Who is Mary Magdalene. Was Mary Magdalene a harlot? Gospel of Matthew

Some consider her to be the true messiah, who performed all the miracles and sacraments, and Jesus only accompanied her.

What happened to her? Whether she died in the Promised Land, or, as some say, she moved to France and continued her ministry there.

Most Christians consider her to be a harlot who met Jesus and was transformed, but the apocryphal gospels say that they were not only close, but she had power over him. Jesus was fascinated by her.

The real Mary Magdalene is much more interesting than the one written about in the Bible.

Mary Magdalene had special abilities: she knew how to heal, which is why she is so revered as a priestess, as a goddess.

She was special. The real Jesus Christ was a woman - Mary, whose role was retouched. Mary was the true spiritual leader in Judea in the first century AD.

Is the real Mary Magdalene a harlot or the thirteenth apostle?

St Baume, South of France (Saint Baume, south of France). Narrator: Jamie Theakston This is a version of events that you won't read about in the Bible, but many believe that a deal was struck with the then Roman governor of Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate. Jesus was secretly taken out of the city on the day of the crucifixion, maybe dead, maybe alive or asleep. This explains the absence of the body in the cave. But is it true?

Robert Howells

Author, “The Last Pope”

There are enough hints in the Bible that Jesus didn't die on the cross: they didn't break his legs, he didn't stay on the cross long enough to die. Crucifixion is a long and painful death. It was quickly removed and after a while Jesus reappears. And if he really is the King of the Jews, then this is a serious threat to Rome, because he can raise the people to rebellion. He needed to disappear. And Mary, according to the lives of the saints, leaves the Holy Land and goes to France. The question is, was Jesus with her, or perhaps his body? What happened?

When the Romans crucified Jesus, Mary Magdalene was there and supported him until the very last minutes, then mourned his death. She was the first to discover an empty cave and witnessed the Resurrection.

In art, she is often depicted half-naked or a recluse repenting of her sins in the desert as an outcast. We know her as a harlot. This image, firmly established in the minds of scientists and historians, has nothing to do with the real Mary Magdalene.

She is mentioned in all four Gospels of the New Testament, but nowhere is it said that she is a harlot or a sinner.

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos

Author & Psychologist

The Biblical Mary Magdalene is a rather passive figure. This is the woman who got saved. And if we consider this story a fairy tale, then she is in it like a beautiful princess who needs to be saved. She is a penitent sinner who at some point met on the path of Jesus. But some historians believe that the real Mary Magdalene shared Jesus' beliefs and supported him. She may even have been the thirteenth apostle! Many believe in it.

Confusion with Marias: united and slandered

Ross Andrews

Author & Historian

She probably lived by the Sea of ​​Galilee in a small fishing village. Some believe that its roots are in Ethiopia, in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, others - in Egypt. It is rather difficult to choose one version and say that this one is the real Mary Magdalene.

It seems that Mary is sometimes confused with two other female characters in the Bible - with Mary, the sister of Martha, and with the nameless sinner from the Gospel of Luke. They both washed Jesus' feet with their hair.

In the 6th century, Pope Gregory made this false assumption, officially suggesting that the three characters were the same person: Mary Magdalene.

Robert Howells

Author, “The Last Pope”

After the advent of Christianity, when the new faith began to spread, one of the features was that the role of Mary Magdalene began to be downplayed, and by the 6th century she became associated with a woman, according to the Bible, who committed adultery. It was then that she became what we know her - a fallen woman, a sinful harlot, a negative hero.

Richard Felix

Author & Historian

The image of the real Mary Magdalene has been changed by the church, just as the Bible, which has been rewritten, has been edited many times. A consecrated, wise, noble woman was exposed as a harlot, a sinner, which women were then considered to be. In Christianity, male images predominate, women are lower beings.

Lynn Picknett

When the early Christian church decided that the leaders in this religion were men, Mary became an example for women to follow. The woman had to obey the man, and, yes, they succeeded in this, largely due to the image of Mary Magdalene. Her name is so strongly associated with female shame that for centuries fallen women have been called Magdalene. This is terrible, this is the last straw!

Lynn Picknett wrote three books about Mary Magdalene and spent 30 years of her life searching for the truth about her.

Jamie Theakston: So who was Mary Magdalene?

Lynn Picknett: The church version of the story about her is based on the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and she is mentioned in passing in them. One can make many assumptions about her, but for the first time she comes to the fore in the scene of the crucifixion.

She sits at the foot of the cross, then enters the cave and sees that the body of Jesus has disappeared!

Further, she supposedly meets him in the garden - with the resurrected Jesus. It is her finest hour: the death of Jesus! She was there, played an important role in these events. But in the canonical Gospels, its significance is emphasized only when the story comes to an end.

Something great is waiting for us, I know - I had a vision so beautiful that it cannot be described in words ...

Who portrayed her like this in the Bible?

The responsibility lies entirely with the Catholic Church. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that she was a harlot. Only in the 8th century did the Pope describe her as a sinner, nothing more. But since she is a woman, it means that she is a harlot - since then it has been the custom. But this woman was called along with Jesus. They started their mission together, she was his equal. There were women who preached, baptized, healed, even communed with the sacraments. And when the church in its early years asked people about this, they answered: “Didn't you know? Jesus acted at the instigation of Mary Magdalene." And the early Christians knew this. They knew that Jesus empowered women and that Mary Magdalene was, as the apocrypha says, "the foremost of the apostles." Not Saint Peter, but she was called.

He who seeks him will find ...

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos

Author & Psychologist

Often female names erased from history. This story is 2000 years old, and if there was such a woman with power and significance, her name was removed, and her deeds were attributed to Jesus. Here's what is curious: for me, the words of Jesus sound like a speech of a hippie - after all, he wanted universal equality and justice! Well, then he should have considered a woman equal in rights, and her opinion significant. That is, a woman could preach and bring biblical wisdom to people.

Open your hearts and your minds and your souls...

Andrew Gough

We must remember that everything we know about Jesus and Mary Magdalene was written after they were gone. And imagine how a group of theologians at the First Council of Nicaea says: "Well, what are we going to write about, guys?" I believe they wrote the story of Jesus to cover up the fact that the leader of the first century AD spiritual community was a woman and not a man.

Life of Mary Magdalene in France: questions, riddles

The most incredible version is that Mary Magdalene fled from the Holy Land to France, being pregnant by Jesus.

Richard Felix

Author & Historian

Mary arrived in France and suddenly found herself at the center of the local Christian community. These people lived for 30 years in caves, like hermits, doing healing, performing miracles, the greatest of which, according to legend, was the arrival of Mary with a child under her heart.

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos

Author & Psychologist

Some believe that Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus and they wanted to live as a family. There is hardly any confirmation of this, but we know for sure that in those days women were excluded from history and the role of Mary in the life of Jesus was belittled. In fact, her role both in the development of Christianity and in her relationship with Jesus was more significant - she was simply hushed up. I guess it's because she was a woman, that's the whole point.

St Marys of the Sea, South of France. This small town in the south of France is located near Marseilles and is called Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer or "Saint Mary from the Sea". It is believed that here, in the 45th year, Mary Magdalene and the people accompanying her came ashore.

According to legend, they arrived here from Alexandria, from Egypt. Jesus' uncle Joseph of Arimathea accompanied her, and they may have carried the body of Jesus with them. The local church celebrates this event, but slightly confusing events, marking the arrival on this day of not one, but three Marys at once.

Eat! This is a festive meal for all of us in the name of the path we have traveled and the path that remains to be traveled. I am proud of you. Eat, drink!

The first church of St. Mary was built here in the 9th century, and my guide will be a local guide who knows a lot about Mary, Martine Guyot.

Jamie Theakston: Martina, what did Mary Magdalene do when she arrived here?

Not only Mary Magdalene, but all those who came with her. Their mission is to tell that Jesus is alive and resurrected. The Virgin Mary also arrived here, she was about 60, others were younger - like Mary Magdalene, who was 30-35 years old. They arrived with the message of Jesus and the gospel.

So Mary Magdalene preached here?

Yes, I think that's what they came here for...

Andrew Gough

In the Bible, in the scene of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection, Mary is hardly mentioned, then disappears altogether. But then she appears in the traditions of Southern France, where she probably went, and there is a connection - she was expelled from the largest Jewish community. Where should she go? The second largest Jewish community was then in Gaul, France.

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos

Author & Psychologist

She didn't just move and lay low, she had a mission. If she was a close associate of Jesus, then she shared his ideology and way of thinking. She believed in what he believed, and was not going to remain in the shadows. She became a missionary carrying his word.

Lynn Picknett

Author, “Christianity’s Hidden Goddess”

She was a rich woman with a purpose in life. She arrived in the south of France, preached, healed, perhaps even baptized people. In Languedoc there are rivers with the names Surz Madeleine, the Magdalene River, according to legend, she performed baptism in them. She is an epic figure, perhaps the first apostle.

Holy relics: Mary Magdalene existed!

St Marys of the Sea, South of France. At the very top of the church of St. Mary there is a small chapel where the relics of the three Marys are kept. Martina got permission for us to visit her.

Jamie Theakston: What's this? Private oratory?

Martin Guillot. Local guide: This is the upper chapel. That's what it's called. It is located in the bell tower. At first it was dedicated to Michael the Archangel, like all the upper chapels of France, then the relics of St. Mary were transferred here.

So we're in church?

There is a reliquary. Some of the relics of Maria Salomeeva and Maria Iakovleva are also kept there. There are 11 fragments of bones, charred because the relics were burned during the French Revolution.

So, there are particles of the relics of Mary?

Guy Walters

Author, "Hunting Evil"

This story tells us that Mary Magdalene ended her days in France, the figure we have always thought Jesus was. This means that she, being essentially a vagabond, preached the word of God and spread the Christian doctrine. Well, that's an interesting idea!

Jamie Theakston: Why are there no relics of Mary Magdalene here?

Martin Guillot. Local guide: Mary Magdalene did not stay here. When the ship arrived, Maria Iakovleva and Maria Salomeeva went ashore. Mary Magdalene went on.

Do you know where?

St. Baume. The relics of Mary Magdalene are located in Sainte-Baume, in the church of Saint-Maximin (fr. Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume).

Pilgrimage of the Gypsies, South of France. Every year in May, the small town celebrates the arrival of the three Marys with a big festival. The casket with the relics is carefully lowered down from the bell tower. The procession will follow him and the sacred boat to the seashore. And the bishop on the way of the procession will bless the thousands of those gathered - they all honor the arrival of the three Marys.

Jamie Theakston: Will this boat be taken to the sea?

Martin Guillot. Local guide: Yes, to the sea. She, of course, will be kept above the water, and at that moment the bishop will bless the sea and the holy relics. Relics from the reliquary, because the sea brought us the word of God.

Robert Howells

Author, “The Last Pope”

Even the Catholic Church believes that Mary arrived in France. Her relics are kept in St. Peter's Basilica. Those. Catholics accept the old version that Mary arrived in France. There is a local interpretation of this story that she continued the work of Jesus, and in the apocryphal gospels she is a participant in the sacraments of Jesus.

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos

Author & Psychologist

It was she who was asked by the other apostles what Jesus said to her, because she knew more than they did. In the south of France, candles are still lit in honor of Mary Magdalene, because she is part of Christianity and the mission of Jesus. She healed, enjoyed authority and was strong woman. That is, even in Catholic countries there are people who do not accept the biblical image of this woman, and we believe that she was a more powerful figure than is reflected in Scripture.

St Maximin, South of France. In 1279, during excavations in the crypt of the French church of Saint-Maximin, a first-century tomb was discovered. And in it is an amazing find - a marble sarcophagus.

Charles II, Count of Provence, said that he led these excavations because he had a vision in which Mary Magdalene appeared.

When the sarcophagus was opened, a pleasant sweet smell came from there, which was considered a symbol of the fact that Mary.

Pilgrims and tourists from everywhere seek the relics of the Magdalene. I am accompanied by a local priest, Father Florien Racine.

Father Florien Racine: Jamie, we're going to the 4th-century crypt of Mary Magdalene. Her remains and relics are kept here. Here is the old grille. It's cold in here, which means the church was built over this crypt.

Jamie, we're in the crypt now, and you can see the sarcophagi here. And this one is Mary Magdalene. It is made of marble, a beautiful translucent marble. If it is illuminated, it will shine through. The sarcophagus depicts scenes from the life of Mary Magdalene and Jesus. They are badly damaged, because many pilgrims tried to take pieces of this marble with them. Therefore, he is in a bad state.

Andrew Gough

The church of Saint-Maximin in Provence houses what they believe to be the skull of Mary Magdalene. He looks believable. It is used in rituals and ceremonies to this day.

And that makes sense, because it's important to know where you're going to be placed if you're going to be a significant person. Where is the skull of Jesus? And don't tell me he ascended! Such things tell us that these people existed and it is quite possible that this is the skull of a woman who lived and preached at that time.

He who has ears, let him hear, and he who has understanding, let him understand.

Father Florien Racine: It is important for Christians to return to the tradition and belief that Mary Magdalene existed. This is not a legend. Many pilgrims found grace here, praying to Mary Magdalene.

Jamie Theakston: How do you know that this is the skull of the real Mary Magdalene?

