Mary Magdalene is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, faithfully following him along with other people, revered by the Orthodox Church. Mary Magdalene is the myrrh-bearer, the first of the people to see the appearance of Jesus Christ after the Resurrection. You will learn below about the life of the saint and how prayer in front of the icon of Mary Magdalene helps, as well as where the relics are located. And also, what date is the day of remembrance of Mary Magdalene in 2022 according to the Orthodox calendar, everyone, without exception, should know!
Brief biography
The saint is revered by all Christian religions. Her name is repeatedly mentioned by evangelists. There is also evidence in the writings of the Apostle Paul.
Origin and childhood
It is believed that Mary (meaning “lady” in Hebrew) was born in the city of Magdala, in northern Israel. According to one version, she lived with her parents, according to another, she was orphaned early and was forced to earn her own food from childhood. The middle name Magdalene means “hair curler.”
Life
In Holy Scripture, all 4 apostles describe the first meeting of Jesus and Magdalene in the house of the leper Simon. The woman generously anointed the Messiah's head with myrrh, washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with her loose hair.
The apostles were indignant that the stranger acted so wastefully with precious oil, by selling which they could earn a significant amount to give alms to the poor on the eve of Easter. The host did not show proper hospitality to the guest, and also noticed to Jesus that he was being courted by a notorious harlot.
Jesus told his disciples and Simon that the woman had proven her relationship with him, and therefore all her sins were forgiven. Grateful Mary began to follow the Savior everywhere along with the apostles and listen to his sermons. She was absent from the farewell party.
Serving God
On Black Friday, when Christ was sentenced and executed, Mary followed him all the way to Golgotha. Here she, together with the Mother of God, witnessed the death of Jesus Christ. The next morning, the women, taking the ointment, went to the cave where Jesus was buried to complete the burial rite.
The apostles learned that the body of Jesus was not in the tomb from Mary Magdalene and did not believe her until they verified it personally. Maria returned to the cave and continued to mourn the Teacher. Looking into the coffin, she saw two angels there who asked what she was crying about.
Having answered them that she was looking for the body of Jesus Christ, the woman looked around and saw Jesus, but at first did not recognize him as the Messiah. When he called her by name, she exclaimed: “Teacher!” Jesus ordered the apostles to tell her that he had not yet left the earth, but would soon ascend to his Father.
Byzantine authors indicate that Mary Magdalene, after the ascension of the Son of God, accompanied the Blessed Virgin Mary to Ephesus. She subsequently became an assistant to John and Paul in their apostolic work. Based on this information, in the Orthodox tradition, Mary Magdalene is revered as the Holy Myrrh-Bearer Equal to the Apostles.
The faithful companion of Christ became the founder of the Easter custom. Handing the egg to the pagan, she said, “Christ is Risen.” To which he replied that resurrection is as impossible as changing the color of an eggshell to red. At the same instant, the egg turned red in his hands.
Demise
Orthodox theologians believe that the saint died in Ephesus and was reburied in the monastery of St. Lazarus in Constantinople.
Remembrance Day of Mary Magdalene 2022: life, prayers, customs
In this gospel the beginning of her apostolic ministry. After the resurrection of the Savior, Mary, according to legend, first preached in Jerusalem, then in Rome.
She went to Emperor Tiberius and, reporting the divine miracle, gave him an egg as a symbol of rebirth with the words: “Christ is Risen!” The unbelieving ruler exclaimed that this was as incredible as if the egg turned red. After his words, the egg turned red.
From Rome, Mary Magdalene, already aged, went to Ephesus - there she helped the Apostle John the Theologian in his preaching. She died peacefully there.
What are they asking for?
Mary Magdalene is considered the patroness of missionaries and preachers, teachers and social workers. In prayers, the Saint is asked to grant faith, humility, good deeds, courage, help in persecution, strengthening in carnal temptations, and so on.
Prayers to Mary Magdalene
First prayer
O holy myrrh-bearer and all-praised equal-to-the-apostles disciple of Christ, Mary Magdalene! To you, as the most faithful and powerful intercessor for us, sinners and unworthy God, we now earnestly resort to you and pray in contrition of our hearts. In your life you have experienced the terrible machinations of demons, but by the grace of Christ you have clearly freed them, and through your prayers you have delivered us from the snare of demons, so that in all our life we may faithfully serve the only Holy Master God in our deeds, words, thoughts and secret thoughts of our hearts, as they were promised to Him. You loved the sweetest Lord Jesus more than all earthly blessings, and you followed Him well through all your life, with His Divine teachings and grace not only nourishing your soul, but also bringing many people from pagan darkness to Christ’s wonderful light; then, knowingly, we ask you: ask us from Christ God for the grace that enlightens and sanctifies, so that we, overshadowed by it, may succeed in faith and piety, in the labors of love and self-sacrifice, so that those who earnestly strive to serve our neighbors in their spiritual and physical needs, remembering the example of your love for mankind. You, holy Mary, have lived your life on earth cheerfully by the grace of God and have peacefully departed to the heavenly abode, pray to Christ the Savior, that through your prayers He will grant us the ability to complete our journey without stumbling in this vale of tears and in peace and repentance to end our life, and so Having lived in holiness on earth, we will be granted eternal blissful life in Heaven, and there with you and all the saints together we will praise the Indivisible Trinity, we will glorify the One Divinity, the Father and the Son and the All-Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Second prayer
O holy myrrh-bearer, Equal-to-the-Apostles Magdalene Mary! With your warm love for Christ God, you trampled underfoot the evil machinations of the enemy and found the priceless pearl, Christ, and reached the Kingdom of Heaven. For this reason, I fall to you and with a tender soul and a contrite heart I cry out to you, unworthy one: look down from the heights of Heaven on me, who have been overcome by sinful temptations, see that the enemy besieges me with many sins and troubles every day, seeking my destruction. Glorious and all-praised disciple of Christ Mary! Pray to Christ God, beloved by you and who loved you, to grant me forgiveness of many of my sins, strengthen me with His grace to soberly and cheerfully walk the path of His holy commandments, and may He make me a fragrant temple of the Holy Spirit, so that in the world I will shamelessly end my difficult life on earth and I will dwell in the bright and blessed abodes of Heavenly Paradise, where you and all the saints will joyfully glorify the Consubstantial Trinity, the Father, the Son and the All-Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mary Magdalene: what they pray for
Before the icon of Mary Magdalene they pray:
- about forgiveness for your sins;
- she is asked to receive mercy for the sin of abortion;
- about deliverance from temptations and vices (in particular, from drunkenness, smoking, etc.);
- about protection from the evil eye, curses and damage.
