The Magdalene Review

Church of Mary Magdalene Tour

Here is something worth checking out. In Jerusalem, on the Mt. of Olives, there is a Russian Orthadox church, complete with large golden onion domes, that is dedicated to Mary Magdalene. I’ve never had the good fortune to visit (someday!), and I’ve always wanted to get a better look at it. There are a few photos scattered around online, but nothing fantastic.

Until now, that is.

GoJerusalem.com has just put up a virtual tour of the Church of Mary Magdalene. There is an interior 360-degree view and a view just outside what look to be the main doors. The lovely garden outside makes me feel like I’m sitting on the hill overlooking the city – it’s a magnificent view! Inside (the chapel?), be sure to point the view upward to get a look at the four Mary Magdalene paintings on each wall – two Noli Me Tangere scenes, a crucifixion with MM weeping at the foot of the cross, and my favorite, a painting that appears to be of Mary Magdalene appearing before Pilate in the legend of the red egg.

Be sure to take a look: The Church of Mary Magdalene — Virtual Tour!

MM as harlot: a new perspective in academia

From my book:

“Clearly, the legend of Helen is meant to be a Gnostic allegory for the fall of Sophia (which is in turn an allegory of the fall of the soul), but the parallels between Simon Magus and Jesus should also make us look more closely at the parallels between Helen and Mary Magdalene.

Both Helen and Mary Magdalene have represented Sophia’s presence in the physical world; wouldn’t the fact that Helen was incarnated as a prostitute have had some bearing on what was thought of Mary Magdalene’s pre-Jesus life as well? This is a question that hasn’t been fully explored by scholars, but as the studies of Mary Magdalene’s roles in Gnosticism continue, it very well could be the earliest indirect reference to Mary Magdalene as a prostitute.”

Apparently, someone in academia picked up the gauntlet I tossed down in this section in 2004. Here is the first paragraph of the conclusion of a 2007 thesis that very studiously explores the theme I mentioned above as well as the importance of MM’s medieval identity as a fallen woman.

“If Mary was in reality not this paragon of penitence, the contrite whore of the medieval imagination, then who was she? There are numerous possibilities, impossible to verify. If not an actual prostitute, her figure was perhaps viewed as a symbolic whore, the fallen soul and companion to her redeemer figure, an itinerant holy man named Jesus, just as Helen was companion to Simon Magus.”

Mary of Magdala: The Evolution of an Image, by Rachel D. Owen

The thesis is marvelous. Owen’s primary goal is to establish that MM’s medieval identity as a penitent, redeemed prostitute wasn’t necessarily without historical basis. Without scriptural basis, certainly, but neither is there anything to conclude with any hard evidence that she wasn’t a redeemed prostitute. On the contrary, there is circumstantial evidence that MM may have been linked to the harlot identity on several different fronts. Not only was a symbol of the fallen soul, counterpart to Helen, but also as an authority figure appreciated by heretical sects at a time when heretics and independent women were often denigrated as prostitutes. In short, there are plenty of logical ways MM could have landed a bad reputation.

Far be it from me to say that the conversation on MM the harlot is over; I’m sure the controversy is really just beginning now that an eloquent argument with academics who favor a wholesale deletion of 1400 years’ worth of tradition has been presented. The publishing of this thesis does represent significant progress from where I’m sitting though; let’s treat MM’s identities as cumulative layers, one upon the other, instead of random veils tossed at her from various directions.

Big congratulations to Rachel Owen for contributing a brave and articulate voice to modern MM scholarship.

Documentary: MM, Saint or Sinner?

I obtained a recording of a UK television documentary from Demand Five called “Mary Magdalene: Saint or Sinner?” and watched it this evening. A fairly typical documentary, it includes dramatic narration asking all of the sensational questions being bandied about in our post-Da Vinci Code culture, a round-up of experts, and actors dramatizing the topics being discussed.

From the Demand Five description of the show:

As the key witness to the Resurrection of Christ, Mary Magdalene occupies a unique place in Christianity – yet she remains one of the most mysterious women in history. Little is known of her life and her appearance in the Bible centres around two key moments – the Crucifixion and her discovery of Christ alive outside his tomb. After alerting the apostles to his return from the dead, Mary all but disappears from the story.

Mary Magdalene has been the subject of much debate throughout history. For centuries, her reputation was tarnished by the popular perception that she was a prostitute, even though the Bible never refers to her as such.

In recent years, popular fiction has put another spin on Mary’s image, with the theory that she may have been Jesus’ wife and the mother of his child. These stories are influenced by a French legend which holds that Mary travelled to Provence after Christ’s death – but scholars remain unconvinced.

