Mary Magdalene (1st century AD) was believed to be a reformed
prostitute and is identified as the woman who 'was a
sinner' at the house of
Pharisee, who washed
Christ's feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and anointed them. Christ then forgave her
sins. She was present at the
Crucifixion and found Christ's
tomb empty after the
Resurrection. Initially she mistook him for a
gardener but then recognized him, and Christ bade her, "
Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my
Father; but go to my
brethren and say to them, I ascend unto my Father."
Mary was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, with whom she was set adrift at sea, landing in Marseilles. She made many converts and performed miracles, then retired into the wilderness where she ate nothing but was nourished by angels. A hermit witnessed how angels descended and lifted her up seven times a day, and at the appointed hour of her death a choir of angels brought her to church to be blessed.