She was buried here and in the 4th century her remains were transferred to a sarcophagus. In the 7th-8th centuries, the Saracens got here, and all the sarcophagi had to be removed underground, and the veneration of Mary Magdalene became a local tradition. We know that there was nothing here, everything was destroyed, and only in 1279 Charles II of Anjou excavated here, found these sarcophagi deep underground. Then he took the skull of Mary Magdalene, found here, and went to the Vatican to the then Pope Boniface VIII. By that time, the pope already had Mary's jaw. And when they brought the skull, the jaw fit perfectly. And then Boniface VIII recognized that the relics from Saint-Maximin belong to Mary Magdalene.

Curiously, the skull of Mary Magdalene was found with the remains of the skin in those places where Jesus himself allegedly touched it.

When Mary Magdalene saw the Resurrection of the Lord, she tried to hold Jesus by crouching at his feet, and he said: “Do not touch me!” and pushed her away by touching her skin (on her forehead). We speak Latin Noli me tangere. Pieces of skin were torn off during the French Revolution and later placed in this ark, see?

Is this the skin of Mary Magdalene that Jesus touched?

Exactly! This is the symbol of the Resurrection of the Lord.

My task, so to speak, was to find the real Mary Magdalene, and here she is!

Yes it is, you found it.

Lynn Picknett

Author, “Christianity’s Hidden Goddess”

For the local Catholic Church, she is very important, and I think that Mary Magdalene is honored here because she lived with them all these years. They know what she really was, and this image does not correspond to the canonical one. They honor only one of the versions of her life, they do not consider her an equal partner of Jesus on a spiritual level. They honor a harlot who has repented and regained her faith.

Jesus' wife?

St Marys of the Sea, South of France. Over 100 years ago, this story took on an interesting development. In 1896, a German scientist found a curious papyrus book in the Cairo bazaar. It had a leather cover and was written in Coptic. It was the gospel of Mary.

Lynn Picknett

Author, “Christianity’s Hidden Goddess”

If we look at the non-canonical gospels rejected by the Church in the 4th-5th centuries, at the apocryphal Gospel of Philip, of Thomas, of Mary Magdalene, she is the main one there. No, the main one, of course, is Jesus, but Mary is equal to him, and we get a very clear picture. First of all, she is energetic, she cannot be silenced, she does not behave like a Jewish woman of that time, you cannot tell her “know your place!”. Her hair is loose. Then only women of a certain reputation did such a hairstyle. But she doesn't care, her relationship with Jesus is more important to her. From the apocrypha it is clear that their relationship is not just closeness, but physical closeness. And she had power over Jesus - he was fascinated by her.

Robert Howells

Author, “The Last Pope”

In non-canonical gospels, such as the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Philip, she is referred to as the first apostle. The fact that she had intimate intimacy with Jesus - he often kissed her, loved her - one of the apostles clearly speaks about this: “Why do you not love us as you love her?” Jesus answered, "Because I love her differently than I love you." That is, the apocrypha says for sure that she meant a lot to him, and was his companion. She is described as a companion of Jesus, that is, she is his equal.

Ross Andrews

Author & Historian

The relationship between Mary and Jesus is very controversial. Most biblical historians and theologians look at them from a biblical perspective. But if you want to cleanse them of myths and legends in order to find the facts, you will be faced with a question of faith. And here you have to look at this story from a different angle. It is highly probable that Jesus was married, perhaps he had children; strange if he didn't have them. And if we assume that he is married, then to whom? Isn't it the woman who always accompanies him, speaks for him? In some lyrics, they even kiss and walk together, and even he "shares his life with her." I would say they were married.

Andrew Gough

If you look at the life of Mary Magdalene, she used expensive ointments, ointments, kissed Jesus on the lips, appeared at the cross, perhaps already pregnant. She alone saw his resurrection! Such behavior is not permissible for any satellite. Wife - yes, the leader of the spiritual community - too.

When Mary Magdalene had an intimacy with Jesus, it is possible that a child was born from this connection. But one thing we know for sure - in the south of France, Mary is revered as the most important biblical figure. She, with a small group of followers, began to preach and spread the teachings of the Gospels. In this area, many churches have relics dedicated to Mary.

St Maximin, South of France. Father Florien Racine will show me the relics discovered at the same time as Mary's skull.

Father Florien Racine: We go to the vestry of the basilica. I want to show you, Jamie, something interesting... Here is Mary Magdalene's hair.

Jamie Theakston: Wow! Can you hold?

Yes please. You are holding Mary Magdalene's hair that was on her skull when it was found in 1279. A small piece of hair.

We recently examined it and found traces of red pigment. Now we know that Mary Magdalene had red hair.

Red hair! How many pictures depict her like this? Redhead, right?

Yes, it is important. Especially because in the Gospel Mary mourns at the feet of Jesus and wipes her tears with her hair.

Then he pours incense on the feet of Jesus and rubs them again with his hair. Therefore, Mary's hair is so significant and important.

Robert Howells

Author, “The Last Pope”

The image of Mary is important because she stood at the origins of Christianity. If you are a Christian, then the path of Mary should be close to you, because the rest of the apostles accepted her closeness to Jesus and her participation in sermons. The spiritual development of a person is not shown in the Bible, but it could well have brought Christianity to France.

Lynn Picknett

Author, “Christianity’s Hidden Goddess”

Many believe that Jesus played a dominant role in this union, since he was a man and the world at that time was masculine. But why did he then let her sit at the foot of the cross in Judea? I think that there was a spiritual connection between them, and here we clearly see a change in his doctrine under her influence. And yet - she did not write down his speeches, did not try to save them. Apparently, she was the author of many of them, and when Jesus left the stage, she raised his banner.

Father Racine showed me another object. Shroud of the XIV century, which was worn during processions dedicated to Mary.

Father Florien Racine: Let's unfold it, it's old and fragile.

When his son became a bishop, he could use the shroud during the procession in honor of Mary Magdalene.

Jamie Theakston: That is, the church believes that Mary Magdalene really existed? This is true? Do you believe in it?

Martin Guillot. Local guide: Yes.

That she was a harlot who was transformed?

Yes, repentant.

Did repentance make an apostle of Christ from a harlot? And is that the point of this story?

Yes Yes exactly. This is her real life.

Apostolic ministry: woman equal to man

Lynn Picknett

Author, “Christianity’s Hidden Goddess”

This is a special place. If you look at the cave, then this is a church. It is like a church, and not like the poorest church.

Imagine she lived in this grotto for the last 30 years of her life. Everything here is imbued with her unusual energy. Perhaps she was hiding here, so the official story says. She fled the Holy Land where she was persecuted by the early Christians. She may have been hiding, but she also needed spiritual nourishment. It is said that she came here and spent the rest of her days praying for the remission of her sins. And, of course, she prayed to Jesus, dedicating her life to apostolic service.