All of the requisite topics are covered: the canonical Gospel references, the Gnostic texts, the “rivalry” between Peter and MM, MM’s demons, Gregory the Great’s official conflation MM with other unnamed women, the lack of support for the “harlot” reputation, MM’s journey to France and retirement to the grotto, speculation on whether she was intimate with Jesus, and more.

In all, I was satisfied with the answers provided by the experts. Most comments were made in a sensible context, which isn’t always the case after an interview has been edited into a documentary format. A few comments seem to stray out of character a bit, such as Tal Ilan asking rhetorically, “was she possessed by demons?” I seriously doubt whether Ilan was wondering if MM was actually possessed, after speculating about physiological problems commonly mistaken for demon-possession during the 1st century, and chalk it up to an effect of editing.

Most interesting about this documentary, I thought, was the repeated emphasis both by the narrator and by the experts that, if Christianity is a religion based on the death and resurrection of Jesus, and if Mary Magdalene was the first witness of the resurrection as noted in the Gospels, we could say that Mary Magdalene is the founder of Christianity. I’ve entertained this notion more than once over the years, but ultimately didn’t try to make much traction with it. So I was surprised to see the idea receiving a serious airing in this show, and was glad it was a perspective being discussed. I think I’ll add “Founder of Christianity” to the long list of roles MM has played in Western culture.

Litany for MM’s feast day

Best wishes to all on this, the Feast of Mary Magdalene!

I thought that the following traditional litany, copied from the Catholic Culture website (formatting is mine), would be a fine reading for the day:

According to the tradition of the Western Church Mary Magdalene, who is mentioned in all four Gospels, is also identical with “the woman who was a sinner” and with the sister of Lazarus, though this identification is challenged by the Fathers of the East. She was of Magdala in Galilee, whence her name of Magdalen. Liturgical devotion, to this glorious penitent has been immemorial. This litany is mellow with age; from an old German version this was translated many years ago. Two prayers have been added from liturgical sources, the Secret and finally the Collect from the Mass of her Feast, July 22, which is duplex in Latin Church and has been since end of ninth century, commemorating the Translation of her Relics from Ephesus to Constantinople on July 22, 886.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Saint Mary Magdalene,
Pray for us.
Sister of Martha and Lazarus,
Pray for us.
Who didst enter the Pharisee’s house to anoint the feet of Jesus,
Pray for us.
Who didst wash His feet with thy tears,
Pray for us.
Who didst dry them with thy hair,
Pray for us.
Who didst cover them with kisses,
Pray for us.
Who wast vindicated by Jesus before the proud Pharisee,
Pray for us.
Who from Jesus received the pardon of thy sins,
Pray for us.
Who before darkness wast restored to light,
Pray for us.
Mirror of penance, R Disciple of Our Lord,
Pray for us.
Wounded with the love of Christ,
Pray for us.
Most dear to the Heart of Jesus,
Pray for us.
Constant woman,
Pray for us.
Last at the Cross of Jesus, first at His tomb,
Pray for us.
Thou who wast the first to see Jesus risen,
Pray for us.
Whose forehead was sanctified by the touch of thy risen Master,
Pray for us.
Apostle of apostles,
Pray for us.
Who didst choose the “better part,”
Pray for us.
Who lived for many years in solitude being miraculously fed,
Pray for us.
Who wast visited by angels seven times a day,
Pray for us.
Sweet advocate of sinners,
Pray for us.
Spouse of the King of Glory,
Pray for us.

V. Saint Mary Magdalene, earnestly intercede for us with thy Divine Master
R. That we may share thy happiness in heaven.

Let us pray. May the glorious merits of blessed Mary Magdalene, we beseech Thee, O Lord, make our offerings acceptable to Thee: for Thine only-begotten Son vouchsafed graciously to accept the humble service she rendered. Who livest and reignest with Thee and the Holy Ghost, God for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

May the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalene help us, O Lord : for it was in answer to them that Thou didst call her brother Lazarus, four days after death, back from the grave to life. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, Unity in Trinity, world without end.

R. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944

Fun with Google Trends

I found a post in this blog from several years ago, in which I commented that it was odd that most Google searches for the keyword “mary magdalene” came from the Philippines and Raleigh, NC. Today I revisited Google Trends to see if the same is still true.

As it happens, it is still true. But more interesting than that is the chart of search and news volume results for the same keywords. The peak of activity in 2004 was the publication of the Da Vinci Code book. The peak of activity in 2006 was the release of the Da Vinci Code movie. As you can see, interest in Mary Magdalene drops off fairly dramatically after that. I believe that the smallish spike in 2007 was due to the “Jesus Tomb” Discovery Channel special.

