The Story of Mary Magdalene and the Red Egg. Saint Mary Magdalene: “I saw the Lord! How Mary Magdalene died

In 63 BC, the famous commander of Pompeii, after a bloody three-month war, took Jerusalem by storm and subjugated Judea to the Roman Republic. By ordering the destruction of the walls of Jerusalem and imposing tribute on the Jews, he nevertheless left them political autonomy. However, in order to weaken the conquered country, the Romans divided it into five independent regions.

In 37 B.C. one of the rulers of the Jews - Herod the Great - managed to obtain the royal title from the Roman Senate. For forty years he ruled all of Palestine. After the death of Herod the Great in 4 A.D. Emperor Augustus divided the country between his three sons: Archelaus (4-6 years) received Judea, Samaria and Idumea, Herod Antipas (4-39 years) - Galilee and Perea, Philip (4-34 years) - Trachonitida with adjacent

and areas. But none of them inherited the royal dignity of their father. In the 6th year, Archelaus was exiled by Augustus to Gaul for his cruel treatment of his subjects, and his possessions were turned into an imperial province, which began to be ruled by governors with the rank of procurator.

The governors of Judea commanded the army, collected taxes and acted as a judge with the right to pass death sentences, which was forbidden to the Sanhedrin. The procurators reported directly to the Roman governors of Syria.

Procurator Pontius Pilate

The Roman state, formally respecting the religious beliefs of the Jews, nevertheless repeatedly tried to introduce its pagan traditions in the conquered country. One of these attempts is associated with the names of Sejanus and Pilate, Roman officials who lived under the emperor Tiberius (14-37).

Christ before Pilate. Mihaly Munkacsy, 1881

Lucius Elius Sejanus reached the pinnacle of power under Tiberius. He led the elite imperial guard - the Praetorian Guard, created under Augustus. Detachments of Praetorians numbering up to ten thousand people under Sejanus became the basis of the capital's garrison, and he himself gradually acquired a huge influence on the emperor and on the entire course of state affairs. However, some argued that Tiberius simply used the cruel and arrogant Sejanus in his own interests, with his help eliminating people he did not like. Nevertheless, Seyan was so carried away by power that he dreamed of an imperial crown. And he not only dreamed, but even undertook something to fulfill his desire. So, he promoted people loyal to himself to various government positions. One of these henchmen of Sejanus was Pontius Pilate, who received the post of procurator of Judea. He became the fifth ruler of Judea and led it from 26 to 36.

Arriving at the place of his new appointment, Pilate quickly realized that, as a viceroy, he had almost unlimited power. The Sanhedrin, on the contrary, by that time already had very limited rights and was mainly engaged in religious and court cases. Moreover, the procurator could freely cancel his decisions. Even the high priest was appointed by the governor on behalf of the emperor. Pilate did not fail to take advantage of this position. Soon he and his officials became famous for hitherto unheard-of venality, greed and cruelty. They ruined many rich families, and executed those who were dissatisfied without any investigation or trial. The procurator himself, among these outrages, enjoyed life on the Mediterranean coast in the city of Caesarea in Palestine. Here, in the magnificent palace of Herod the Great, was the official residence of the Roman governors.

King Herod built Caesarea for about twelve years and it acquired its final form shortly before the birth of Christ. For the improvement of the city, erected in honor of Emperor Augustus, the king did not spare money. A convenient and extensive harbor was built. Luxurious palaces and public buildings were erected from white marble. The Temple of Augustus was erected on the highest hill. A theater was built to amuse the people, and a huge amphitheater overlooking the sea was built outside the city. The underground sewer network of Caesarea amazed contemporaries with its grandiosity. However, Herod the Great, probably, could not have imagined that the fruits of his construction activities would be used not by his heirs, but by Roman officials.

It was from here, from Caesarea, that one day Pilate ordered his troops to go to winter quarters in Jerusalem. Simultaneously with the order to relocate, the detachment commander was ordered to secretly bring Roman banners into the Jewish capital. At that time, they were poles, decorated on top with figures of eagles, under which metal disks with portraits of the emperor and generals were attached on a shaft. Pilate's order was a political move aimed at opposing the power of Rome to the religious Jewish law, which strictly forbade the depiction of people and animals in any form. The people of Israel lived in an environment of pagans who worshiped idols, and this prohibition prevented the adoption of alien customs by the Jews. Of course, in Palestine occupied by the Romans, this rule was almost universally violated, since the conquerors brought statues of their gods, paintings, and pagan symbols to many cities. However, in spiritual center Israel - in Jerusalem - the ancient prohibition was strictly observed. Even the proud Roman legions entered the city gates, having previously removed from their battle standards everything that annoyed the Jews.

The Roman detachment entered the city at night. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, waking up in the morning and seeing the hated images of the emperor on their streets, were furious. The townspeople were ready to tear apart the pagans who desecrated the Holy City, but, fearing retribution, rushed to Caesarea with a petition. On the way, they carried away a myriad of peacefully working villagers. Serenely dozing Caesarea met this screaming, roaring, bubbling human sea with slight surprise and genuine interest.