Author, “Christianity’s Hidden Goddess”

This chapel was built by the monks of the Dominican Order, to whom it still belongs. They made her very beautiful and dedicated her to Mary with all their heart and soul. Pilgrims visit it for the sake of Mary Magdalene. Legends and chronicles say that she converted all of Provence to the true faith and only then retired to the cave. People visited her there to talk and believe, but most likely, this is a juggling of facts, local stories, nothing else.

Being here, you will be amazed at how many pilgrims and tourists come here, impressed by the history of Mary Magdalene. I'm sure they are attracted by her image, so debased in the Bible. Amazingly, until 1969, the church considered her a harlot, and now she is revered as a healer, priest and defender of Christianity, no matter how strange it may sound.

In any case, Mary Magdalene is one of the most controversial characters in the Bible. Historians are sure that if she really existed, then in the 3rd-4th centuries in the New Testament she was branded a harlot. Why this was done is an open question.

Many modern scholars and historians believe that this was done in order to discredit her lover, who is undoubtedly considered the messiah.

Jamie Theakston: Do you think another chapter will be written in the history of Mary Magdalene?

Lynn Picknett. Co-Author, “The Templar Revelation”: As for me, I will not stop exploring this story, because it has everything you need to tell a story. And for people like me who are interested in religion and its influence on culture, this search will continue. If you want to read Mary Magdalene, start now.

Robert Howells

Author, “The Last Pope” Author & Historian

I believe that for the last 2000 years we have looked at women, in particular Mary Magdalene, from a different angle. And all of a sudden, a woman is equal in rights with a man. Finally it happened. And in the current context, Mary Magdalene can be considered the new messiah.

Andrew Gough

The irony is that in last years the church officially declares that she was not a harlot. And it is this statement that makes it even more popular. Maria is a modern rock star, an icon of the feminist movement and the most revered woman in history. Yes, the Catholic Church!

So was Mary Magdalene the mistress and wife of Jesus? Had she conceived a child by him, or perhaps several? Was she the true messiah and head of the new Christian church, who was simply erased from history a couple of centuries after her death, branded as a harlot? Will the church continue to support this deception? Make up your mind, see you soon!

Name: Mary Magdalene

Date of Birth: end of the 1st century BC. - early 1st century AD

Date of death: 1st century AD

Age:

Place of Birth: Magdala, Israel

A place of death: Ephesus

Activity: Christian saint, myrrh-bearer

Family status: was not married

Mary Magdalene - biography

Holy Scripture says so little about Magdalene that some scholars doubt her very existence. Others believe that the legend "glued" her from several characters.

The first is "Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons came out." Apparently, Jesus cast out the demons, after which Mary began to accompany him on his journey through Galilee, along with the apostles and women, among whom the evangelists name some John and Susanna. The same Mary was present at the crucifixion of Jesus, mourned him, and on Easter morning, together with Mary of Jacob and Salome, she came to his tomb to anoint his body with incense.

It was then that an event occurred that laid the foundation for the great hopes of Christians for eternal life: the women saw that the tomb was open, and inside was a wondrous young man in white robes, who said to them: “You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, crucified; He has risen. He is not here." On the same day, Jesus appeared to Mary with his own eyes, about which she told the apostles - "but they did not believe." The Evangelist John described this episode more colorfully: in his presentation, Mary first mistook the resurrected Christ for a gardener, and then rushed to hug him with a cry of “Rabvoni! Ravbouni! - which means "teacher". He, however, restrained her: "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father."

The second prototype of Magdalene is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. After this event, Mary, "taking a pound of nard pure precious ointment, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her hair." Then she sat down at the feet of the Savior and began to listen attentively to his speeches. Martha, who was preparing dinner for the guest at that time, scolded her sister for idleness, but then Jesus uttered the famous words: “Martha! Martha! You care and fuss about many things, but only one thing is needed, but Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.

Mary's behavior was dissatisfied. although for other reasons, another person is a disciple of Christ, Judas Iscariot: “Why not sell this world for three hundred denarii and distribute it to the poor?” Jesus, however, again interceded for the woman: “Leave her, she saved this for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but not always Me.” After that, the offended Judas allegedly decided to betray his teacher, although the text of the Gospel does not say this.

It is not said that this Mary is the same person as Magdalene, and she lived not in Magdala, but in Bethany. on the other side of Lake Gönnisaret in Galilee, and only John calls her by name. Mark and Matthew do not name, and Luke only casually mentions "the sinful woman of that city."

However, there is something in common between the two Marys. Both of them are close to Christ - John mentions that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." Both are endowed with an impulsive, enthusiastic character. Both. finally, they are rejected by “decent society”: one is possessed by demons, the other is a sinner, and in literal translation - a harlot. From these meager scraps of information, a legend that arose many centuries later created the image of Mary Magdalene.

According to legend, she was born at the beginning of a new era in the rather large city of Magdala (Migdal), which in Hebrew means “tower”. True, Jewish sources produce her nickname from the word "magadel" - that was the name of those. who curled women's hair and made fashionable hairstyles. This was done by poor and despised people. According to Christian legend, the father of Mary Sir, on the contrary, belonged to a noble family and was either the governor of his native city. or as a priest in nearby Capernaum. Her mother was supposedly called Eucharia. and this Greek name should not be surprising - at that time Judea was conquered by Rome, and many Jews had Greek or Roman names.

Still quite young, Maria married a certain Pappos - a "lawyer", that is, a lawyer. Soon this marriage broke up. Byzantine sources hint that this happened because of Mary's affair with one or even several officers of the Roman garrison stationed in Magdala. But, most likely, the divorce had a different reason - Mary was seized by a mental illness, which in those days was called "demonic possession." Nobody treated such "obsessed" people; as a disgrace to the family, they were hidden in a cellar or a windowless room and kept starving there until death.

From this terrible fate, Mary was saved by a preacher Jesus passing by, whom idle talkers called the Messiah, in Greek, Christ. It was said that he had already healed many sick and obsessed people, and Mary's relatives, who still loved her. rushed to him as to the last hope. Jesus did not burn foul-smelling herbs and mutter incantations. like doctors-charlatans - he only briefly ordered: "Get out!" - and in front of the eyes of the assembled crowd, seven demons escaped from the body of the unfortunate patient one after another with screeching and cursing. It is clear that the healed Mary was filled with deep gratitude to her Savior. Like other students, she gave him all the means she had and set off with him on the journey.