Google Trends for ‘mary magdalene’

Fascinating!

Hip, Hip, Hippolytus!

I’m excited. I’m thrilled. How thrilled am I? I am veritably bouncing with exuberance over something I just read a little while ago.

The early church father, Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, penned a commentary on Song of Songs sometime in the 3rd century. For those of us who are unlearned in the German language, it has been very difficult to access the commentary which is available only in Greek or a German translation from the 19th century (Werke des Hippolytus, ed. Bonwetsch, 1897). Incidentally, I don’t have any information about what manuscripts of this work might be extant.

The good news is that today I learned that a doctoral student published a thesis earlier this year containing an English translation of the commentary: Hippolytus’ Commentary on the On the Song of Songs in Social and Critical Context, Yancy Smith. Smith successfully defended the dissertation, and as far as I know it is by now available on ProQuest for anyone with access.

I’ll be off to the UW library sometime in the near future to see if I can get a copy. This is great news for Mary Magdalene research since the commentary contains discussions of a “Mary Martha” figure visiting the tomb of Jesus, during which she is compared her to Eve, and may contain a reference to Magdalene as an apostle. In the 3rd century!

Magdalene’s Egg

This weekend I learned of a blog called Magdalene’s Egg. Intrigued, I checked it out. It turns out, unfortunately, to have precious little to do with Mary Magdalene. The blogger, who is an evangelical priest, invokes her name as an exemplar of the intersection of sex, religion, and politics, which is insightful but not representative of the content. A blog search on the term “magdalene” returns only a handful of posts. It’s the “sex, religion and politics” part that is the primary focus.

For those who can’t resist such a volitile combination of discussion points, the blog may prove interesting. For those who are looking for more online Magdalene material, this isn’t the place to find it.

Magdalene’s Day Folklore

(For some reason, this post didn’t go through yesterday…so much for making a feast day post!)

For the first time in many years, I don’t have anything special planned for Magdalene’s feast day. It’s a small miracle in itself that I didn’t have to work today–in favor of tomorrow–so I’ve decided to spend some time with my family.

This is a post I started around Easter with the intention of posting today. Only a couple of items, but still a quaint reminder of some folkloric traditions of Mary Magdalene:

“It is said that roses fade on St. Magdalene’s day.”

Beals, Katharine M. “Flower Lore and Legend.” Henry Holt & Co., 1917, pg. 121.

“The following charm was said to be very potent: On the eve of St.
Magdalene three maidens all under twenty-one must be gathered in the bed
chamber of one of the number and together must prepare a mixture of
wine, vinegar, and water in a ground glass vessel. Each maid must take
three sips of the liquid, into which she must dip a spray of rosemary to
be placed in her bosom. They must then all go silently to sleep in the
same bed. One spoken word will break the charm. If the conditions were
carefully complied with the dream of each, it was said, would reveal her
fate.”

ibid., p 237.

Best wishes to all on this Magdalene’s feast day!

MM in the news

From The Australian:

Righting wrongs about Mary
by Jill Rowbotham

Focusing on the opinion of one Elizabeth Fletcher, author of a book and website about women in the Bible, Rowbotham emphasizes Mary Magdalene’s Gospel importance and makes a few arguments against the DVC perspective, including:

The chief reason to believe Mary did not have a sexual relationship with Jesus was that his enemies never accused him of sexual misbehaviour.

After his death they accused him of illegitimacy, regarded as scandalous for a religious teacher, and of being “too fond of eating and drinking, especially with the wrong kind of people”.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but if Jesus was actually married to Mary Magdalene, he wouldn’t be accused of sexual misbehavior either. The above represents a rather weak argument, in my opinion. Still, it’s interesting to see the creativity being exercised in addressing this question.

Nancy Qualls-Corbett

I was happy to see the following article at Everything Alabama this morning (from The Birmingham News):

Jungian realizes pull of `Da Vinci’
by Kathy Kemp

Birmingham resident, Nancy Qualls-Corbett, is a Jungian psychologist whose perspective on ideas of masculine and feminine principles/qualities I find deeply interesting. Author of The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine, it seems to me that Qualls-Corbett has come the closest to putting her finger on why Margaret Starbird’s “sacred union” mythology has struck a nerve in our society. From the article:

She’s particularly interested in Mary Magdalene’s role in the story and the world’s increasing fascination with her. “My speculation is that people are seeing the need for balance in the world, and that would be the feminine side – of relating to each other, of appreciating the arts as well as science.”

A vast simplification, but very in line with my thinking as well.

Dr. Qualls-Corbett is giving a lecture in Birmingham on Friday; details are in the article.