Now it is impossible to establish the truth exactly, but there was a strong opinion among contemporaries that Pilate drove the Jews into a frenzy, following the instructions of Sejanus, who wanted to establish the cult of the emperor in Jerusalem at all costs. However, many attributed the action taken personally to Pilate, who with pleasure did various dirty tricks on the Jews. Whatever it was, but the invasion of Orthodox Jews completely upset the secular life of the provincial center. Having received a refusal to satisfy their demands, all the Jews threw themselves on the ground in front of the residence of the procurator and remained in this position for five days, annoying the Caesareans with their continuous lamentations. On the sixth day, Pilate could not stand it and decided to teach the troublemakers a lesson. They were gathered on a large square, ostensibly to discuss the problem and make a fair decision. However, instead of measured speeches, the dumbfounded Jews heard jerky commands to Latin and saw with their own eyes the famous battle formations of the Roman legionnaires, who in the blink of an eye surrounded them with a triple ring. Pilate ascended a specially prepared platform and announced that henceforth the imperial images would be in Jerusalem, and all those who were dissatisfied would be punished. The roar of indignation drowned out the last words of the governor, and those assembled began to express their indignation in a sharp form. Pilate gave a sign with his hand, and the soldiers drew their swords with a menacing look. There was graveyard silence, against which Pilate's words were clearly heard that everyone who does not quickly get out of Caesarea will be chopped into small pieces by the glorified Roman sword. And here something happened that did not fit the procurator's imagination: the Jews, as if by agreement, as one, fell to the ground in front of him, bared their necks and shouted:
- Kill us, but we will not cross the divine law.

Pilate was confused and, to hide his embarrassment, hastily left. Soon he gave the order to remove the banners from Jerusalem and bring them back to Caesarea. The conflict was settled. However, this was not Pilate's last insult to the religious feelings of the Jews.

Emperor Tiberius and Mary Magdalene

Emperor Tiberius

Emperor Tiberius ruled the Roman state for 23 years. It was during his reign that our Lord Jesus Christ preached, worked miracles, died on the cross, resurrected, and ascended to Heaven. AT last years During the life of the emperor, the Church was concentrated mainly in Jerusalem, but some of Christ's disciples were already sowing gospel seeds outside the Holy City. Thus, the myrrh-bearing Mary Magdalene, the first to see the risen Lord, went to Italy with a sermon. Mary Magdalene was accompanied on her journey by her friends Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus the Four Days. In addition to preaching the Gospel, the disciples of Christ wanted to inform Tiberius about the events that had taken place in Jerusalem, on the edge of his vast empire.

Despite the difficulties, in Rome, women managed to approach the elderly ruler. Mary Magdalene, seizing the opportunity, handed the emperor an egg dyed red, and said:
- Christ is risen!

Tiberius was familiar with the eastern custom of presenting gifts with symbolic meaning. Seeing before him a commoner from the east, he showed indulgence to her immediate act and asked what her gift and greeting meant.

Mary explained that the egg symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the future resurrection of the dead. Just as a chick, having thrown off its shell, begins a new existence, so a person who believes in Christ will shake off the shackles of death and be reborn for eternal life. The red color of the egg is reminiscent of the blood of Jesus shed for the salvation of people.

Tiberius liked the woman's answer, and, to the surprise of his entourage, he began to listen to her story with interest. The preacher inspiredly told the emperor about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. She bitterly told how He was slandered by the Sanhedrin and crucified by order of the procurator Pontius Pilate. Ecstatically, Mary announced the resurrection of Jesus and His appearance, first to her, and then to many who believed in Him.

Emperor Tiberius lived a long, turbulent life. An experienced commander and a dissolute voluptuary, an outstanding statesman and a cynical intriguer, he combined in his soul both the valor and the vices of Rome. The simplicity and sincerity of a woman from a distant province touched his withered heart, and something awakened and stirred in him from contact with her fiery faith.

Pilate's message

Friends told Pilate that some walkers from Jerusalem were talking to the emperor. They talked about a certain Christ and complained about the procurator because he illegally condemned an innocent person to death. Pilate pondered: what position to take? The Sanhedrin hated Jesus because of religious differences, and now persecutes His disciples. The persecution is under the guise of accusations of Christ and His followers in opposition to the imperial power.

However, the teachings of Jesus, no doubt far from politics, are spreading and gaining many supporters among the Jews. Of course, let the Jews sort out their own religious issues, but after all, the elders managed to draw him, the procurator, into these disputes, and the followers of Jesus began and, probably, will not stop complaining about him to the emperor. Tiberius is cunning and cruel, he closely observes the activities of provincial officials. In such a situation, it would be better to bring to the attention of the emperor everything that is known about Christ.

Roman officials informed the emperor about all important events in the life of the areas entrusted to them. Therefore, Pontius Pilate in his letter informed Tiberius that he considered it necessary to tell about Jesus of Nazareth. He wrote about the things he did miraculous healings the sick, the crippled, and the resurrection of the dead. The Jewish nobility, however, began to hate the Miracle Worker and raised popular indignation against Him. To avoid riots, he, Pontius Pilate, was forced to give Jesus into the hands of fanatics, although he did not find any fault in His actions. At the present time, throughout Palestine, there is a rumor about the resurrection of Jesus, and many have believed in Him as God.

Tiberius, having read the procurator's report, remembered the Jewess who had already told him about all this. Only her speech, in contrast to the cold, clerical tone of the message, was full of spiritual fire and living faith. Yes, apparently, in the East, the new doctrine is spreading very intensively, if the procurator considers it necessary to inform about it in a special report.

The emperor once again carefully read Pilate's message, and his impression of the meeting with Mary Magdalene intensified. Everything he heard and read about Jesus Christ he liked very much. Tiberius decided to include Jesus in the pantheon of Roman gods. At a meeting of the Senate, he made a corresponding proposal, but unexpectedly met with resistance from the senators.

The once all-powerful Senate during the reign of Tiberius finally lost its former power. It became a place where decisions made by the emperor alone were almost automatically given legal status. However, some secondary state functions still remained under the jurisdiction of the Senate. The descendants of the ancient patrician families, who sat in the Senate, were weary of the role of silent extras and sometimes allowed themselves, however very tactfully, to remind the emperor of their presence.

This time, Tiberius was faithfully informed that, according to the law, the candidacy of a new god must be approved by the senators by voting, but they cannot proceed with this procedure, since they had not previously considered this issue. The patricians satisfied their own pride, making it clear to the emperor that he, although a little, was dependent on them. Tiberius was offended, and the senators did not wait for him to ask him to discuss his proposal. As noted by the famous Christian writer of the II-III centuries. Tertullian in his Apologetics, "Tiberius held his own and threatened with death those who denounced Christians." Eusebius Pamphilus, finding the highest meaning in the actions of the emperor, explains them from a spiritual point of view: “Heavenly Providence planted this thought in him with a special purpose, so that the gospel word would first pass unhindered throughout the earth” (18).

One of the most famous female figures in Orthodoxy is Mary Magdalene, with whom both a lot of reliable information and conjectures of various researchers are associated. She is the main among, and she is also considered the wife of Jesus Christ.

Who is Mary Magdalene?

A devoted follower of Christ who was a myrrh-bearer is Mary Magdalene. A lot of information is known about this saint:

1. Mary Magdalene is considered equal to the apostles, and this is explained by the fact that she preached the Gospel with particular zeal, like the other apostles.
2. The saint was born in Syria in the city of Magdala, which is the reason for the nickname known all over the world.
3. She was next to the Savior when he was crucified and was the first to exclaim "Christ is Risen!", holding Easter eggs.
4. Mary Magdalene is myrrh-bearing, because she was among those women who, on the morning of the first day of Saturday, came to the Tomb of the Risen Christ, bringing with them myrrh (incense) to anoint the body.
5. It is worth noting that in Catholic traditions this name is identified with the image of a harlot who repented, and Mary of Bethany. A large number of legends are associated with it.
6. There is information that Mary Magdalene is the wife of Jesus Christ, but there is not a word about this in the Bible.

What did Mary Magdalene look like?

There is no clear description of what the saint looked like, but traditionally for Western art and symbolism they represent her young and very beautiful girl. Her main pride was long hair and she always has it loose. This is due to the fact that when a girl poured Christ's feet with the world, she wiped them with her hair. More often than usual, Mary Magdalene, the wife of Jesus, is depicted with her head uncovered and a vessel of incense.

Mary Magdalene - life

In her youth, calling a girl righteous would not turn her tongue, because she led a depraved life. As a result of this, demons entered into her, which began to subjugate her to themselves. Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was saved by Jesus, who cast out demons. After this event, she believed in the Lord and became his most faithful disciple. Much is associated with this Orthodox figure. important events for believers who are described in the Gospel and other scriptures.

Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene

Holy Scripture tells about the saint only from the moment she became a disciple of the Savior. This happened after Jesus delivered her from seven demons. Throughout her life, Mary Magdalene maintained her devotion to the Lord and followed him until the end of his earthly life. On Good Friday, together with the Mother of God, she mourned the dead Jesus. Finding out who Mary Magdalene is in Orthodoxy and how she is connected with Christ, it is worth pointing out that she was the first to come to the tomb of the Savior on Sunday morning to once again express her loyalty to him.

Wanting to pour incense on His body, the woman saw that only the burial veil remained in the tomb, and the body itself was gone. She thought it had been stolen. At this time, Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection, but she did not recognize him, mistaking him for a gardener. She recognized him when he addressed her by name. As a result, the saint became the one who brought the good news to all believers about the resurrection of Jesus.

Children of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene

British historians and archaeologists, after their research, announced that the saint was not only a faithful companion and wife of Jesus Christ, but also the mother of His children. There are apocryphal texts that describe the life of Equal to the Apostles. They tell that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a spiritual marriage, and as a result of an immaculate conception, she gave birth to a son, Joseph the Sweetest. He became the ancestor of the Merovingian royal house. According to another legend, Magdalene had two children: Joseph and Sophia.

How did Mary Magdalene die?

After Jesus Christ was resurrected, the saint began to travel the world to preach the gospel. The fate of Mary Magdalene brought her to Ephesus, where she provided assistance to the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. According to church tradition, she died in Ephesus and was buried there. The Bollandists claimed that the saint died in Provence and was buried in Marseilles, but this opinion has no ancient evidence.

Where is Mary Magdalene buried?

The tomb of the Equal-to-the-Apostles is located in Ephesus, where John the Theologian lived in exile at that time. According to legend, he wrote the 20th chapter of the Gospel, in which he tells about the meeting with Christ after his Resurrection, under the guidance of the saint. Since the time of Leo the Philosopher, the tomb of Mary Magdalene has remained empty, since the relics were transferred first to Constantinople, and then to Rome in the Cathedral of John Lateran, which after a while was renamed in honor of the Equal-to-the-Apostles. Some parts of the relics are in other churches in France, Athos, Jerusalem and Russia.

The Legend of Mary Magdalene and the Egg

Traditions are associated with this holy woman. According to existing tradition, she preached the gospel in Rome. In this city, Mary Magdalene and Tiberius, who was the emperor, met. At that time, the Jews observed an important tradition: when a person first comes to famous person, then he should definitely bring him some kind of gift. Poor people in most cases offered vegetables, fruits and eggs, with which Mary Magdalene came.

One of the versions tells that the taken holy egg was red, which surprised the ruler. She told Tiberius about the life, death and resurrection of Christ. According to another version of the legend "Mary Magdalene and the egg", when the saint appeared to the emperor, she said: "Christ is risen." Tiberius doubted this and said that he would believe it only if the eggs turned red before his eyes, which happened. Historians doubt these versions, but the people have a beautiful tradition with a deep meaning.

Mary Magdalene - Prayer

Thanks to her faith, the saint was able to overcome many vices and cope with sins, and after her death she helps people who turn to her in prayer.

1. Since Mary Magdalene conquered fear and unbelief, those who want to strengthen their faith and become more courageous turn to her.
2. Prayer appeals in front of her image help to receive forgiveness for the sins committed. Women who had an abortion ask her for repentance.
3. The prayer of Mary Magdalene will help protect yourself from bad addictions and temptations. People turn to her with to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
4. The saint helps people get protection from magical influence from the side.
5. Consider her the patroness of hairdressers and pharmacy staff.

Mary Magdalene - interesting facts

A lot of information is associated with this famous female figure in the Orthodox faith, among which several facts can be distinguished:

1. Saint Mary Magdalene is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament.
2. After the church declared the woman a saint, relics from Magdalene appeared. These include not only relics, but also hair, chips from the coffin and blood. They are distributed throughout the world and are found in different temples.
3. There is no direct evidence in the known texts of the Gospel that Jesus and Mary were husband and wife.
4. The clergy assure that the role of Mary Magdalene is great, because it was not for nothing that Jesus himself called her his “beloved disciple”, because she understood him better than others.
5. After the appearance on the screens of various films related to religion, for example, The Da Vinci Code, many had various doubts. For example, there are a huge number of people who believe that on the famous icon "The Last Supper" next to the Savior is not John the Evangelist, but Mary Magdalene herself. The Church assures that such opinions are absolutely groundless.
6. Many pictures, poems and songs have been written about Mary Magdalene.

Saint Mary Magdalene was the first person to proclaim to the world about the resurrected Christ. She is an image of true devotion to the Lord, living faith and spiritual purity. memory of a saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary celebrated on August 4th.

Mary Magdalene was from Galilee, from the city of Magdala - hence her nickname. She was young and beautiful. From the Gospel we learn that the Lord cast out seven demons from her, from which she suffered, apparently from childhood. She, having heard about Christ, came to Him in her illness and, being healed, followed Him, because she had a grateful and pure heart. She was with the Lord not only in His glory, but also in suffering - Mary Magdalene faithfully followed Him to Golgotha, wept at the Cross, and was the first to come to the Tomb after Saturday.

“Mary stood at the tomb and wept,” we read in the Gospel of John in the penultimate chapter. She just cried. Unable to survive her grief, she sobbed, a weak and defenseless, fragile woman. She was not frightened when she saw the angels who appeared to her - misfortune so blinded her that she no longer reasoned. When asked by the Angels why she was crying, Mary somehow childishly, naively and touchingly complains that “they have carried away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid Him” (John 20, 13). She did not recognize Jesus Christ Himself. Tears filled her eyes. She asks Him, thinking that it is the gardener: “Sir! If you have carried him, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him." Then Jesus calls her by name and she recognizes Him... Can we imagine what was going on in Mary's heart at that moment? What joy lit up her soul, scorched by unbearable grief! Easter joy. She hurried to the disciples, languishing in confusion and ignorance, and for the first time announced the good news: “Christ is Risen! I saw Christ."

Mary Magdalene after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ continued to serve Him, helping the Apostles. According to legend, the saint fearlessly preached the gospel in Rome. There she appeared to the emperor Tiberius, known for his hardness of heart, and presented him with an egg as a gift. Mary told him about Christ: His teachings, life, suffering and death - about how the Savior became incarnate, suffered for us and resurrected. But the emperor just laughed and said that no one can be resurrected from the dead, it is as hard to believe as it is that an egg can turn red. In an instant, according to God's providence, the egg turned crimson, reminiscent of the Blood of Christ, with which the human race was redeemed. It is believed that since then a tradition has appeared to give each other painted eggs on Easter, symbolizing a mysterious and awakening life, faith in the coming Resurrection.

Then Mary Magdalene went to Ephesus, where she helped the Apostle and Evangelist John. According to legend, she passed away and was buried here. Under Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher in the 9th century, the incorruptible relics of St. Mary Magdalene were transferred from Ephesus to Constantinople. Today, part of her relics are in France, parts are in various monasteries of Athos and Jerusalem.

The Orthodox Church sacredly honors the memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene. Moreover, in Orthodoxy she is not identified with the image of the gospel sinner and harlot, as, for example, in Catholicism. Unfortunately, the name of St. Mary is overgrown with various legends, myths and simply "beautiful" tales that distort her bright image. Until now, the details of her life cause controversy in pseudo-scientific circles. But for every believing person, she remains an equal-to-the-apostles, holy myrrh-bearing woman, our intercessor before the Lord, a fearless and devoted follower of Christ, who with unshakable steadfastness fulfilled the Lord’s call: “Take up your cross and follow me” (Matt. 16, 24) .

The name of Mary Magdalene is almost one of the most famous biblical names for modern man. Unfortunately, they only glorified him among a wide range of people. Numerous articles are written on this topic, films are made ...

But in fact, the story of the harlot Mary, who was the wife of Jesus, is not new: back in the 3rd century, there was a legend among Gnostic heretics about the beloved of Christ, who kept all His words and teachings. Over time, new and new details appeared, gradually formed into a legend that from the marriage union of Jesus and Mary, the Merovingian family eventually descended - the keepers of elite knowledge and magical techniques that Christ himself allegedly owned.

The Church has nothing to do with this dubious legend. She knows a completely different Mary Magdalene and reveres her for completely different merits.

The Elder Gives the Himation to Mary Magdalene. Fresco by Giotto in the Magdalene Chapel of the Lower Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, 1320s.

sinner

Strictly speaking, we know little about Magdalene. She was born in the city of Magdala near Capernaum on the western coast of Lake Tiberias in Galilee. The gospel says almost nothing about her past, and this delicate silence of the Bible gave rise to two versions in the circle of researchers.

The first group of theologians, predominantly Eastern, is inclined to see in Mary one of the women healed by Christ, who, having got rid of her illness, left everything and followed the Galilean Preacher. The Gospel, as it were, casually says that Magdalene was possessed - the Savior cast out seven demons from her. What is an obsession? This is a terrible state when a person is in varying degrees under control. dark forces. In its extreme form, obsession leads to complete submission to the demonic will, so getting rid of such a terrible disease is perceived by an unfortunate person as a second birth into the world. This liberation became a holiday for Mary as well. It is likely that the woman's gratitude to Christ was so great that she decided to devote her whole life to the Lord.

The second, Western, group of researchers identifies Magdalene with a harlot whom Christ saved from being stoned, and who committed a very touching deed - when Jesus dined with one of the Pharisees, she fell at His feet, began to pour expensive fragrant oil on them, wash them with tears and wipe with luxurious strands of your hair. The gospel contains three references to this episode. At least one of them is attributed to Mary.

The fact that she could be a woman of easy virtue is also evidenced by her nickname: the word "magadella" in the Talmudic tradition means women with curled hair. It was the getters who were engaged in this kind of decoration. However, St. Dmitry of Rostov, the largest Russian systematizer of the lives of the 18th century, spoke out against considering Mary a corrupt woman. The scientist's argument is simple: if Magdalene had a tarnished reputation, Christ's opponents would not fail to take advantage of this. But for all their hatred of the Savior, the Pharisees never convicted Him of having a former harlot among the apostles.

But all these are just versions. Only one thing is clear - after meeting with Christ, Mary's life changed dramatically. She completely left her former way of life, whatever it was, and became an inseparable companion of Jesus, helping Him and His disciples. A careful reading of the Gospel shows that she was not the only disciple of the Savior - several other women walked with Him. All of them were the closest relatives of the apostles, whose duties included creating an elementary minimum of everyday amenities for members of the apostolic community.

Pupil

Among the disciples of the Savior, Mary occupied special place. She is most often mentioned by the evangelists, talking about the companions of the apostles. At first glance, such an elevation of one woman over others looks very suspicious. But an unprejudiced reading of Scripture shows that the respect shown to Magdalene by other members of the early Christian community was justified. She was loved for such a sincere and ardent devotion to Christ, which, at first, even many apostles did not have. And it is no coincidence that the Lord honored Mary to be the first to see Him resurrected.

Unlike most of the disciples, who on the day of their Master's execution fled, frightened, back in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples were not afraid of being seized by soldiers, torn to pieces by a mob, or accused of complicity in the crimes that were attributed to Jesus. Their love was greater than fear. It was they who followed the Savior to Calvary, were there until the very moment of His death. It was they who took His body down from the cross, mourned it, and wrapped it in burial cloth. And they, together with John the Theologian, Joseph and Nicodemus, saw their Teacher on his last journey. Did they believe that Christ would rise again? Hardly... Only the Most Pure Theotokos had such faith, who was given the opportunity to penetrate with her heart into the secrets of the economy of her Son. The rest were in a very depressed state. The world suddenly collapsed for them, and the apostles did not know what to do next. They were shocked and confused.

But if men succumbed to despondency and fear, then women acted differently. They knew that Christ was dead, they understood that nothing could help Him. And yet their love was so great that they decided to give Christ the last tribute of respect - to anoint His body with myrrh - fragrant oil. According to tradition, this had to be done on the day of the funeral. But since Jesus was crucified on the eve of the Sabbath, the burial took place in a hurry: after all, on the Sabbath it was impossible to do any business. Christ was laid in a cave without washing and embalming, so when the Sabbath passed, the women hurried to complete the unfinished business. Why did they need it? Does the deceased need it? Reason would consider such things superfluous, but great love, which burned in the hearts of the students, said the opposite. She raised them in the middle of the night and called to the treasured cave. She seemed to be telling them: “Hurry! You will see a miracle, and your sorrow will be replaced by joy!

And the women vividly felt that they must go! They did not even think about how they would roll the heavy boulder from the entrance to the cave - they just went, guided by love alone. What happened next - everyone knows. The myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb and saw that the stone that closed the entrance lay at a distance, the burial bed was empty, and an angel was sitting on its edge. He told the women about the Resurrection. And again - a test! Another would not believe, would consider what he saw as hallucinations. And the myrrh-bearers believed! And they rushed into the city to tell the rest of the apostles about the miracle that had happened.

Magdalene learned the good news in a slightly different way than other women. She came to the tomb before everyone else and, seeing that it was empty, rushed to tell the apostles about it, believing that the body of Christ had been stolen. Returning to the tomb together with John and Peter, she no longer found either the rest of the myrrh-bearing women or the angel. Standing in confusion, the apostles left, and Mary was left alone, trying to somehow understand what was happening. And then, not far from the cave, she saw a man. Thinking that this is the owner of the vineyard located in the neighborhood, the woman began to question him, hoping that he would tell at least something about the fate of the stolen body. And in response, she suddenly heard her name:

“Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; go to my brethren and tell them, "I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God."

It was a direct blessing go to the sermon, and Mary went! She was the first to announce to the world that Christ had risen. At first, the apostles thought she was crazy. Some of them scolded her, some were sorry: you never know what the unfortunate woman could dream of after the grief experienced. But Magdalene did not look unhappy. On the contrary, she beamed with joy and repeated only one thing: "I saw the Lord." Later, when Christ appeared to all the apostles, they were ashamed that they did not believe Mary. And she began to testify to everyone even more strongly that the Lord had risen.

equal to the apostles

After the Lord finished his earthly ministry and ascended to heaven, Mary went to preach. Rome, the capital of the then world civilization, became the place of her feat. And wherever her word sounded, she repeated the same phrase: “I saw the Lord! He is risen!" The rumor about an unusual woman who preached in the city forums eventually reached the imperial palace. The ruler Tiberius decided to personally listen to what Magdalene was talking about. They met in the presence of many nobles, scientists and philosophers. At first, the conversation went on in a friendly atmosphere - the emperor liked the teaching that the Christians carried with them. But as soon as Mary reached the news of the Resurrection, the emperor's face was distorted with mockery, and he rapped dryly, pointing to the egg, which, according to custom, Mary brought to the palace as a gift:

“It’s more likely that this egg will turn red than the dead will come to life!”

Maria paused sadly, then calmly handed Tiberius her modest gift:

- Christ is risen! I saw Him alive!

The emperor was still smiling as he accepted the white egg from the hands of the myrrh-bearing woman. But after a moment, the face of the ruler froze in surprise, and he seemed to be speechless. In his hands, shimmering with purple hues, lay the same egg, which had changed its color from white to red. A moment later, the entire throne room was filled with astonished exclamations of “A miracle! Miracle!". The emperor, overpowering the stupor that seized him, said:

- Indeed, He is risen!

So, through the labors of a simple woman, Christianity spread throughout Italy. Having grown old, Mary moved to Asia Minor, where she peacefully ended her days in the house of John the Theologian, whom she helped in preaching. According to one of the legends, before their conversion to Christ, Mary and John were the bride and groom, but they never entered into marriage - John left everything, following the Savior. Mary had to go through a pool of sin before she became a Christian.

In the West, there is another version of the life of this holy woman. After the sermon, Mary went to Gaul - the current France. There she found a deserted place where she mourned her unlucky past for thirty years. Her clothes were decayed from time and dampness, and her nakedness was covered by long hair that reached to her heels. The ascetic was nourished by angels who carried her up to heaven every night, where she received reinforcements and could hear with her own ears the doxologies offered to God by angelic choirs. The sincere repentance and hard work of the ascetic were rewarded by the Lord - He cleansed her heart from sin and filled it with grace. Before her death, according to Western hagiographies, Magdalene was communed by a priest who accidentally wandered into her cave. He also buried the saint.

The relics of Mary in the early Middle Ages passed from one hand to another several times, until finally they found peace in Rome - in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Small particles of relics are also kept in many places in the Christian world.

On the screen saver: Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection. Ivanov A. 1834-1836

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles
MARY MAGDALENE

Mary Magdalene is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, one of the myrrh-bearing women, from whom the Lord cast out seven demons and who, after healing, followed Christ everywhere, was present at the Crucifixion and witnessed his posthumous appearance. According to legend, some time after the Crucifixion, Magdalene went to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary to John the Theologian and helped him in his labors.

The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was born in the city of Magdala, near Capernaum, on the shores of Lake Gennesaret, in Galilee, not far from the place where John the Baptist baptized. Remains ancient city have survived to this day. Now only the small village of Mejdel stands in its place. By the name of the city, Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary received her nickname Magdalene, to distinguish her from other pious wives mentioned in the Gospel with the name of Mary.

Mary Magdalene was a true Galilean. And a Galilean, a Galilean woman means a lot in preaching and establishing Christianity.

Christ the Savior Himself was called the Galilean, since He grew up and lived from infancy and then preached a lot in Galilee. All the first-called Apostles of Christ were Galileans, except for one Judas Iscariot, a traitor not a Galilean. Most of those who believed in the Lord immediately after His Resurrection consisted of Galileans. Therefore, in the beginning, all the followers of Christ the Savior were called "Galileans," since the Galileans perceived and spread the teachings of Christ more zealously than other Jews. The Galileans also differed greatly and sharply from the Jews of other regions of Palestine, just as the nature of Galilee differed contrastingly from southern Palestine.

In Galilee, nature was cheerful and the population was lively, simple; in southern Palestine - a barren desert and a people who do not want to recognize anything but the letter and form of rules. The inhabitants of Galilee readily accepted the ideas of the spirit of the law; among the Jews of Jerusalem, one routine appearance dominated. Galilee became the birthplace and cradle of Christianity; Judea was dried up by narrow Pharisees and short-sighted Sadducees. However, the Galileans did not start scientific schools, and therefore the proud scribes and Pharisees of the Jews called the Galileans ignorant and fools; for the obscure, indistinct distinction and pronunciation by the Galileans of some Jewish guttural letters, the Jewish rabbis did not allow them to read prayers aloud on behalf of the congregation and ridiculed them. The Galileans were ardent, sympathetic, impetuous, grateful, honest, brave, - they were enthusiastically religious, they loved to listen to teachings about faith and about God, they were frank, hardworking, poetic and loved the Greek wise education. And Mary Magdalene showed in her life many wonderful properties of her Galilean relatives, the first and most zealous Christians.

