Who do Catholics believe Mary Magdalene was?

Question

Since she was at the important events in his life (his crucifiction and she was the first to see him ressurected), my assumption was that she was a very devout disciple the Bible did not mention very much.

Answer 1

Saint Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus. (See the 20th Chapter of the Gospel of John).

She was one of Jesus' followers during his ministry, and was present at the cross when he died.

There is some debate on whether she is the woman in Luke 7 who was a notorious sinner. Most biblical scholars believe that Mary Magdalene was not the notorious sinner.

The 8th chapter of the Gospel of Luke describes Mary Magdalene as being healed and supporting Jesus' ministry out of her means.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Mary Magdalene was a wonderful woman who demonstrated how the love of God can transform a person from sinner into saint. From the Bible the only thing that can be deduced of her life before the Passion is that seven demons were expelled from her. According to the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (which you are not required to believe because private revelation is not binding for a person's salvation), she was a very wealthy, very sinful woman in her youth. She had lovers as early as age 9. She was converted in no small part due to the tearful prayers of her siblings: Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and a sibling not mentioned in the Bible who was known as "Silent Mary." It took multiple efforts before Magdalene was able to leave her sinful lifestyle, and become the penitent that was able to follow Christ to Calvary.

Answer 3

You may have noticed that the Bible doesn't mention much about Jesus' mother either.

Mary Magdalene was indeed a close disciple, financially generous and faithful. She has been declared a saint of the Catholic Church.

This Catholic has done substantial research on her, and I believe she was very likely the wife of Jesus' uncle, the wealthy and powerful Joseph of Arimathea.

This would make her Jesus' aunt.

And as Joseph was the one who placed Jesus in his own freshly hewn tomb, it's not much of a surprise that Mary Magdalene was quite familiar with the place.

She probably picked out the original site, and helped to supervised the excavation.

Answer 4

I don't know who the Catholics believe she was, but I can tell you who she was according to the Bible. She was a woman who was delivered of 7 demons. Luke 8:2 - and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;

She was not a prostitute. Nothing in Scripture points to this.

She was not the adulterous woman in John 8.

She followed Christ after her conversion, and was the first person to witness the resurrection of Christ.

Answer 5

The part about Mary Magdalene being a woman of ill-repute was added during the translation of the King James Version because the translators thought it made a better story line.

Yet millions of Christians swear by the translation as if it is literal.

Answer 6

Maggy was indeed a follower of J.C the bible paints her as a prostitute which is incorrect. She was one of very few women at that time that owned a successful textile trade. She was better at it than most of her male competitors. It was because of this jealousy that they spread nasty rumors about being a prostitute.etc. Early attempts at the glass ceiling ?

Answer 7

There is a thing within the Church that she was the woman in John 8 who was rescued from stoning by Christ.

Answer 8

I was raised Catholic and I think they see her as a prostitute, but there is nothing in the bible to suggest this, I've heard.

Answer 9

you've read the Da Vinci code, I take it.
Catholics still refuse to officialy aknowledge Mary Magdalene as any more then a sinner/whore. However, there are many unofficial believers who take her as Jesus's wife.

Answer 10

She was a woman that had her life changed by the Son of The Living God and she never forgot that as long as she lived.