The Gospel is silent about the two-year stay of Mary among the disciples of Christ, but numerous apocrypha - works forbidden by the Church, created by heretical sects of the Gnostics - speak about this. Some of them assign a very important role to Magdalene, for example, the Gospel of Philip: “The Lord loved Mary more than all the disciples and often kissed her lips. The rest of the disciples, seeing him loving Mary, said to him: “Why do you love her more than all of us?”

A mysterious answer was given to this: “The one who sees will see the light, and that one. who is blind will remain in darkness!” It seems that he hinted that Mary, with her loving soul, understands his teaching better than other students - with her mind. In another apocrypha, the Savior exclaimed: “Mary, blessed are you before all the women on earth!” The medieval "Golden Legend" also states that Jesus "brought her especially close and made her a mistress and steward in His way."

The other apostles didn't like it all that much. “Lord, this woman is taking our place before You!” - Peter exclaimed offendedly, even demanding that Mary be expelled from the community. But Jesus did not listen to him as well, according to the Gnostics. even entrusted to Magdalene the innermost secrets of his teaching, hidden from others. Works attributed to her and even the Gospel of Mary have survived. True, there is little Christian there - these writings are saturated with the ideas of the Gnostics, taken from ancient Eastern teachings.

In the famous fresco by Leonardo da Vinci “The Last Supper”, the apostle closest to Christ has rounded female features, and he clings too tenderly to his neighbor’s chest. Fans of historical mysteries have long argued that the fresco depicts not the Evangelist John, as art historians believe, but Mary Magdalene. Lincoln, Ley and Bagent, the authors of the sensational book Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, said that Leonardo knew the secret because he belonged to the ancient organization Priory of Sion, supposedly dating back to Christ himself.

Based on the vague hints of the Gnostic traditions, these three argued. that Magdalene was the secret wife of Jesus and bore him two sons and a daughter, Famar. The dynasty they founded. “holy blood”, gave birth to several royal dynasties of Europe and still influences the fate of the world, hiding from the Christian Church that fiercely persecutes it. The idea was liked by the author of hard detectives Dan Brown, who brought it to the masses. His commentators have gone so far as to assert that the first churches of Our Lady were not dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, but to Mary Magdalene. She was worshiped by the Templars. medieval heretics and witches who served not the devil, as their persecutors claimed, but "the sacred feminine principle."

Only that is true here. that quite early the Magdalene began to be venerated in all corners of the Christian world, although the official teaching of the Church hardly mentioned her. And if the Gospel speaks of Mary for the last time on the day of the resurrection of Christ, then the legends attribute to her a long, eventful biography.

Forty days after Easter. when Jesus ascended to heaven, Mary, along with his mother, settled with the Apostle John the Theologian, who had his own house in Jerusalem. Almost every day she is with John - no wonder he talks about her more and better than other evangelists. -Preached the teachings of Christ before crowds of people. Upon learning of this, the authorities decided to expel the apostles from the city. Mary, along with Martha and Lazarus, were put on a ship without a rudder and sails and launched into the sea. By the will of God, the ship sailed safely through the entire Mediterranean Sea and landed in Marseille, then Massalia.

There is another version - Mary set sail not by chance, but on purpose, to introduce the Roman emperor Tiberius to the Christian faith. This grim tyrant lived in seclusion on the rocky island of Capri, but Magdalene somehow gained access to him. Around the year 34, she told him about the death and resurrection of Christ, and to top it off, she presented an egg that miraculously turned red - since then it has become a symbol of Christ's Easter. It's talked about quite early. christian legends and all Roman authors are silent. Tiberius did not become a Christian, but did not touch Mary and allowed her to continue her journey to Marseilles to preach Christianity there.

According to local legend, with her inspired speeches, she converted many natives to her faith, and one day - 11 thousand people at once. However, local authorities began to persecute the disciple of Christ here as well. She and her family were not given shelter, and they had to sleep either under the city wall or in the portico of a pagan temple. True, later Magdalene managed to attract the cynpyiy Roman governor to her side, which immediately alleviated the position of the Christians. Lazarus became bishop of Marseilles, and their other companion, Maximinus, of Aixen-Provence. Homely Martha founded the first shelter in those parts for the sick and the poor.

Mary, however, was taken by legend to completely different lands - to the wild Arabian desert, where she spent 30 years in prayer and repentance, eating only locusts and wild honey. Renaissance artists often portrayed the penitent Magdalene - her eyes were tearful, the meager remains of her clothes were torn to shreds, and her seductive body was covered only by a wave of flowing hair. It is clear that Mary, looking at these pictures, did not appear to be an ardent preacher of Christianity, but a harlot, and not necessarily repentant.

And if in the Middle Ages prostitutes were re-educated in the “houses of St. Mary Magdalene”, then later all the workers of the panel were called “Magdalenes”. Hence, the unfounded opinion appeared that before her conversion, Mary was engaged in prostitution - this sin she supposedly atoned for in the desert. In fact, the legend connected Magdalene with another early Christian saint - Mary of Egypt, who lived in the 5th century. She really was a well-known harlot in Alexandria, she believed in Christ, and then not for 30, but for 47 years she prayed for her sins in the desert.

Be that as it may, in the year 48 Mary appeared in Jerusalem, where a little later the first Christian cathedral in history took place. There she met an old friend, John the Theologian, and together with him went to preach the teachings of Christ in Ephesus, the largest city in Asia Minor. Here was the sanctuary of the goddess Artemis, which attracted pagans from all over the Roman Empire. Over the years of successful propaganda, John and Mary managed to make many Ephesians champions of Christianity. Their preaching was interrupted in the year 64 by the persecution of Emperor Nero, who accused Christians of setting fire to Rome, of which, as is well known, the emperor himself was suspected. John was exiled to the deserted island of Patmos, his associates, including Mary, had to go into hiding.

Around the year 78, exhausted by labors for the good of the Church, Mary died, bitterly mourned by the Ephesian Christians and John, who had returned from exile. In 886, the Byzantine emperor Leo the Wise ordered her relics to be taken from the grave and transferred to Constantinople. The Crusaders, who sacked the capital of Byzantium during the Fourth Crusade, took the relics to Rome, where they are still kept.

But this is only one of the options for the fate of the disciple of Christ. The French stubbornly claim that Magdalene did not leave them anywhere - she found her “desert” somewhere near Marseilles, and then returned to Aix, where her longtime colleague Maximin was a bishop. One day during mass, she suddenly ascended to the very dome of the church, and Maximin saw that angels surrounded her. She went downstairs already dead. “When she died,” the legend says, “such a sweet fragrance spread throughout the church that for seven days everyone who entered there felt it.”

The relics of the Magdalene - according to this version - divided the towns of Saint-Baume and Saint-Maximin, where her head is still kept. But that's not all - the relics of the saint or parts of them are still in several French cities, in German Cologne and on the holy Mount Athos. And in the British monastery of Pgastonbury, a legend lived for many centuries that Mary ended her days here, bringing with her a cup of Christ's blood - the glorified Holy Grail.

