealing his body and threw him into prison. According to legend, the resurrected Jesus came there and returned the vessel with the precious blood to Joseph, calling it the “chalice of communion.” Only after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans was Joseph released from prison: he spent all these years without food or drink, miraculously fed from the Holy Grail.

After his release from prison, Joseph gathers a community around him, and together they go to distant lands.

According to legend, Joseph of Arimathea arrived on the southern coast of France in 35 AD. He then crossed Gaul, crossed the strait, and landed in England, where he settled at Glastonbury and founded a monastery. It preserved the legend about the wonderful vessel brought by Joseph and the famous Round Table created for him, which became the prototype of King Arthur's Round Table.

. Joseph of Arimathea brings the Holy Grail to Britain. Miniature from the 14th century. / The Rochefoucauld Grail, a 14th century manuscript, Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica, MS 1 via1 via2
Joseph of Arimathea brings the Holy Grail to Britain by passing through water. Joseph's followers walk to the Grail on the surface of the water using Joseph's cloak. While the unbelievers drown.

At the same time, on the southern coast of France, for many centuries there was a legend that the Grail was brought to Marseille by Mary Magdalene, her sister Martha, brother Lazarus and Dionysius the Areopagite. Local residents revered Mary Magdalene as a close and devoted friend of Jesus, the myrrh-bearing wife who was the first to see Christ after the resurrection. They considered her the founder of true Christianity and the “mother of the Grail,” which, as the old legend tells, she hid in a cave until her death.

. Mary Magdalene carries a vessel with myrrh. Morning of the Day of the Resurrection of Christ.
Jean Colomb (1430/35 - 1493), Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry. Marginal miniature, 1485-1486.

. Mary Magdalene and Jesus. "Don't touch me!" Jean Colomb (1430/35 - 1493), Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry. Marginal miniature, 1485-1486. / "NOLI ME TANGERE"

There are two versions about what became of Mary Magdalene after the ascension of the Teacher - Greek and Latin.

According to Greek authors of the 7th century, together with the Apostle John and the Mother of God, she settled in Ephesus, where she died and was buried. In 869, the Byzantine Emperor Leo the Philosopher ordered the body of Mary Magdalene to be transferred from Ephesus to Constantinople to the Church of St. Lazarus. In 1216, the crusaders who sacked Constantinople captured her remains and brought them to Pope Honorius III, who ordered them to be placed in the Lateran Cathedral under the altar in honor of the saint.

According to the Latin version, Mary Magdalene, together with Lazarus and sister Martha, fleeing persecution, reached the south of France to Provence by sea, where the travelers landed between Marseille and Nîmes. Maria settled in a “grotto of solitude” among rocky cliffs near the village of Sainte-Baume - “Holy Fragrance”. It was named after the incense with which Mary Magdalene anointed the body of Jesus during the Last Supper. [here I didn’t understand why “during the Last Supper” apparently means in Simon’s house - approx. gorbutovich]

. Christ in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Mary Magdalene wipes Jesus' feet with her hair after anointing them with chrism. Giovanni da Milano, 14th century (active 1346-1369), Italy.

Here she preached Christianity and died here in 63. Mary Magdalene was buried in the Abbey of Saint-Maximin, located 30 miles from Marseille.

In the 13th century, her tomb was opened, and, according to legend, an alabaster vessel was discovered containing the remains of dried blood, which Good Friday became liquid. At that time, there was an opinion that this was the same vessel of incense mentioned in the Gospel, with which Mary Magdalene anointed the feet of Jesus before wiping them with her hair.

. "Don't touch me!" Martin Schongauer (1448-1491), Germany / MAGDALENA MARTIN SCHONGAUER - NOLI ME TANGERE

The remains were transferred to the city of Vezelay, and a huge cathedral was erected in her honor at the new burial site. In 1267, King Louis the Saint was present when the remains of the saint were transferred from one shrine to another, richer one. And later, during the Great french revolution, they were barbarically destroyed.

This legend was persistent in the south of France. The Cluny Museum houses a 15th-century painting attributed to King René of Provence, Saint Mary Magdalene Preaching the Word of God in Marseilles.

#10. Carlo Crivelli (1430/35-1495), Italy. Mary Magdalene.

In the 13th century, many legends about St. Mary Magdalene were reflected in the famous “Golden Legend” - the lives of saints collected by the Genoese archbishop Jacopo de Voragini. It was first published in Latin, and later in French.

#11. Jan Gossaert, called Mabuse, Netherlands, around 1530

Like early Christian authors, he identifies Mary Magdalene not with the gospel harlot, but with Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, resurrected by Jesus. The Golden Legend says that “Mary Magdalene was born of noble parents who came from a royal family. Her father's name was Sirus, her mother's name was Eucharia. Together with her brother Lazarus and sister Martha, she owned the Magdala fortress next to Gennesaret in Bethany, near Jerusalem, and a significant part of this city. This entire vast domain was divided in such a way that Lazarus had part of Jerusalem, Martha had Bethany, and Magdala itself belonged to Mary, and hence her nickname Magdalene.”

“After the Ascension of the Lord,” writes Voragini, “those faithful to him were subjected to severe persecution, and the Jews, wanting to get rid of Lazarus, his sisters and numerous Christians, put them on a ship without a rudder and sails; but, led by an angel according to the will of God, they landed in Marseilles.”

#12. Master of the German school. Ascension of Mary Magdalene. I draw attention to the clothes of the Saint.

In another place it is indicated that Joseph of Arimathea was also on the ship along with the sisters Mary and Martha and brother Lazarus.

Interestingly, this sea voyage is depicted among other scenes from the life of Jesus’ beloved disciple on the left side of the altar in the southern German city of Tiefenbronn. So, it would seem, the different stories of Joseph of Arimathea and Mary Magdalene merge into a single one.

In honor of Saint Mary Magdalene, revered as the enlightener of Gaul and Frankia, in various regions of southern France back in early Middle Ages many temples and chapels were erected. The majestic basilica, founded in 1096 in Wezelay, also went down in history with the call of Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux to the Second Crusade. It was here in 1146 that he called on King Louis VII, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, knights and people to move to the East to protect Christian relics.

#13. Giovanni Pietro Rizzoli (worked 1495-1549), Italy. Reading Magdalene.

The cult of Mary Magdalene became especially widespread in the town of Rennes-le-Chateau in the province of Languedoc, where a large temple built in her honor was painted with wonderful frescoes about the life of the saint. In Languedoc traditions, Mary Magdalene is referred to as “Lady of the Waters” and “Mary of the Sea.”

#14. Jan Massys (Matsys or Metsys; c. 1509-1575), Flemish mannerist artist. Mary Magdalene in a cave with a vessel and a book.

The life of Mary Magdalene still excites the imagination of many scientists and writers. Let's remember Dan Brown's scandalous novel The Da Vinci Code. His intrigue is based on the fact that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and their descendants continued his family tree in Western Europe.

#15. Mary Magdalene. Byzantine icon.

One can also say that her mysterious image captures the idea of ​​searching for eternal femininity; it is not without reason that, according to some legends, she was also the earthly embodiment of Sophia the Wisdom of God.

Tatyana Mikhailovna Fadeeva - Candidate of Historical Sciences, leading researcher at the Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

#16. Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) Galahad reaches the Holy Grail / Edward Burne-Jones. Achievement Galahad the Sang Graal. via

Source of images unless otherwise noted.