THE ASCENSION OF MARY MAGDALENE, THE ILLUMINATOR

NASHVILLE – It is now official. Pope Francis has acknowledged that Mary Magdalene, the woman “who loved Christ and was loved by Christ,”who was one of his disciples, who was the first to witness his Resurrection, is on the same level as the other male apostles.

Recognizing St. Mary Magdalene’s role as the first to witness Christ’s resurrection and as a “true and authentic evangelizer,” Pope Francis raised the July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast on the church’s liturgical calendar, the Vatican announced on June 10, 2016.