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Discover the Top 6 Fun and Surprising Facts About Mary Magdalene You Never Knew

illustration of mary-magdalene
Dive into the mysterious life of Mary Magdalene as we uncover a treasure trove of fascinating facts about this enigmatic biblical figure.

1. Hair-styling Saint

Talk about a hairy situation: While many assume Mary Magdalene pioneered the one-breast-covering-with-hair look, long flowing locks have been the ultimate humility accessory in art since the Renaissance, even styling other female saints like Saint Mary of Egypt.
Source => artuk.org

2. Travel Influencer Mary

From jet-setting to cave-dwelling, Mary Magdalene was quite the travel influencer of her time: Legend has it that after landing in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, she roamed through Provence, evangelizing before making a literal cave her humble abode on Sainte Baume mountain for 30 mysterious years, which today is a popular pilgrimage site, complete with her statue and a natural spring, courtesy of our dear Dominican monks.
Source => myfrenchlife.org

3. Misunderstood Socialite

Hold onto your scarlet letters and mistaken identities, because the original "sin-sational" socialite isn't who you think she is: Mary Magdalene, often portrayed as a repentant prostitute, actually has zero scriptural evidence to support that reputation and is, in fact, a devoted disciple of Jesus, witnessing his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, with more Gospel mentions than most of the apostles!
Source => womansday.com

4. Gospel Superstar

You know that feeling when you find a dollar bill in your jeans? Now imagine finding a rare, ancient codex instead: Turns out, Mary Magdalene is the star of the show in the "Gospel of Mary," a Gnostic text discovered in the Berlin Gnostic Codex. It contains Coptic translations of three significant texts from the second century, with sadly missing pages 1 to 6 and 11 to 14. Nevertheless, our very own "visionary" Mary Mag shared a spiritual sight of the Lord and some thought-provoking chit-chat with Peter and Andrew about matter, sin, and the Kingdom of God.
Source => gnosis.org

Not-So-Scarlet Woman

5. Not-So-Scarlet Woman

If you were playing Secret Santa for Mary Magdalene, you'd probably chuckle at the idea of gifting her a copy of "The Scarlet Letter"; but hold on to your socks, everyone, because this lady isn't who you think she is: In reality, Mary Magdalene was never depicted as a reformed prostitute or sexually impure woman in the Bible; instead, she was a devoted follower of Jesus and a significant leader among early Christian women, being singled out by name as a distinguished figure. As the first-ever witness of Jesus' resurrection, she was even trusted to relay the joyful news to the men, proving her unwavering faith, persistence, and dedication in the face of societal obstacles.
Source => amedievalwomanscompanion.com

6. Biblical Beauty Guru

Behold the ultimate beauty guru of biblical times, armed with the holy trinity of a mirror, a comb, and a bottle: Mary Magdalene wasn't actually all about physical glam, but rather her significance lies in her spiritual transformation and being a close confidante of Jesus himself.
Source => larsdatter.com

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