Mary kept faith as feminist

MAGDALA, Israel: If there’s a feminist figure from the Bible for the #MeToo era, it could very well be Mary Magdalene.

The major character in the life of Jesus was long maligned in the West and portrayed as a reformed former prostitute. But scholars have adopted a different approach more recently, viewing her as a strong, independent woman who supported Jesus financially and spiritually.

The New Testament tells how Jesus cast demons out of her. She then accompanied Jesus in his ministry around the Galilee, before witnessing his crucifixion, burial and resurrection in Jerusalem, which is being commemorated by Christians this week and next. Pope Francis took the biggest step yet to rehabilitate Mary Magdalene’s image by declaring a major feast day in her honour, July 22. His 2016 decree put her on par with the liturgical celebrations of the male apostles.

“By doing this, he established the absolute equality of Mary Magdalene to the apostles, something that has never been done before and is also a point of no return” for women in the church, said Lucetta Scarrafia, editor of the Vatican- published Women Church World monthly magazine.

Mary Magdalene was from a thriving fishing village on the Sea of Galilee named Magdala, which has been excavated extensively by archaeologists in recent decades.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican’s culture minister, said Mary Magdalene’s reputation was sullied by her depiction in art. “It is important to find the real face of Mary Magdalene, a woman who represents the importance of the female aspect on the side of Christ,” he said.

Claire Pfann, academic dean at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said she must be seen for what she was – “an independent woman who has discretionary time and wealth from the city of Magdala, not identified by a father or a husband, whose life was dramatically changed by her encounter with… teacher and healer Jesus.” – AP/ African News Agency (ANA)