Mary Magdalene, First Witness of the Resurrection
Mary Magdalene is honored as one of the first witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus, and received a special command from our Lord to tell the Apostles of his resurrection (John 20:11–18). Because of her unique role in spreading the Good News of the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene is also known by the title, “Equal of the Apostles.”
Mary Magdalen and the tradition of the Easter egg
“For centuries, it has been the custom of many Christians to share dyed and painted eggs, particularly on Easter Sunday. The eggs represent new life, and Christ bursting forth from the tomb. Among Eastern Orthodox this sharing is accompanied by the proclamation “Christ is risen!”, and the person being addressed would respond “Truly He is risen!”
One tradition concerning Mary Magdalene says that following the death and resurrection of Jesus, she used her position to gain an invitation to a banquet given by Emperor Tiberius. When she met him, she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed “Christ is risen!” Caesar laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the egg in her hand turning red while she held it. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her hand turned a bright red, and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire imperial house”
