Mary Magdalene’s legacy is not just theological—it’s political.

Her presence in the gospel narratives is undeniable, yet the Church spent centuries marginalising her. Why? Because she defied the gender norms that have underpinned religious power structures for millennia. She was a follower, yes—but also a leader. A witness to Christ’s resurrection, yes—but also the first to proclaim it. She was, in every meaningful sense, a threat to patriarchy.

This post explores not only the ways in which Mary Magdalene’s power has been erased, but how that erasure reflects the wider systemic silencing of women in the Church. It also examines her rising popularity as a divine feminine figure in feminist theology, and what this resurgence reveals about the hunger for more inclusive and embodied spiritual authority.

🔥 1. The Apostle to the Apostles: Mary Magdalene’s True Calling

Mary Magdalene appears more frequently in the Gospels than any other woman apart from Mary, the mother of Jesus. She is mentioned in all four resurrection narratives and is explicitly named as the first person to see the risen Christ in John 20:18. Jesus doesn’t just appear to her—he commissions her: “Go to my brothers and tell them…”

This wasn’t just a spiritual encounter—it was an ordination.

Lagundi (2016) reminds us that Mary Magdalene is often seen as a “tower of strength,” financially supporting Jesus’ ministry, remaining at the cross when male disciples fled, and being entrusted with the news that would change history. Yet her apostolic authority has long been suppressed, diluted by layers of myth and misogyny. Pope Gregory I’s homily in 591 AD falsely identified her as a prostitute—conflating multiple unnamed women from the Gospels. That narrative persisted for 1,400 years.

Even though the Vatican revised its position in 1969 and Pope John Paul II named her Apostle to the Apostles, her leadership role remains largely symbolic. The modern Church praises her obedience, not her voice.

But scripture itself tells another story

📜 2. Apostles, Not Priests: Why the Ban on Women Endures

Despite Mary Magdalene’s status, women are still prohibited from priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church. In 2024, Pope Francis reaffirmed the Vatican’s stance: only men can be ordained, claiming it is a matter of “doctrine, not discrimination.” But doctrine is not divine decree—it is interpretation. And it has historically been written by men.

“The Church has built an entire ecclesiology on male succession, not sacred truth.”

As the Guardian (2024) article explains, this resistance to female ordination is rooted in tradition, not theology. There is no biblical evidence that Jesus intended for women to be excluded from spiritual authority. In fact, the Gospels suggest the opposite.

So why does the ban persist?

In 1994, Pope John Paul II issued Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, a document that stated:

“The Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women, and this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”

This is the foundation of the modern Church’s rejection of female priests. It leans on the idea that Jesus only chose male apostles. Yet it ignores many scriptural examples that point to female leadership in the early Church:

• Mary Magdalene – First to witness and preach the resurrection (John 20:17–18).
• Phoebe – Called a deacon in Romans 16:1.
• Junia – Named as “outstanding among the apostles” (Romans 16:7).
• Priscilla – A teacher of theology, mentioned before her husband Aquila (Acts 18:26).

The Church’s refusal to ordain women is not a divine decree. It is a doctrine crafted in patriarchal structures.

To acknowledge women’s apostolic authority would undermine centuries of male succession and expose the political nature of the priesthood as it evolved. It would empower the many Mary Magdalenes who are still called—but silenced.

And this isn’t a fringe issue. Women make up over 60% of regular Church attendees globally. They teach catechism, coordinate ministries, support charities—and yet they are still barred from sacramental leadership. The institutional message is clear: you can serve, but you cannot lead.

🌹 3. Mary as Goddess, Rebel, and Icon of the Sacred Feminine

Outside of orthodoxy, Mary Magdalene’s story has evolved into something more mythic, more radical, and deeply transformative.

In feminist and New Age circles, she is not just seen as a disciple, but as the embodiment of the divine feminine—Jesus’ equal, partner, and spiritual counterpart. Authors like Margaret Starbird and popularised interpretations in texts like The Da Vinci Code have reimagined Mary not as a penitent sinner, but as the Bride of Christ, a priestess, a carrier of sacred feminine wisdom.

Beavis (2012) explores this in detail, noting that many women are drawn to Mary Magdalene because she is a divine figure with a fully human story. Unlike the Virgin Mary, whose purity is idealised to the point of erasure, Magdalene is passionate, flawed, wise, and deeply relational.

“She is not an impossible ideal. She is the woman we could be—if we were not constantly told to be silent.”

While traditional theology may dismiss these reinterpretations as mystical fiction, their popularity speaks volumes. There is a profound spiritual hunger for feminine divinity—something the male-dominated Church refuses to offer.

This rise of “Magdalene thealogy” may not fit into institutional frameworks, but it answers a yearning: for balance, for equity, for women to see themselves reflected in the divine.

🗣️ 4. What the Church Fears Most: Women With Power

At its heart, the battle over Mary Magdalene’s legacy is about control.

She was there before Peter, spoke before Thomas, and proclaimed the resurrection before any man. Yet she is still not allowed near the altar.

Why?

Because acknowledging her authority would set a precedent. It would mean admitting that the early Church was not a boys’ club. It would mean facing the uncomfortable truth that Christianity did not begin with hierarchy—it began with radical inclusion.

The Church does not fear Mary Magdalene as a saint.
The Church fears her as a leader.

Lagundi (2016) notes that Mary Magdalene’s character “stood the test of time” and evolved into a symbol of resistance. She represents every woman who has been told she’s too loud, too passionate, too visible. Every woman who has been cast out, then called back—only to be silenced again.

Her presence, her preaching, her authority all challenge the very foundation upon which the Church built itself: male-only leadership. Her gospel role contradicts the institutional structure. That’s what makes her so dangerous.

She reminds us of what the Church could become—if it dared to let women speak.

Mary’s story represents the kind of leadership the Church has consistently denied women: sacramental, visible, spiritual authority. To recognise her fully is to unravel the myth that only men can speak for God.

And that’s the real fear: if Mary Magdalene can be seen as Christ’s chosen messenger, then what excuse remains for barring women from the altar?

The Church does not fear Mary as a saint.
The Church fears her as a leader.

✊ Conclusion: Reclaiming the Lost Gospel of Womanhood

Mary Magdalene is not just a figure of the past—she is a symbol of what’s still at stake.

To restore her to her rightful place is to challenge the foundational myth of male spiritual superiority. It is to ask hard questions about power, leadership, and embodiment. And it is to insist that women are not only worthy of the pulpit—they’ve been there since the beginning.

Mary Magdalene’s story did not end in Jerusalem. According to tradition, she journeyed to southern France, where she lived in the Sainte-Baume cave, spending 30 years in spiritual contemplation. Her relics are enshrined in the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume—a powerful testimony to her ongoing presence (provence-alpes-cotedazur.com).

Her legacy is alive in scripture, legend, feminist theology, and sacred geography.

By reclaiming her voice, we challenge not just her erasure but the erasure of all women in faith traditions. We reclaim our right to lead, to preach, to interpret, and to stand at the centre of spiritual life.

Mary Magdalene is not a relic of the past.
She is a prophecy of the future.

She was the first to preach the resurrection.
Let us be the next.

#MaryMagdalene #FeministTheology #SacredFeminine #ChurchAndPatriarchy #CuriousFemme