The legends are endless, but they are not so important for those who listen to the spirit, and not to the letter of the gospel story. For them, Mary of Magdala, a simple, unlearned woman who sinned a lot, who managed to take a place near the Savior and surpass her male associates in serving him, will forever remain a symbol of love and faith that does not seek benefits.

Text: Vadim Erlikhman 1409

Recently, a sensation was discussed in many Russian media: in the museum of the small town of Irbit, Sverdlovsk Region, the audience was presented with the original painting by P. Rubens "Penitent Mary Magdalene and her sister Martha". Whether the painting belongs to the 17th century by Rubens or not, experts will decide, but the name of the painting caused bewilderment among believers: on the basis of what did the great Fleming make Mary Magdalene and Martha related? It turns out that in the Catholic West it is widely believed that Mary Magdalene is the repentant sinner who anointed Jesus' feet with myrrh and wiped them off with her hair (Luke 7:37-38), and that she was not only a harlot, but also the sister of Lazarus Four days. So how much does the character depicted in the paintings common in the West called “Penitent Mary Magdalene” correspond to the prototype?

Before starting our reasoning, let us clarify that in the lines of Scripture telling about the anointing of Christ with fragrant myrrh, only the harlot and Mary from Bethany are told - Mary Magdalene is not mentioned anywhere in this situation.

The fact that all four evangelists write about this act testifies to its unusualness, but not to its exclusivity. The very same anointing of Jesus as a harlot, presumably, was widely discussed among the Jews, and caused idle talk not in favor of Christ. Perhaps that is why the pious Mary of Bethany repeated the anointing in order to stop the rumors that only harlots gather around the Teacher? And the fact that Lazar's sister was a pious woman can be assumed from the following. From the gospel text it follows that Mary's brother Lazarus was a man of strict rules and highly respected in society. It is very, very difficult to present a person respected in Jewish society whose sister, who lives with him, was a despised harlot.

In fairness, we note that all of the above is just reasoning, it is much more interesting to analyze the gospel lines in order to separate the harlot and the sister of Lazarus.

How many anointings?

In the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John it says: "Mary, whom brother Lazarus was sick with, was the one who anointed the Lord with oil and wiped His feet with her hair." The woman who rubbed the Savior's feet with her hair is known from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 7:37-38). And it is there that it is reported that this woman was a harlot, which gives rise to some researchers to assert that Lazarus' sister is that same harlot. Those who disagree with this statement believe that in the 11th chapter, the apostle John mentions another case of anointing, which he cited a little later, in the 12th chapter: his feet; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the world” (John 12:3).

But here the question arises why the Evangelist John in the 11th chapter reports the fact of the anointing with the world even before his detailed description in the next chapter? It can be assumed that by the time the Gospel of John was written, the story of the woman who anointed Christ on the eve of His burial was known to many, and the evangelist decided to clarify that this woman was the sister of Lazarus Mary, and a little later describes the very fact of the anointing. Inconsistency in the presentation of the Apostle John is not something unusual for Holy Scripture. Suffice it to recall the book of Genesis, where God's creation of man is mentioned twice, which is one of the main imaginary arguments for incompetent critics of the Bible.

Supporters of the identification of the harlot and sister of Lazarus often cite the following lines of the Lenten Triodion chant, which are sung at Matins on Passion Week, as proof of their assertion: “Come to Thee, harlot, pouring peace with tears on Your nose, Lover of mankind, and the stench of evil is delivered by your command! Breathing in Your grace, the ungrateful disciple puts this aside, and dresses in stench, selling You with the love of money. In their opinion, if Mary of Bethany anointed Christ with myrrh on the eve of His burial, and the hymn clearly states that she who anointed Him on the day when the money-loving Judas betrayed Christ was a harlot, then it turns out that this harlot was the sister of Lazarus.

To agree or refute this statement, let's read a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, which speaks of the anointing of Christ and the betrayal of Judas: head. Seeing this, His disciples were indignant and said: Why such a waste? For this myrrh could be sold at a high price and given to the poor. But Jesus, understanding this, said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? she has done a good deed for me: for you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me; having poured this ointment on my body, she prepared me for burial... Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said: what will you give me, and I will betray him to you? They offered him thirty pieces of silver; and since that time he has been looking for an opportunity to betray Him” (Mt. 26:6-16). Considering that Judas betrayed the Savior on Wednesday, and Lazarus' sister Mary anointed Christ on another day - six days before Pascha (John 12, 1), then we can conclude that the hymn is not at all about Mary from Bethany.

When comparing the above hymn with the text of the Gospel of Matthew, one can see some, at first glance, a contradiction: if the hymn refers to the anointing of the Savior's feet, then it follows from the Gospel that the woman anointed His head with myrrh. But is this a contradiction? We have already mentioned that in Holy Scripture the presentation of events did not always strictly correspond to chronology, the main goal for inspired authors was to convey to the reader the facts that to one degree or another determined the development of world history. The same principles were followed by the authors of Sacred Tradition, to which, in particular, church hymns also belong. In this case, the authors of the Holy Week hymn combined two events into one, confident that the woman who anointed the Savior’s head on the eve of His suffering on the Cross is the very harlot who once wiped His feet with her hair with tears. That is, the repentant former harlot, who once in Galilee anointed Christ with peace (the Gospel of Luke), followed Christ, and in Bethany on Holy Wednesday she came to the residence of the Pharisee Simon, a former leper, where at that time the one who cleansed him of leprosy stayed Lord. The woman repeated the anointing here too, but this time she dared to pour the precious ointment on the head of the Savior, thereby, as it were, preparing Him for burial.

This is how the compilers of the “Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew”, based on the interpretations of the Church Fathers (Troitsky leaflets, 1896-1899), reveal these events: Orthodox Church, following St. Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact and other ancient fathers, keeps to the tradition that Jesus Christ was anointed three times, - by the zeal of two Gospel wives: for the first time in His public service to the human race, a clearly repentant sinner in Galilee, in the house of Simon the Pharisee, as the gospel of St. Luke; in the other - in Bethany, in the house of Lazarus, by Mary, the sister of Lazarus, six days before Easter, about which St. John announces; and for the third time in the house of the same Simon the Pharisee, in Bethany, and by the same repentant sinner who anointed Him the first time, about which St. Matthew and St. Mark proclaim.

So, analyzing the gospel texts, we can conclude with a certain degree of certainty that Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus the Four Days, was not a harlot known to Jewish society. It remains to find out, but what does Mary Magdalene have to do with it?

Who was Mary Magdalene?

