When Jesus was raised on the Cross these women were observing everything from afar. Mathew and Mark note almost in identical words that, “There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee and helped him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the wife of Zebedee”. (Mathew 27, 55-56)

Luke has specially noted, “All those who knew Jesus personally, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance to watch.” (Luke 23, 49) So, from this we can conclude that Mary Magdalene was there at Golgotha among the women and saw the scene of Jesus’ crucifiction and heard the heart-rending words of Jesus from the Cross. One can imagine the scene of total helplessness of these women who were unable to help their beloved Jesus in his great suffering and death.

The Gospels speak about two unknown disciples: Joseph of Arimathea and a Pharisee Nicodemus. They brought down the body of Jesus from the Cross and wrapped it in a linen sheet. The Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and other devout women disciples might have helped the two to bury Jesus. Luke notes, “The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee went with Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was placed in it. Then, they went back home and prepared the spices and perfumes for the body. On the Sabbath they rested, as the Law commanded.” (Luke 23, 55-56)

The renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens has drawn a very famous picture entitled ‘The Descent from the Cross!’ In the picture two women are helping Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus to take down the body of Jesus from the Cross. The two women are Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Cleopass. Rubens’ portrait of Mary Magdalene gives credence to traditional belief that Mary Magdalene was at the foot of the Cross.

In the Gospels Mary Magdalene gets special place and respect because Mark has mentioned, “After Jesus rose from death early on Sunday, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons.” (Mark 16, 9) Jesus had broken many traditional beliefs of people during his life on earth. Against the customs of the Jewish rulers, Jesus took revolutionly steps like mingling and eating with outcasts, sinners and tax-collectors. In Jewish society a woman’s place was not better than a servant or a slave. But in dealing with people Jesus gave women equal dignity and self respect like men.

As if these revolutionary steps were not enough, the resurrected Christ first appears to a woman, Mary Magdalene, and makes her the messenger of his resurrection!

St. John has described in a picturesque way the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection. “Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet. ‘Women, why are you crying?’ they asked her.

“She answered, ‘They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!’

“Then she turned round and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ Jesus asked her. ‘Who is it that you are looking for?’

“She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, ‘If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.’

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’

“She turned towards him and said in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (this means ‘Teacher.’)