Mary Magdalene
Saint Mary Magdalene is the patroness of penitents and of converts because tradition long identified her with the repentant woman who washed the Lord’s feet with her tears and dried them with her hair — the very image of a soul turned from sin to love. She is patroness of perfumers and pharmacists for the same Gospel detail: she came to the tomb bearing spices and ointments to anoint the body of Christ, and she is the woman of the alabaster jar of costly perfume. Hairdressers claim her for the hair with which she wiped his feet. As the first to see the risen Lord (John 20:11-18) — “the Apostle to the Apostles” — she is also a model for contemplatives who seek him.
Saint Mary Magdalene was one of the most devoted followers of Jesus Christ. She was present at the Crucifixion and was the first witness of the Resurrection, earning her the title “Apostle to the Apostles.” Her example of repentance and devotion has inspired Christians for two millennia.
