Well, the July 22nd feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene has rolled around yet again. For my celebration this year, I present this blog post to provide some commentary on John 20:1-18, the resurrection appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene and to explore the iconography of Noli me tangere in Western art, from the 11th through the 17th centuries that is associated with this meeting of Mary Magdalene with the Risen Jesus. Eighteen images, some of the many Noli me tangere paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and frescos in the art world, are included and discussed. The phrase “noli me tangere” is...
Last updated: July 26, 2026 I was alerted to the recent buzz about Mary Magdalene by my friend Laurie, who sent me this link to a sermon preached by Dr. Diana Butler Bass on the closing day of the Wild Goose Festival, July 17, 2022. In this sermon, Diana mentions research started in 2017 by Elizabeth (Libbie) Schrader, a PhD student at Duke University. Libbie, based on her examination of various early manuscripts, hypothesizes that the name Martha was added to the original story of the raising of Lazarus in John chapters 11 and 12. If this is correct, she...
Last updated: October 21, 2024 As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have been collecting art images of Mary Magdalene for a long time. It all began years ago when I was looking on the internet for a few images to use in my Mary Magdalene feast day celebrations. It was interesting to see how she was almost always clothed in accordance with the upscale fashion of the times and the location of the artist. In the Middle Ages, it was common to simplify the art to appeal to and educate viewers, many of whom did not know...
Last updated: May 31, 2026 Happy July 22 – Feast Day of Mary Magdalene! Unfortunately, the timing was bad this year for hosting the MM feast day ritual at my house. I am heading off to Santa Fe soon for a long weekend with my family to celebrate my sister Lori’s fiftieth birthday. So this feast day I just thought I would offer a few comments regarding some resources related to MM that you may be interested in. Andy and I recently returned from a trip to Spain, and the last place we visited before coming home was the Prado...
Last updated: June 2, 2026 This year I have tried to enter into the rhythm of Palm Sunday through Holy Week through Easter mindfully. As part of being mindful, I spent some time on Good Friday reflecting on the mysteries of death and resurrection – of the seasons of life. As always, I am impressed with the faith and commitment of the courageous women, who must have beaten down an incredible amount of anxiety and sorrow, as they gathered at the foot of the cross. And as always, I am moved by the mixture of grief and love that sent...