As already mentioned, on the basis of the opinion of some of the Holy Fathers of the Western Church, in particular St. Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome, a tradition has developed in the Catholic Church to identify Mary Magdalene with the gospel harlot. Many paintings were written on the theme of the repentance of Mary Magdalene, the most famous of which is Titian's painting "Penitent Mary Magdalene". This opinion is so widespread that even the picture of the Russian artist Alexander Ivanov "The Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection", written in 1835, our contemporaries call without hesitation "Penitent Mary Magdalene". Moreover, the name Magdalene has become a winged word characterizing the repentant representatives of the most ancient profession, and is often used in works of art.

Meanwhile, there is no evidence in the New Testament that Mary Magdalene was a famous harlot. It is only said that Christ cast out seven demons from her. Of course, if we assume that one of the seven demons was a demon of fornication, then she can be called a sinful harlot, but this stretch is too great.

It is known that Mary followed Christ during His earthly life, and after His crucifixion and Resurrection boldly preached faith about the Savior who had appeared in the world. It is unlikely that the pagan world, not yet enlightened by the Christian light of forgiveness and love, could adequately perceive the words from a harlot, although a former one. Here is what is written on this occasion in the notes to the life of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene (Comm. church calendar): “But the Orthodox Eastern Church does not confuse the sinner of an unknown name, forgiven in the house of Simon the Pharisee, with Mary Magdalene ... And St. Demetrius of Rostov writes: “If Magdalene were a harlot, then after Christ and His disciples she was obviously a sinner, for a long time walking, so that the haters of Christ would say to the Jews, looking for some kind of guilt on Him, but they would blaspheme and condemn Him. a sinner who follows him all the days and serves him."

Regarding the alleged identity of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany, the following excerpt from the life of Mary Magdalene can be cited: “By origin from the city of Magdala, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary is called Magdalene, to distinguish her from other pious wives mentioned in the Gospel with the name of Mary.”

The question remains, where did Lazarus' sister Mary from Bethany go during the Savior's suffering on the Cross? Why was she not next to her beloved Teacher? Why does none of the evangelists mention her when they talk about the myrrh-bearing women? And actually, why should she be in Jerusalem at this time? In the texts of the New Testament, Mary, together with her sister Martha, appears only when the Savior visits His friend Lazarus in Bethany. It is quite possible that even at the time of the Cross suffering, the sisters remained close to their brother in their native city. Although it can be assumed that the evangelists noted both Mary and Martha among other myrrh-bearing women, calling them “others” (Luke 24:10), it is not for nothing that they are called myrrh-bearing women in the church calendar. In any case, the assumption that the evangelists, for the purpose of conspiracy, called Mary of Bethany Mary Magdalene (from Magdala) sounds somehow unconvincing.

The one who repents is innocent

I would like to especially note: the very fact that an Orthodox saint could be former harlot, in no way is it something offensive and unacceptable. Even in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, set forth by the Evangelist Matthew, the harlot Rahab (Rahab) from Jericho is mentioned. There are many examples in Orthodoxy when people, possessed by the most terrible sins, having been cleansed by the Sacrament of Baptism, as if by a “bath of resurrection”, became revered saints. And the purpose of the above reasoning is not to cleanse St. Mary Magdalene of some kind of slander, but to present the opinion that has developed in Orthodoxy about the history of the chrismation of Christ.

As for Mary Magdalene herself, whom Christ cleansed from the enslavement of seven demons, in conclusion I would like to cite the verses that were published several years ago in the Evening Novosibirsk newspaper, written by the Novosibirsk poetess Anna Vil.

You are healed by faith!

Arise, Mary of Magdala!

Your disease has been conquered!

And Magdalene became a light;

Listening to subtle wise speech,

Taking in the purity of the eyes,

Mary straightens her shoulders

And the pain of the night subsides ...

Touched by a gentle hand

He taught not to feel sorry for himself,

He showed her a different life

In 1969, the Catholic Church officially recognized that Mary Magdalene, the closest disciple of Jesus Christ, was never a harlot. Her life is shrouded in mystery. It is completely unknown how Mary lived before meeting the Savior, it is also a mystery where, when and how she ended the earthly age.

It is likely that Mary was called Magdalene, because she came from the city of Magdala. And also, by logical conclusions and analysis of written sources, it is assumed that Mary was never married, because otherwise she would have had the name of her husband.

However, there were practically no free women in Jewish society at that time. A woman in those days had to be, if not married, then already dead. And the living Mary Magdalene still remained unmarried. This happened because the New Testament says that Mary was possessed by seven demons, who were later cast out by Jesus.

Perhaps only the obsession with that environment could become for a single woman a kind of protection from all sorts of encroachments. And then the demons will leave Mary really extremely quickly. And with great joy she joined the growing and strengthening brotherhood of Christ, became his most faithful disciple.

Not just Mary, but...

There is not a single word in the canonical Gospels that Mary Magdalene was once a harlot. Where such an opinion came from, who benefited from it - is now completely incomprehensible. But New Testament says practically nothing about the place she occupied among the apostles. It was as if Mary had turned out to be and remained in this assembly a random and meaningless figure.

However, the Scriptures clearly state that Magdalene was one of the few who witnessed the execution of Christ (unlike the disciples who fled at that time). She was the first to whom the Savior appeared after the Resurrection. Not the apostles, but it was she who first announced to the world about the miracle of the Resurrection.

This could not fail to attract the attention of researchers. If Magdalene was a simple fellow traveler, then why did Christ first appear to her, and not to one of the apostles? But because she was the beloved and most faithful disciple of Christ, which is still mysteriously hinted at by the Gospel of John.

Apocrypha or non-canonical Gospels

In 1945, a jar containing ancient early Christian books was discovered in Egypt. They contained simply sensational material. Particularly struck Gospel of Philippa, which described in detail the relationship of Jesus with the disciples, including Mary Magdalene.

The lines of this apocryphal Gospel became known to the whole world: “Three walked with the Lord all the time. Mary, his mother, and her sister, and Magdalene, who was called his companion. Further: “The Lord loved Mary more than all the disciples, he often kissed her lips. The rest of the disciples... said to him: Why do you love her more than all of us?"

Mary is called the beloved disciple of Christ. Of course, the Nakhamadi books were not the first to correct canonical Christianity. There were different understandings and different interpretations almost from the very beginning of its spread around the world. There were constant disputes.

Another sensation of the new time happened in 1896. In the Cairo bazaar, a German scholar bought an ancient book in Coptic. She then became known as Gospel of Mary.

It has been proven to be genuine, because there were also fragments of it in Greek. They are dated II - the very beginning of the III century. The original could well have been written during the life of Mary Magdalene.