We know nothing about the first period of the life of Saint Mary Magdalene until the moment of her healing from seven demons by Jesus Christ (Luke 8:2). The cause and circumstances of her misfortune are unknown.

According to the Fathers Orthodox Church, the “seven demons” of St. Mary Magdalene are only God’s permission for her suffering from demonic spells that arose not even due to the sins of her parents or her own. But in this example, He showed to all others the miracle of the healing of Mary Magdalene as an act of the power and mercy of God, performed through His Messiah. And she herself, without these deep sufferings and healing from them, probably would not have experienced such a high feeling of love and gratitude for Christ and would have remained among many who sympathize with Him, marvel at His miracles or semi-formally professing faith, but without burning, without complete self-sacrifice.

Since then, the soul of Mary Magdalene burned with the most grateful and devoted love for her Savior Christ, and she already forever joined her Redeemer, followed Him everywhere. The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene followed the Lord when He and the Apostles passed through the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee preaching the Kingdom of God. Together with the pious women - Joanna, the wife of Khuza (the steward of Herod), Susanna and others, she served Him from her estates (Luke 8:1-3) and, undoubtedly, shared the evangelistic labors with the apostles, especially among women. Obviously, the Evangelist Luke, along with other women, is referring to her, saying that at the moment of Christ's procession to Golgotha, when, after the scourging, He carried the heavy Cross on Himself, exhausted under its weight, the women followed Him, weeping and sobbing, and He comforted them. The Gospel tells that Mary Magdalene was also on Golgotha ​​at the time of the crucifixion of the Lord. When all the disciples of the Savior fled, she fearlessly remained at the Cross together with the Mother of God and the Apostle John.

The Evangelists list among those who stood at the Cross also the mother of the Apostle James the Less, and Salome, and other women who followed the Lord from Galilee itself, but everyone calls Mary Magdalene the first, and the Apostle John, except for the Mother of God, mentions only her and Mary Cleopova. This indicates how much she stood out from among all the women who surrounded the Savior.

She was faithful to Him not only in the days of His glory, but also in the moment of His extreme humiliation and reproach. She, as the Evangelist Matthew narrates, was also present at the burial of the Lord. In front of her eyes, Joseph and Nicodemus carried His lifeless body into the tomb. In front of her eyes, they blocked the entrance to the cave where the Sun of life had set with a large stone...

Faithful to the law in which she was brought up, Mary, along with other women, remained all the next day at rest, for the day of that Sabbath was great, which coincided that year with the feast of Easter. But still, before the day of rest, the women managed to stock up on fragrances so that on the first day of the week they would come at dawn to the tomb of the Lord and Teacher and, according to the custom of the Jews, anoint His body with funeral aromas.

The Evangelist Matthew writes that the women came to the tomb at dawn, or, as the Evangelist Mark puts it, very early, at sunrise; Evangelist John, as if supplementing them, says that Mary came to the tomb so early that it was still dark. Apparently, she was looking forward to the end of the night, but, not waiting for dawn, when darkness still reigned all around, she ran to where the body of the Lord lay and sees the stone rolled away from the cave.

In fear, she hastened to where the closest apostles of Christ, Peter and John, lived. Hearing the strange news that the Lord had been carried away from the tomb, both Apostles ran to the tomb and, seeing the linen and folded kerchief, were astonished. The apostles left and did not say anything to anyone, and Mary stood near the entrance to the gloomy cave and wept. Here, in this dark coffin, her Lord lay so recently lifeless. Wanting to make sure that the coffin was really empty, she went up to him - and here a strong light suddenly shone on her. She saw two angels in white robes, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus was laid.

Hearing the question: "Woman, why are you crying?" - she answered in the same words that she had just said to the Apostles: "They carried away my Lord, and I do not know where they laid Him." Having said this, she turned around, and at that moment she saw the Risen Jesus standing near the tomb, but did not recognize Him. Apparently, her soul was too heavy, and tears covered her eyes with a veil, and He Himself did not immediately reveal Himself to her, as well as to the apostles who met Him on the way to Emmaus.

He asked Maria: "Woman, why are you crying, Who are you looking for?" She, thinking that she saw the gardener, answered: "Sir, if you carried him out, tell me where you put him, and I will take him." Mary Magdalene does not even mention His name - she is so convinced that everyone knows Him, everyone should be as convinced as she is that He is God, and it is impossible not to know Him. This absolute, childish, selfless faith in the Lord, complete and selfless love for Him does not allow her to think about how she, physically not too strong, can carry away His Body, although exhausted by the labors of earthly life, alone. And only when He calls her by name, she recognizes in Him her Teacher, and with this name on her lips she falls prostrate before Him, and He tells her not to touch Him, for he has not yet ascended to the Father, teaching her reverence for attitude to those Divine changes that happened to him after His wondrous Resurrection.

Mary Magdalene and the risen Jesus Christ

But it is to her that He trusts to bring to His disciples the news of His ascension to His Father and, having pronounced these words, becomes invisible, and the overjoyed Mary Magdalene runs to the apostles with joyful news: "I saw the Lord!" It was the first sermon on the Resurrection in the world.

