Daniel del Castillo González
Every year on July 22nd, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. She is one of the most important figures in the Gospel and in the history of Christianity.
Her memory is not only preserved in biblical texts: there is a relic of her foot in Rome.
The tradition surrounding the relic is that after leaving the Holy Land, Mary Magdalene arrived in Provence, France.
Her foot became a symbol of her journey as an apostle because she arrived barefoot in France.
Today, pilgrims from around the world flock to venerate the relic. It recalls the story of a woman saved by Jesus, who then became the first messenger of the Resurrection.
At Pope Francis' request, the celebration of Saint Mary Magdalene was elevated in the General Roman Calendar from a memorial to a feast day.
POPE FRANCIS
The first to arrive was Mary Magdalene. She was one of the disciples who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, putting herself at the service of the burgeoning Church. Her walk to the sepulchre mirrors the fidelity of many women who spend years in the small alleyways of cemeteries remembering someone who is no longer there.
The status of women was very different than it is today. In Jewish society at that time, women didn't have the same standing as men.
Mary Magdalene's story has been clouded by misconceptions. For centuries, she was portrayed as a repentant prostitute, although that doesn't appear in the Gospels.
What is sure is that Jesus cast out seven demons from her. This was an experience of complete liberation and encounter with Christ, which was deeply transformative.
