Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene was one of the followers of Jesus. Scripture said had seven demons cast out of her. She was present at the tomb when Jesus personally appeared to her at His resurrection.

Etymology
The name “Magdalene” is a transliteration of the Greek “Μαγδαληνή” (“magdalēnē”). It is a proper name which most likely means “of Magdala” or “from Magdala”. This means that Mary was likely from the town of Magdala which was a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Biography
Mary Magdalene is mentioned by name in all four of the New Testament Gospels.

Mary Magdalene followed Jesus and cared for his needs including providing financial support along with other women from Galilee. Luke lists Mary Magdalene amongst the women who followed Jesus who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. He specifically tells us that Mary had seven demons come out of her.

Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion of Jesus, watching from a distance, along with Mary the mother of Joses and James, Salome and other women who had come up from Jerusalem. It is notable, that even once the male disciples had deserted Jesus,  Mary Magdalene and the other female disciples stayed by his side.

The evening of Jesus’s death, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary watched as Joseph of Arimathea wrapped Jesus’s body, placed it in his own new tomb and rolled a large stone in front of the entrance.

On the following Sunday, Mary Magdalene went down to the tomb early in the morning and saw the stone rolled away. She ran and told Peter and the beloved disciple, who both ran to the empty tomb to see it for themselves. While Mary was weeping outside the tomb, she saw two angels stood inside the tomb who asked her why she was weeping. Mary answered that her Lord had been taken away. Then she turned around to see a man who also asked her why she was weeping. Mary presumed this man to be the gardener and told Him that she wished to take Jesus’s body away. At this point, the gardener said her name, “Mary”, and she instantly realised the man was Jesus. Mary called Him “Rabboni!” (which is Aramaic for “Teacher”). Jesus told her not to cling to Him but to go to the male disciples and tell them that He would be ascending to His Father.