The apostles were supposed to preach the gospel to the world, and she preached the gospel to the apostles themselves. That is why Saint Mary Magdalene is canonized as a Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Saint Gregory the Theologian finds in this a wonderful allusion: in Old Testament from the serpent the wife took the tempting mortal drink - the juice in the forbidden fruit - and gave it to the first man. The wife heard the Good News in the New Testament and proclaimed it. Whose hand deprived mankind of Eternity, the same one - through the centuries - brought him the cup of Life.
Traditions about the later life of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene are diverse. She accompanied the Mother of God and the apostles in their apostolic ministry on earthly paths. It is known that the tradition of exchanging krashenka for Easter is colored eggs also went from historical event associated with the stay of St. Mary Magdalene in Rome at the court of Emperor Tiberius, when she offered him a red egg with the same words: “Christ is Risen!” and told in a simple, heartfelt language about the entire history of the Lord's earthly life, about the wrong judgment upon Him, about the terrible hours of the Crucifixion and the sign that was at the same time, testifying then about His miraculous Resurrection and Ascension to the Father.

It was such a sincere sermon imbued with love for the Lord that Tiberius himself believed and almost numbered Christ among the assembly of Roman gods (!!!), which, naturally, the Senate opposed. Then the emperor issued a decree forbidding offending Christians and their faith, which greatly contributed to the further spread of Christianity - and this is also from the merits of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene before the Lord.

Thanks to Mary Magdalene, the custom of giving each other Easter eggs on the Day of the Light Christ's Resurrection spread among Christians all over the world. In one ancient handwritten Greek charter, written on parchment, stored in the library of the monastery of St. Anastasia near Thessaloniki (Thessalonica), there is a prayer read on the day of Holy Easter for the consecration of eggs and cheese, which indicates that the abbot, distributing the consecrated eggs, says to the brethren : "So we received from the holy fathers, who preserved this custom from the very times of the apostles, for the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene was the first to show the believers an example of this joyful sacrifice."

At first, Easter eggs were dyed red, but over time, the decorations became richer and brighter, and now Easter eggs have become not only part of the Easter meal that we prepare for consecration on Maundy Thursday, but also the subject of creativity - from folk wooden eggs to masterpieces of the most noble jewelers, for example, Faberge.

Mary Magdalene continued her evangelism in Italy and in the city of Rome itself. From Rome, Saint Mary Magdalene, already in her old age, moved to Ephesus, where the holy Apostle John worked tirelessly, who wrote the 20th chapter of his Gospel from her words. There finished the saint earthly life and was buried.

In the 11th century, under the emperor Leo the Philosopher (886-912), the incorruptible relics of St. Mary Magdalene were transferred from Ephesus to Constantinople. It is believed that during the Crusades they were transported to Rome, where they rested in the temple in the name of St. John Lateran. Later, this temple was consecrated in the name of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene. Part of her relics is in France, in Provage, near Marseille. Parts of the relics of Mary Magdalene are kept in various monasteries of Mount Athos and in Jerusalem, where in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives there is the marvelous beauty of the monastery of St. Mary Magdalene.

View of the Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem

The main temple of the monastery of St. Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem

Its main building is the church built in her honor by the Russian Emperor Alexander III on the advice of Archimandrite John Kapustin. In 1934, an Orthodox women's monastery arose around the church, founded by two Orthodox faith Englishwomen - nun Mary (in the world - Barbara Robinson) and Martha (in the world - Alice Sprott).

Troparion, tone 1:
For the sake of Christ, who was born from the Virgin, the honest Magdalene Mary followed you, keeping that justification and laws: the same day, your all-holy memory is celebrating, sins are accepted by your prayers.

Kontakion, tone 3:
The glorious one is coming at the Cross of Spasov with many others, and the Mother of the Lord is compassionate, and sheds tears, offering this in praise saying: that this is a strange miracle; contain the whole creation to suffer if you please: glory to your power.

Prayer of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene:
O holy myrrh-bearing and all-praise Equal-to-the-Apostles of Christ disciple Mary Magdalene! To you, as if more faithful and powerful for us to God as an intercessor, sinful and unworthy, now we diligently resort and pray in contrition of our hearts. You have experienced the terrible machinations of demons in your life, but by the grace of Christ you have clearly freed those, and deliver us from the network of demons with your prayers, but take us out in our whole life with our deeds, words, thoughts and secret thoughts of our hearts, we will faithfully serve the one Holy Sovereign God, like Esmas were promised to Tom. You loved the sweetest Lord Jesus more than all the blessings of the earth, and through all your life you followed him well, by His divine teachings and grace you not only feed your soul, but also bring many people from pagan darkness to Christ to the wonderful light; then we lead, we ask you: ask us from Christ God the grace that enlightens and sanctifies, yes, we overshadow it, we succeed in faith and piety, in the ascetic labors of love and self-sacrifice, and let us lazily strive to serve our neighbors in their spiritual and bodily needs, remembering the example of your philanthropy. You, holy Mary, cheerfully by the grace of God, have flowed your life on earth and peacefully departed thou to the abode of heaven, pray to Christ the Savior, that with your prayers he will make us unhesitatingly make our journey in this vale of weeping and in peace and repentance, end our life, and so having lived in holiness on earth, we will be honored with eternal blessed life in Heaven, and there with you and all the saints together we will praise the Indivisible Trinity, we will sing the One Divinity, the Father and the Son and the All-Holy Spirit, forever and ever. A min.