This week, Christians from the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran families took time to commemorate one of the most notable women in the Bible: Mary Magdalene. Going by the frequency with which she’s mentioned in the Gospels, Mary Magdalene was an important figure in the early community of Jesus’ followers.

Mary Magdalene was present at some of the most significant moments of early Christian history. We read in the Gospel of Luke that she traveled with Jesus after being freed from the oppression of “seven demons,” so she probably witnessed much of Jesus’ ministry. But most notably she was present at both the crucifixion and the resurrection of her Savior:

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men.

But the angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. In fact, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there.’ Listen, I have told you.”

So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell His disciples the news. — Matthew 28:1-8 (HCSB)

Here’s how Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda describe the remarkable implications of the fact that Mary, a woman, was the first person to meet the resurrected Christ:

The risen Jesus had appeared, not to rulers and kings, nor even first of all to his male disciples, but to a woman whose love had held her at the cross and led her to the grave. Mary Magdalene, a person who had been afflicted by demons, whose testimony would not have held up in court because she was a woman, was the first witness of the resurrection. Once again, God had revealed himself to the lowly, and it would only be the humble whose hearing was sharp enough to perceive the message of his love. — from the entry on Mary Magdalene in Women of the Bible

Despite her presence at these important events, we know little else about Mary. Many Bible readers hoping to learn more about Mary Magdalene have identified her with Mary of Bethany or with the unnamed “sinful woman at the well”. However, there is little evidence in the Bible texts to make these connections, and the latter identification in particular has resulted in the widespread but biblically-unfounded belief that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute or that she led an immoral lifestyle.

Many Christian traditions today regard Mary Magdalene as a saint and remember her with an annual feast day; others regard her simply as an important and inspiring Biblical figure. Either way, it’s worth taking a few minutes this week to read about one of the most interesting women in the Bible. Click here to see a list of Bible verses in which she appears.