This apocrypha also testifies to the special attitude of Christ towards her and even more clearly shows the hostility towards her of other disciples. The Gospel of Mary testifies to the state of the apostles after the crucifixion of Christ.

The main thing is that it is here that the great mystery is set out in more detail - what Christ said to Mary after his Resurrection. The apostles, having heard this, behaved not at all in the best way: “Andrew answered and said to the brothers: ... I do not believe that the Savior said this. After all, these teachings are other thoughts.

And Peter asked the disciples about the Savior: “Did he speak with a woman in secret from us, not openly? Should we turn, all listen to her? Did he prefer her over us?" But Levi answered, “Peter... I see you competing with a woman as adversaries. If the Savior found her worthy, who are you to reject her? Of course, the Savior knew her very well. That's why He loved her more than us».

Favorite apostle?

A kiss on the lips confuses many and leads to seditious thoughts, although it means the transfer of secret knowledge. This is accepted in many secret organizations. Christ, kissing Mary, dedicated her to his disciples. And of all the disciples, it was Mary Magdalene who was the most spiritually mature and wise.

And just in many ways it is her merit that Christianity did not disappear, but began to spread after the death of Christ. Historical documents confirm that Mary Magdalene even preached in Rome! This is also mentioned in Paul's letter to the Romans. Even the emperor accepted her, and her story is confirmed by the written report of Pontius Pilate.

Magdalene as a harlot was first spoken of only in the 6th century AD. By this time, the Church not only stood firmly on its feet, but also acquired the status of a state church. Christ's ideas about love and equality partly gave way to previous views, the role of women was minimal.

In the period of early Christianity, there were even more women prophets and leaders of communities than men. Then the men who seized power declared them "vessels of sin." Even the idea that a woman could be an apostle became heresy.

Therefore, the disciple and preacher of Christ, Mary Magdalene, turned into a problem for the new churchmen. And the personality of Mary was rethought. And although even in the allowed Gospels not a word is said about her as a harlot, in all subsequent writings they equated her with a sinner.

Yes, and God be with them. Christ came to save sinners, and whoever imagines himself to be a saint - immaculate and omniscient - does not need a Savior.

For Mary Magdalene in the official Christian books, the image of a "harlot", possessed by demons, who was healed by Jesus, was fixed. However, with a detailed study of the sacred books, apocrypha and other historical sources, it becomes clear that Mary became a victim of slander and the most real historical falsifications.

I must say that the first to speak about the real role of Mary Magdalene in the life of Jesus were the alternative historians Michael Begent and Richard Lee, who claim that Jesus was married to Mary and had children. Historians base their conclusions on the study of ancient texts. The authors presented the results of their historical research in the book "Holy Blood and the Holy Grail", which was published back in 1982.

Many historians also claim that Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus and the mother of his children. In those days, for a man of his age to be unmarried was at least suspicious, especially when it comes to the Teacher.

In the apocryphal Gospel of Philip there is a mention that Jesus Christ kissed only Mary on the lips, and the disciples themselves (especially the Apostle Peter) were very jealous of this. And this is far from the only mention that the apostles were very unhappy with the special trust that Jesus placed in Mary.

As for the nickname "harlot", which is attributed to Mary Magdalene, it has no real basis. The mention of a harlot woman is found only in the Gospel of Luke, when she washes the feet of Jesus. However, the name of this woman is not mentioned in the Gospel. So why is this story associated with the identity of the Magdalene? This is a great historical injustice!

Interestingly, modern historical research claims that Mary Magdalene was not poor and came from a wealthy family, as mentioned in Anastasia Novykh's book Sensei 4. In the Gospels, there is a mention that Mary anointed Jesus with a special liquid, which in those days was very expensive, and only rich people could purchase it.

But there is an assumption that Mary belonged to one of the ancient royal families - the tribe of Benjamin, whose ancestor was the first Jewish king Saul, and therefore her family was really rich.

Another significant piece of evidence is the apocryphal Gospel of Mary. In 1896, an ancient papyrus written in Coptic was found in Cairo, which was called the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

The text really tells about the life of Jesus and emphasizes the special role of Mary Magdalene. From this text it is unambiguous that it was Mary who Jesus instructed to continue her work: “Peter said to Mary: “Sister, you know that the Savior loved you more than other women. Tell us the words of the Savior that you remember, that you know, not we, and which we have not heard. Mary answered and said, "That which is hidden from you, I will proclaim it to you." Is this not evidence that Peter tried to learn from Mary Magdalene the formula of the primary sound, or the Grail, which is mentioned in the books of Anastasia Novykh?

In conclusion, pay attention to the wonderful stained-glass window from Kilmore Church (Mule Island, Scotland), which depicts Christ with the Magdalene, waiting for the heir.

If you want to know the real story of Mary Magdalene and Jesus, then check out the book "Sensei 4" by Anastasia Novykh. From this sensational work you will learn the answers to a huge number of questions. Who was the first disciple of Jesus? How did Jesus heal the sick? What does "pontiff" mean? What role did the archons play in the fate of Jesus? What was the purpose of writing the canonical Gospels?

What is the "number of the Antichrist"? Who are the true disciples of Jesus? What goals did the apostle Peter and the apostle Paul pursue? Was Jesus a Jew? What was Jesus' earthly life really like, when and where did it end? Who was Mary Magdalene? What does the nickname "Magdalene" mean? What is the Grail and to whom did Jesus give it before the crucifixion? All this and much more - in the book "Sensei 4", which can be downloaded completely free of charge by clicking on the quote below or by going to this section.

Read more about this in the books of Anastasia Novykh

(click on the quote to download the entire book for free):

Therefore, I say that not all those who were later attributed to His disciples, when they created the patriarchal religion, were such. The group of true disciples of Jesus included both men and women. And it was an unusual group, an atmosphere of freedom and equality reigned in it. It was a group modeled after Imhotep's inner circle. Moreover, it was the woman - Mary Magdalene who was the first among the disciples of Jesus, whom He called the successor of His Teachings, His Messenger, which in Greek sounds like apostolos.

She was neither a harlot nor "possessed by seven demons" from which Jesus allegedly later cured her. If anyone had demons of envy, lies, pride and hypocrisy, it was those who, while creating a religion, slandered the Virgin Mary of Migdal-El. In fact, she was pure, beautiful, intelligent, selfless and merciful. And although Mary came from a fairly wealthy family, she voluntarily gave up all privileges and high position in society in order to be with Jesus and help Him.

So if we talk about Mary Magdalene, then she was exactly the closest disciple to whom Jesus not only entrusted secret knowledge, but also handed over what today people call the "Grail", and, in fact, an adapted formula of the Primary Sound. These are the very “keys to the Kingdom of Heaven” about which Jesus said: “I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven; but what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

- Anastasia NOVICH "Sensei IV"