Mary Magdalene - The Life and Legacy of the Woman Who Witnessed the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

Gustavo Vazquez-Lozano

Summary

“After that, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Mary Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out—and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” - Luke 8:1-3
 
Mary Magdalene is one of the most talked about figures in modern Christianity, a woman who mainstream media and modern sensibilities can hold with more conviction. The media, press, movie industry, and airport literature have been obsessed with this redhead for more than 100 years, a fascination that reached its climax in the first decade of this century, and does not seem likely to end any time soon. Mary Magdalene is frequently depicted as young and attractive, liberated and intelligent, a symbol of a freer spirituality, and not controlled by a male-dominated church. In the minds of many, she embodies opposition to a system dominated by old men in white cassocks, the "sacred feminine." As if that is not enough, she has the best bachelor in the world: Jesus Christ himself.
 
The French-made, fair-haired Mary Magdalene who appears in innumerable works of medieval and modern art with a red robe, a symbol of rebellion and freedom (although in the Middle Ages the intention was to show her as a loose woman), is a creation of the Western Church and, more recently, the media. It is a depiction laden with centuries of intertextual struggles, patronizing homilies, medieval legends, novels looking for bestseller status, and documentaries for cable television. But there was a historical Mary Magdalene, a woman named Miriam (Hebrew for Mary) born in Galilee in the time of King Herod, and she died, most likely in present-day Turkey, when Christianity was only a variant of Judaism. Mary Magdalene would not recognize herself in modern portraits or the perception the average Christian of the last 1500 years has of her. If there has been a search for the historical Jesus since the 18th century, the real man who walked in the hills of Galilee and died on a cross in Jerusalem, a similar quest is necessary for the historical Mary Magdalene, but not out of mere curiosity, because she is important in the narrative of Jesus’s life. If the early sources are accurate, Mary of Magdala was the first Christian in history, and the first to announce the fundamental kerygma of early Christianity: Jesus is risen!

Available since: 06/27/2025.

Print length: 38 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Where Ghosts Go to Die - Based...

Gaurav Garg

This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice.
Based on the shocking true story of the narco who curated his own capture.
In the sun-baked streets of Culiacán, the heartland of the Sinaloa Cartel, a young, brilliant architect named Rodrigo Rios is facing the quiet desperation of a life unfulfilled. Weighed down by debt and disillusioned with the legitimate world, he accepts an offer from his childhood friend, the son of the enigmatic cartel leader Isidro "El Viejo" Cardenas. The offer is simple: use his intelligence and quiet demeanor in service of the cartel. It is a choice that will lead him down a path of unimaginable power and spectacular ruin.
Christened "El Fantasma," Rodrigo sheds his old life and becomes the most feared and innovative commander in the organization. He forges an elite crew of assassins, Los Espectros, and wages a brutal war against his rivals. But his true genius lies not in violence, but in branding. He creates a public persona, "Comandante Fantasma," an anonymous narco-celebrity who broadcasts a life of impossible luxury and power on social media. His feed—a curated gallery of supercars, pet tigers, and custom weapons—becomes a viral sensation, making him a legend and a powerful recruiting tool for a new generation.
His rise, however, is being meticulously documented by an unseen enemy. In a windowless room in San Diego, DEA Agent David Miller sees the ghost’s digital footprint not as a myth, but as a trail of evidence. As Rodrigo’s fame makes him a target for both jealous rivals and the law, he is drawn into a high-stakes international game of cat and mouse, from the battlefields of Mexico to the luxury suites of Europe. Based on a shocking true story, Where Ghosts Go to Die is a relentless, action-packed thriller about a new kind of criminal for the modern age—a man who built a global empire on a social media account, only to discover that every post, every follower, and every ‘like’ was another bar in the cage being built around him.

Show book

Swimming Upstream - One man's...

Patsy Peril, Deirdre Nuttall

'Unlike me, the Atlantic wild salmon does not have a voice, so it cannot tell the story of why and how it has been driven to the point of extinction.'
Once, the River Shannon was teeming with wild salmon swimming upstream. But when the enormous hydro-electric station at Ardnacrusha was built in 1929, what began as the Free State's crowning achievement would have a devastating impact on the environment.
In this evocative and thought-provoking memoir, Patsy Peril recalls a life deeply entwined with Irish wildlife and embedded in the history of modern Ireland. From a childhood spent on the water to a national conservation campaign, Patsy has a lifetime of knowledge to share about the wild Atlantic salmon – and a plan to save it.

Show book

Balkan Bombshells - Contemporary...

