Saint of the Day: Mary Magdalene

She's been maligned for years but is finally coming into her own.

Except for Mary, the mother of Jesus, few women depicted in the Bible have created more of a lasting historical impression than Mary Magdalene. She has been portrayed for years as a fallen female, the unnamed sinful woman who anointed Christ's feet in Luke 7:36-50, according to americancatholic.org. You might call her the victim of mistaken identity.

Most modern Scriptural scholars believe there is no basis for confusing the multiple personas. Mary "of Magdala", they state, was the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. Scripture tells this story in Luke 8:2. It suggests either extreme possession by demons or a severe illness. Scholars believe that this individual was not the same as the sinner referred to in Luke 7:37.

Mary Magdalene was one of those followers of Jesus who stood by at His crucifixion. She was also chosen to be the one first aware of Christ's resurrection. The last mention of her in Scripture was in John 20:17, when Christ instructed her to tell his disciples that he was going to ascend to His Father.

The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican churches honor Mary Magdalene as a saint and celebrate her feast day on July 22. The Lutheran Church commemorates her with a festival on the same day.

Since the third century, the saint's identify has been mixed up with the woman who anointed Jesus' feet. This unnamed woman has long been identified with Mary of Bethany, sister of the resurrected Lazarus and Martha. Pope Gregory I attempted to sort out all three Marys in a sermon delivered in 591.

Where the common reference to Mary Magdalene as a prostitute arose remains unknown. Although Gregory I referred to her in a sermon as a sinful woman, he did not call her a prostitute. However, he did identify her as the adultress brought before Jesus. Mary Magdalene as a prostitute was the predominant view depicted in Western art until the 20^th century.

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates Mary Magdalene as the first person to whom Christ appeared after his resurrection, not as the sister of Lazarus or as the sinful woman whose sins Christ forgave.