We also note that Mary Magdalene is the patroness of pharmacists and hairdressers .
Rev. Maria Hidanskaya
Maria Khidanskaya was the niece of Abraham, an ascetic who led a reclusive life. She was with him in the desert, but one day she left her cell, to which she was prompted by an unclean spirit. She came to the city and began to lead a sinful life there.
After this, Abraham put on military armor to change his appearance and went to the city, they found his niece there and convinced her, after which she repented. She returned with him and again began to live in her cell. Later she gained the ability to cure diseases. She died five years after her uncle Abraham.
Name day of Maria Khidanskaya November 11
Maria Vifanskaya
Mary of Bethany is the sister of the Gospel Lazarus, who died and was subsequently resurrected by Christ. In gratitude for this good deed, this saint anointed the hands of the Son of God with myrrh and then wiped her feet with her own hair.
Subsequently, Mary was among the myrrh-bearing women. These were women who, after the crucifixion of Christ, came to his tomb to anoint his body with ointment, but found the tomb empty because Jesus had risen.
Name day of Mary of Bethany June 4.
Mary Magdalene: fornication
According to the most popular version, Mary Magdalene was a harlot. And she joined Christ - and the righteous life - only after He cast out seven demons from her. And after this, Mary Magdalene became a zealous keeper of the faith. She followed Christ until His death along with other myrrh-bearing women.
Mary the Harlot is spoken of in the Gospel of Luke.
But in the Gospel of John there is not a word about the fornication of Mary Magdalene. Moreover, according to another version, this Mary is one of the sisters of Lazarus , whom Jesus resurrected. And it was she who washed Christ’s feet during the Last Supper, then wiping them with her own hair. And this version has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Even the Catholic Church officially removed the stigma of the harlot from Mary Magdalene in 1969.
One way or another, Mary Magdalene was the only one who did not flee in fear when Christ was captured by the guards. She remained with the Savior until the last. And it was Mary Magdalene who was the first to see Jesus Christ after his resurrection.
Maria of Radonezh name day
Mary of Radonezh was the mother of Sergius of Radonezh, the great Russian saint. Her family was rich and noble. Together with her husband Kirill, they had three sons, the eldest two of whom got married, and the youngest, Bartholomew (the future Sergius of Radonezh) dreamed of joining a monastery.
However, the mother and father asked their son to be patient a little while caring for them, because they were old and weak. He did this and followed Maria and Cyril until they decided to become monks. Having done this, both parents commemorated Blessed Bartholomew in their prayers every day until their death. He, for his part, saw them off on their final journey.
The name day of Mary of Radonezh is January 31 and October 11.
What to give for Magdalene's name day?
The gift can be of both ecclesiastical and secular nature:
- Personalized icon. A miniature icon with the face of the patron saint will be an excellent gift for a believing girl.
- Candles. Beautiful wax candles with engraving will be an appropriate and pleasant gift for a name day.
- Indoor flower. A live indoor flower in a pot will be a good gift for the birthday girl (don't forget to check first if she is allergic to pollen or anything like that).
- Personalized robe. A bathrobe or housecoat with the owner's name embroidered on it will be a useful and pleasant present.
- Pendant with sapphire. The blue stone serves as a talisman for the owner of the name.
Maria Ustyuzhskaya
Maria Ustyugskaya lived in Rus' in the 13th century. She was forced into marriage with the Tatar tribute collector Baga. The people in Ustyug were outraged by this and wanted to kill him. Mary persuaded him to accept Orthodoxy, which he did, not having faith, but only to avoid death by becoming John. Subsequently, his wife Maria instilled faith in Bagh, and they became a truly Christian couple. He even built the Church of John the Baptist.
Subsequently, the family lived peacefully and righteously, invariably arousing the admiration of their fellow citizens. They died at a ripe old age. Now Maria, together with John, is one of the famous residents of Ustyug.
Name day of Maria Ustyug on June 11.
Maria of Constantinople
Mary of Constantinople lived with her husband Xenophon in this capital city. Their family was rich, they had two sons, Arkady and John. One day the ship they were traveling on died. The parents tried not to succumb to grief and believed that God had not abandoned their children.
Some time later, as old men, they went to Palestine on pilgrimage and met their two sons in various Jerusalem monasteries. They joyfully greeted them, after which they themselves accepted monasticism. Arkady and John themselves then went to serve God in the desert.
Name day of Mary of Constantinople January 26th.
