Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Saints' names: do these names refer to the same person?

There's only one Saint Mary Magdalene, any English variations are a spelling mistake. She is known by names like Maria Madalena in other countries. Her name probably means Mary of Magdala, named after the town of Magdala. The Bible doesn't say she was a prostitute, that was invented by the Church to discredit her. She was a woman of independent means, she was one of the financiers of Jesus' mission. She went everywhere with him, always being put first in the list of those who accompanied him, above his mother. She has been called the Apostle to the Apostles as she is the one to whom Jesus appeared when he resurrected, so she was the one who brought the message that he was risen. The Gospel of Philip in the Nag Hammadi says that Jesus used to kiss her on the lips often. When asked why he did this, he said 'Great is the mystery of marriage'. She went to France with her daughter Sara (which means princess) and converted the French with her preaching and healings.

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