Feast of St. Mary Magdelene

Bleassed feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles! This saint showed us a model of firm faith: she was the first to see the Risen Christ, she traveled the long way from Jerusalem to Rome with her sermon, earning her the name of Equal Apostle, which was given to great ascetics who converted entire nations. Even today, nearly 2,000 years later, she bears witness to the risen Christ and strengthens us in our faith.

In January 2014, I miraculously found myself at the relics of Saint Mary Magdalene in the Esphigmenou monastery on Mount Athos. According to the common tradition of the monastery, in the evening after the meal, the pilgrims had the relics brought out of the monastery's treasury for adoration. The time was cold and the temple was 5-7 degrees, no more. I took turns in putting my hands on all the relics that had been brought out, all the while paying no attention to the Greek inscriptions on the shrubbery with the names of the saints. And then, at one point, after I laid my hands on them, I felt a very strong heat coming from the relics, and I was literally burned. Yes, yes, I was burned by surprise, because everything in the temple was cold, but here miraculously and quite clearly radiated warmth. The inscription on the reliquary appeared to me, Αγ. Μαρία Μαγδαληνή (St. Mary Magdalene in Greek). I had heard before that the relics of the saint retain bodily warmth, but still, there must have been some doubt lurking in my heart, and here is such an amazing case, as if the saint herself were telling me: don't doubt, believe!

With the prayers of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Myrrh-Bearing Mary Magdalene, may the Lord strengthen us all in the faith, may the hope for salvation and hope in God's mercy abide in our hearts, may we be imbued with that strong love for the Lord, which our great saint was imbued with almost 2000 years ago!

Today in the Athonite monastery of Simonopetra the patronal feast of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Myrrh-Bearing Mary Magdalene.

In the pictures: the icon of St. Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles and the founder of the monastery of Simonopetra, St. Simeon the Myrrh-streaming, as well as an ark with the relics of the holy myrrh-bearer and a festive coliva in her honor.

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Myrrh-Bearing Mary Magdalene, pray to God for us!

Author: Gleb Nuralin