Pope Gregory, in 591AD, identified Mary Magdalene as the unnamed sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, and her reputation as a prostitute became almost fact, but in all the instances of her being a prostitute, they are unnamed women who were attributed to her. Mary of Magdala is mentioned in the gospel more than most of the other apostles, and was present at the Crucifixion, as well as being the first to see Jesus raised from the dead, and the one who told the other Apostles- and as such, she is also called the Apostle to the Apostles.  During Jesus’ earthly ministry, Mary helped to fund the travels of Jesus and the apostles, and after the Ascension of Jesus, she traveled to Ephesus with John the Evangelist, and funded those efforts. The fact that she has a ‘last’ name is an indication that she was monied and well educated.  There are other legends that had her traveling to France, where her tomb is to be found at the Basilica of Mary Magdalene, in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. 

One of the photographs is inspired by several paintings that depict her in Ephesus at a table contemplating the things of God, and her own mortality.  The skull was a very commonplace and pointed to the fact of our fallen mortal nature. 

In another of the photographs, Mary is holding a red egg.  This is from a legend that placed her in the company of Emperor Tiberius Ceaser sharing her faith with him that Jesus was raised from the dead, to which he replied that Jesus had no more risen than the egg in her hand was red. Immediately, the egg turned red as a sign from God to the truth of Jesus rising from the dead.  This is also a reason that eggs are died on Easter. 

Finally, you will find in the images a brass ‘boat’ used to hold incense, and a bottle of oil infused with myrrh as symbols of her and her companions desire to anoint the Body of Jesus on Easter morning- earning them the title of Myrrh Bearing Women. 

Thanks to @marliejo_mitchell for sitting for this project, and to her mom, @sallie.mitchell3006 for helping get everything just right.