Will Firth

A collection to whet the appetite of anyone wishing to learn more about a region rich in history, folklore and (her)stories. Telling it like a woman does not mean literature for women only: it provides an insight into half of humanity, a window onto the lives of citizens who work, love and develop their inner lives. This collection brings together the voices of a wide selection of prize-winning and established authors:
Balkan Bombshells brings together established Serbian and Montenegrin writers like Svetlana Slapšak, Jelena Lengold (winner of the EU Prize for Literature 2013), Dana Todorović and Olja Kneżević (author of Catherine the Great and the Small, Istros 2020), together with a select group of up-coming writers: Marijana Čanak (1982, Serbia): "Awakened" (Probuđena) follows the early years of a girl from a very simple background, who discovers she has extrasensory powers. A gruesome fascination with biology allows her to attend high school, where she ends up sewing a voodoo doll to take revenge on a molesting teacher. Marijana Dolić (1990, Bosnia-Herzegovina & Serbia): "Notes from the attic" (Zapisi iz potkrovlja), originally diary entries, are intense mediatations on faith, love and hope – poignant testimony to a struggle to cope in difficult times. Ana Miloš (1992, Serbia): "Peace" (Mir) portrays a woman struggling with disparate feelings after her only child dies. She has long since broken up with the child's father. She enjoys finally having time for herself, but she has to confront accusations of people around her that she is heartless. Once a mother, always a mother? Katarina Mitrović (1991, Serbia):"Small death" (Mala smrt). We are introduced to a fearful young woman who is far from happy with life, and we follow her on a summer holiday by the Adriatic, where a halfhearted romantic adventure takes a scary turn. Andrea Popov Miletić (1985, Serbia):|: excerpt from the novel Young pioneers, we are seaweed (Pioniri maleni, mi smo morska trava; 2019). This stand-alone excerpt is a poetic flashback to her childhood in the province of Vojvodina in the Yugoslav era, to holidays by the Mediterranean, and to feelings of belonging and home. Lena Ruth Stefanović (1970, Sebria/ Montenegro): "Zhenya" is a fragment from her 2016 novel Daughter of the Childless Man (Šćer onoga bez đece), is an entertaining meta-story about an ordinary woman in the late Soviet Union, whom the author decides to grant a new lease of life, so Zhenya studies languages, becomes a mondain writer and moves with her new husband to Montenegro, where the author loses track of her.

Show book

Bully Able Leader - The Story of...

George G Loving

This USAF pilot’s memoir “masterfully describes the progress of the war . . . [and] superbly chronicles the many close-support and interdiction missions.” —Air & Space Power Journal    This action-packed account by an American pilot and squadron commander in the Korean War reveals just what it was like to fly the F-80 Shooting Star against MiGs and ground targets. Using the radio call sign of “Bully Able Leader,” Lieutenant General George G. Loving flew 112 combat missions in five major campaigns from 1950–1951.  This well-written, first-hand account of life in the cockpit of a USAF fighter jet will appeal to aviation enthusiasts and military history buffs alike.   “Valuable insights of the flying environment that earmarked this first war of extensive use of jet combat aircraft.” —Col. Joe McCue, USAF (Ret.), Air Power History

Show book

Final Vows - Murder Madness and...

Karen Kingsbury

A New York Times bestselling author and former Los Angeles Times reporter chronicles the marriage between a Christian woman and an ex-con that ends in murder. 
 
 
  
When Carol Montecalvo began writing to a man in prison through a program at her church, she considered it her Christian duty. But the letters soon became her lifeline, something she actually looked forward to sending and receiving. She fell in love with the man behind the letters and just before Dan was released, they wed in the prison chapel. Their marriage lasted nine years, until the fateful night when Dan stoically called 911 to report his wife's murder. 
 
 
  
With a half-million dollar insurance policy riding on his wife's death, and a string of adulterous affairs in his past, Dan is the most obvious suspect. But is this former felon really guilty? Or could he actually be a grieving widower, in the wrong place at the wrong time? 
 
 
  
In this powerful true crime account of the gruesome murder and sensational trial that followed, New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury weaves an emotional story that leaves listeners guessing until the final, harrowing conclusion.

Show book

Untold Stories of Women Who...

Alexandra Shaw

Discover the incredible lives of women who broke barriers, defied societal norms, and left an indelible mark on history. In Untold Stories of Women Who Changed History, Alexandra Shaw brings to life the inspiring journeys of scientists, artists, activists, leaders, and unsung heroes who shaped the world as we know it. 
From the revolutionary discoveries of Marie Curie to the quiet courage of Rosa Parks, this audiobook celebrates the resilience, courage, and brilliance of women across time. Perfect for history enthusiasts, students, and anyone looking for inspiration, these stories are a testament to the power of determination and the impact of a single individual. 
Narrated with passion and insight, this audiobook invites you to explore the hidden corners of history and uncover the extraordinary contributions of women whose stories deserve to be told.

Show book