Celebrating the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene: Apostle to the Apostles and Witness of the Risen Christ

July 22 (July 22/August 4, Old Calendar)

In the life of the Church, few figures shine as radiantly as Saint Mary Magdalene, whose feast day we celebrate with deep reverence and joy on July 22. Honored in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Equal-to-the-Apostles (ἰσαπόστολος), Mary Magdalene is more than a biblical character remembered for her faithfulness, she is a living example of transformation, devotion, and apostolic courage. Her life and ministry continue to echo into our own, calling us to live as witnesses of the Risen Christ in our broken and often darkened world.

Who Was Saint Mary Magdalene?
Mary Magdalene, so named for her town of origin, Magdala, a village along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, was one of the most faithful and courageous followers of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Luke (8:2) tells us that she had been delivered from “seven demons,” a phrase often understood by the Church Fathers not merely in terms of demonic possession, but symbolically, as a complete deliverance from a life of spiritual bondage. Her healing and restoration by Christ marked the beginning of a radical transformation in her life.

From that moment on, Mary Magdalene became a devoted disciple. Along with other women, she followed Christ during His public ministry, provided for Him and His apostles out of her own resources, and remained faithful even when many others fled in fear (Luke 8:2–3, Mark 15:40–41). It is this unwavering fidelity that places her prominently at the foot of the Cross, when most of the apostles had abandoned their Lord.

The First Witness of the Resurrection
One of the most striking elements of Mary Magdalene’s story is her encounter with the Risen Christ. According to the Gospel of John (20:11–18), it was Mary who came early to the tomb and found it empty. In her grief, she remained, weeping. It was in that moment, out of her sorrow and love, that the Risen Christ appeared to her, calling her tenderly by name, “Mary.”

This moment is profoundly theological and pastoral. Mary, the one healed by Christ, becomes the first person to see the risen Lord. She is the first to hear the glorious message of the Resurrection, and she is commissioned by Christ Himself to “go to My brethren and say to them...” (John 20:17). This is why the Church calls her Apostle to the Apostles, not because she held apostolic authority in the way of the Twelve, but because she was the first to bear the message that would become the foundation of the Christian faith: Christ is Risen!

Her Ministry and Life After Pentecost
While the canonical Gospels do not follow Mary Magdalene beyond the Resurrection narrative, Eastern Orthodox tradition holds that she remained a faithful proclaimer of the Gospel. According to Holy Tradition, she later traveled to Rome and spoke with Emperor Tiberius, presenting him with a red egg, a symbol of the Resurrection, and proclaiming, “Christ is Risen!” This symbolic act forms the basis of our tradition of sharing red eggs at Pascha, a living testimony to Mary Magdalene’s proclamation of the Resurrection.

She is also believed to have traveled and preached in various parts of the Roman Empire, including Ephesus, where she is said to have joined Saint John the Theologian in ministry. Her life became one of tireless witness to the power of Christ’s mercy, resurrection, and eternal truth.

How Her Witness Impacts Us Today
In today’s world, where confusion, despair, and spiritual apathy seem to dominate so much of human life, Saint Mary Magdalene offers Eastern Orthodox Christians a powerful example of renewal and courage. Her life teaches us:

1. The Power of Repentance and Healing: Mary’s transformation reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of Christ’s mercy. The Church is not a sanctuary for the perfect, but a hospital for sinners. Her story challenges us to confront our own spiritual wounds and entrust them to the healing hands of the Savior.
2. Faithfulness Amidst Fear: When the apostles fled, Mary remained. When Christ died, she stood vigil. In a time when many abandon the Church under pressure or distraction, her example urges us to remain steadfast, especially in our darkest hours.
3. Apostolic Courage: Mary Magdalene was entrusted with the Gospel at a time when women’s testimony held little public weight. Yet, she obeyed and bore witness boldly. In our era of cultural secularism and hostility toward Christian belief, we too are called to bear witness, not timidly, but with the fearless confidence that comes from encountering the Risen Lord.
4. Proclaiming the Resurrection: Her cry, Christ is Risen!, is not just for Pascha. It is the message of our faith, our hope, and our future. Like Mary, we must proclaim it in our homes, our workplaces, and in every act of compassion and mercy we offer to the world.
5. Honoring the Role of Women in the Church: Saint Mary Magdalene exemplifies the high calling of women in the life of the Church, not in competition with the apostolic hierarchy, but as faithful bearers of the Gospel, teachers, intercessors, and ministers of Christ’s love. Her veneration as Equal-to-the-Apostles stands as a sacred affirmation of the dignity of women in the life of Orthodoxy.

Celebrating Her Feast
On July 22, the Church honors Saint Mary Magdalene with hymns filled with joy and theological depth. In the Orthodox tradition, her icon often shows her holding a red egg or a myrrh vessel, reminding us of her role among the Myrrh-bearing Women and her witness to the Resurrection. Churches dedicated to her, from Mount Athos to Jerusalem to Constantinople and beyond, ring with her praise.

To celebrate her feast is to not only remember her life but to renew our own witness. It is a call to become “myrrh-bearers” in our time, offering the sweet fragrance of faith, compassion, and sacrificial love to a world that still waits outside the tomb in tears.

Final Reflection
Saint Mary Magdalene is not a relic of the past but a living example of discipleship, repentance, courage, and unwavering love. Her life is woven into the very fabric of the Orthodox Church’s understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ.

As we celebrate her feast, may we, like her, seek the face of Christ with all our hearts. May we hear Him call us by name in prayer, in the Eucharist, and in the quiet of our hearts. And may we go forth, proclaiming the Gospel, not only with our lips but with our lives: Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, pray to God for us!
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