St. Mary Magdalen
Patroness of the Dominican Order
July 22

Through the centuries, Mary of Magdala has been erroneously identified with at least three women in the New Testament. Modern Scripture studies, however have given her an identity that has become generally accepted.

Magdala, Mary’s place of residence, was a small village between Capernaum and Tiberias, on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was probably during Jesus’ Galilean ministry tour that Mary met the famous Preacher. Regardless of what her conversion may have cost her, she became one of the generous, loyal followers of Christ.

When Mary Magdalen first appears in the Gospel accounts, it is as a practical woman, capable of “taking care of things.” Luke includes her in the group of women “who used their own resources to help Jesus and His disciples,” as they traveled “through towns and village preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God.”

All the disciples point to Mary Magdalen as one of the women who witnessed the death and burial of Jesus: she was unswerving in her fidelity to Him to the end. John adds that the Magdalen was at the foot of the cross with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, when the dying Christ bequeathed to humankind the precious gift of His mother.

Since Mary Magdalen has been a popular saint throughout the history of the church, Dominican devotion to her is understandable. Over and above this fact, this loyal friend of Jesus must have had a strong influence on Dominic, himself a loyal friend of Christ. The Magdalen’s active-contemplative life, her all-absorbing love for Jesus, her call to announce the Good News to “his disciples and to Peter”—for Dominic this was the portrait of the true preacher, an incentive for his followers.