Independent show hosted by the National Theatre of Bucharest. The responsibility for the quality and content of this event lies solely with the organiser!

Miriam from Magdala is, in fact, Mary Magdalene, the well-known biblical character. I recently read an article-study on the website "chilia atonită" entitled "Mary Magdalene - the wronged saint". In this article, I found arguments for approaching the subject. Through our show, we do not wish to defend Saint Mary Magdalene, as the Orthodox Church describes her quite clearly according to the New Testament and Holy Tradition, but we only want to highlight a few defining moments in her life that show her differently from Western church tradition. This myth of Mary Magdalene as a repentant prostitute is found only in Western church tradition and literature. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, she is honored as she really was: equal to the apostles, apostle of the apostles, saint, witness of the Resurrection. Although St. Mary Magdalene is sometimes likened to various sinful women, this is not attested to anywhere in church tradition, nor in liturgical hymns or in the writings of the Holy Evangelists, who only affirm that the Lord delivered her from the seven demons that tormented her, without referring to her life or morals before meeting the Savior. Mary Magdalene was from the tribe of Naphtali, from Magdala of Galilee, a fishing village on the western shore of Lake Gennesaret, between the cities of Capernaum and Tiberias. The Gospels say nothing about Mary's early years, but tradition records that she was young, beautiful, and wealthy, while other sources describe her as elderly, educated, and wealthy, using her wealth to support those who followed the Savior in His preaching. The nickname Magdalene, which always accompanies her name, at least in the Gospels, indicates that she was not married, otherwise her name would have been accompanied by her husband's name. She must have been a wealthy woman, since the information provided by the evangelist Luke, through which we learn that she helped with noble material support the work of Jesus and the twelve apostles, is reliable.

“Christ Has Risen!” - Mary Magdalene's words to the Holy Apostles

The Holy Gospels recount how the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb, where they received the news of the Resurrection. Of all of them, Saint Mary Magdalene was the first to see Him and announce the Resurrection, becoming the “apostle of the Apostles.”

Her preaching work took her to Rome, where, according to historical sources and tradition, Mary Magdalene appeared before Emperor Tiberius with only a chicken egg, in accordance with the custom of the time of offering eggs as gifts on the first day of the year or on someone's birthday. Offering the egg to the emperor, she greeted him with the words, "Christ has risen!" The emperor replied that it was hard to believe that anyone could rise from the dead, just as the egg she had given him could not change its color to red on its own. At that moment, the miracle of the egg turning red in the emperor's hand took place, becoming a symbol of Christ's Resurrection, and Mary Magdalene enjoyed the respect of Caesar of Rome.

Mary Magdalene's presence with Emperor Tiberius is also recorded by the historian Eusebius of Caesarea.

Jacob of Nea Sketis (1800-1867) also notes another story about Saint Mary Magdalene's arrival in Rome and her visit to Emperor Tiberius, according to which she healed his blind daughter's eyes. He recounts the following dialogue between Saint Mary Magdalene and Emperor Tiberius: "If it is true," says Caesar, "that so many extraordinary miracles happen simply through the name of Christ, can you heal my only daughter, who is blind?"

In response, Mary Magdalene informed the emperor that she herself could not do it, but that the power of Christ could heal her after intense prayer. So Mary Magdalene prayed all night, asking the Lord to give the emperor's daughter the light of her eyes. And, oh, miracle! In the morning, the emperor's daughter was found "with eyes and seeing."

Mary Magdalene continued her preaching until the end of her life.

The left hand of Saint Mary Magdalene is venerated at the Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos. Fragments of her holy relics are also found in Romania.

This show is part of a larger project, together with other holy women, dedicated to the Commemorative Year of the Holy Women in the calendar, according to a decision of the Holy Synod.

Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu