What’s with Mary Magdalene x2?

Or: 'How the Church Reads the Bible: Faith, History, and the Women of the Gospels'

Do We Read Scripture Like a History Book or a Prayer Book?

For many centuries, Christians in the West were taught that Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the unnamed “sinful woman” who anoints Jesus in Luke 7 were all the same person. That tradition was passed down with sincerity, often through sermons, stained glass, and devotional writing. However, in more recent times, the Church has encouraged us to return to the Scriptures themselves and consider more carefully what the Gospels actually say.

This has led to a fresh appreciation for the distinct roles of these women and a deeper awareness of how the Church holds Scripture and Tradition in conversation.

A Balanced Way of Reading: Faithful, Thoughtful, and Reverent

In 1943, Pope Pius XII issued Divino Afflante Spiritu, inviting Catholic scholars to study the Bible with greater precision, using the best tools available; language study, historical context, literary forms, and archaeological insight¹.

The Second Vatican Council later reaffirmed this approach in Dei Verbum (1965), encouraging readers to attend to both the human and divine aspects of Scripture. It emphasised the importance of literary genre, context, and the unity of the entire Bible².

In 1993, the Pontifical Biblical Commission published The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, which praised the historical-critical method as “indispensable,” while also cautioning that it must serve the faith and remain rooted in the life of the Church³:

“The historical-critical method is indispensable. But it must be used within the framework of faith and in harmony with the living Tradition of the Church.”³

Pope Benedict XVI, writing before and during his pontificate, consistently reminded us that while careful study of the Bible is vital, it must never lose sight of its ultimate purpose: to reveal Christ. Scholarship and prayer are meant to go hand in hand⁴.

What About Mary Magdalene?

The Gospels speak of several women named Mary, and they each play distinct roles:

• Mary Magdalene is introduced as a disciple who had been healed by Jesus. Luke tells us that “seven demons had gone out of her” (Luke 8:2). She followed Jesus, remained with Him at the foot of the Cross, and was the first to see the Risen Lord (John 20:1–18).
• Mary of Bethany is the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She appears in John’s Gospel as a woman of deep interior devotion and hospitality (John 11–12).
• The unnamed “sinful woman” in Luke 7 comes to Jesus at the house of Simon the Pharisee, weeping at His feet and anointing them with perfume. There is no indication in the text that this is Mary Magdalene, and no mention of Bethany.

For a long time, especially in the Latin West, these three women were treated as one figure. This tradition is often traced back to a homily given by Pope Saint Gregory the Great in 591 AD⁵. However, modern Catholic scholarship (and the Church’s liturgy) now treats them as distinct individuals⁶.

It’s worth noting that the Church has not defined this matter as doctrine. There is no dogma requiring us to believe that these women are the same or separate. Rather, the distinction reflects where the Church’s biblical scholarship and liturgical practice currently stand. The Church encourages us to take the Scriptures seriously, to read them carefully, and to remain open to what they actually say.

How the Church’s Liturgy Reflects This

In 1969, following the Second Vatican Council, the Roman Calendar was revised. The Feast of Mary Magdalene remained on 22 July, while Martha’s was placed on 29 July. At that time, Mary of Bethany was not included by name⁷.

In 2021, the Church officially restored the memorial of “Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus” on 29 July, recognising all three siblings together as a family of disciples⁸.

Pope Francis also elevated the liturgical rank of Mary Magdalene’s feast to a proper “Feast” in 2016. The decree called her the “Apostle to the Apostles”, highlighting her unique role in the Resurrection account, but without referring to her as a penitent woman or as Mary of Bethany⁹.

These changes show a movement towards clarity, rooted in a closer reading of the biblical texts, and supported by a theology that honours the individuality of these holy women.

So, What Does This Mean for Us?

The Church doesn’t ask us to choose between faith and historical study. Rather, she teaches us to read Scripture through the lens of tradition, reason, prayer, and the living faith of the Church.

We read the Bible not just to learn what happened, but to encounter the One who is speaking to us still.

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” - Saint Jerome¹⁰

As we deepen our understanding of Scripture, we also deepen our love for Christ and His Church. Whether we are reading about Mary Magdalene at the tomb, Mary of Bethany at the feet of Jesus, or the woman who wept at the feet of her Saviour, we are always being drawn back to Him.

Ultimately, whether there was one, two or three Marys, it is always the one Spirit working through them all. So in that sense, they are never truly separated.

Footnotes

1. Divino Afflante Spiritu, Pope Pius XII (1943).
2. Dei Verbum, Second Vatican Council (1965), especially §§11–13.
3. The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, Pontifical Biblical Commission (1993).
4. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Jesus of Nazareth, Vols I–III.
5. “Homily 33,” Homiliae in Evangelia, Pope Gregory the Great (591 AD).
6. Fr. Raymond E. Brown, The Community of the Beloved Disciple (1979).
7. General Roman Calendar, revised in 1969 after Vatican II.
8. Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 January 2021.
9. Apostolorum Apostola, Congregation for Divine Worship, 3 June 2016.
10. St Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah, Book 18.