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Righteous Joachim and Anna · Ven. Joseph of Volotsk
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Saint Mary Magdalene, Myrobearer and Isapostolostranslated

July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

It is an undeniable fact that the woman, for the first time in her history, found praise from our Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from Our Lady, who was the only vessel of divine grace, a multitude of holy women were close to the Lord, throughout His presence on earth, who served Him and supported Him in His saving work. One of them was Mary Magdalene, the perfumer and co-apostle, His most devoted disciple.

Lampros Skontzos, Theologian

She came from the city of Magdala, which was in the region of Galilee on the western shore of Lake Tiberias, and for this reason she was nicknamed Magdalene. Her parents were rich, noble and pious Jews, named Syros and Eucharistia. They raised Maria in piety and fear of God. They made sure to give her a serious education, as her biographer Kallistos Xanthopoulos mentions. He studied the Old Testament and was immersed in the prophecies about the Messiah. After the death of her parents she refused to marry and devoted herself to prayer and the study of the Scriptures. At the same time, he practiced charity. She distributed her great wealth to the poor and lived herself with fasting, virginity and…

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency  ·  Read the full story →
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💬 Comments (3) 🌐 Show original
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Elizabeth King
I didn't know her parents were named Syros and Eucharistia, or that she turned down marriage after they died to focus on prayer and helping the poor. That part about studying the Old Testament prophecies really stuck with me. Makes her devotion to Christ feel even more grounded.
M
Michel Girard
It's interesting what the article says about his parents, Syros and Eucharistia, and how they gave him a good education with the study of the Old Testament. This explains why she immediately recognized the Messiah and followed him without hesitation. I also didn't know that she had refused marriage to live in prayer and share her fortune with the poor, which makes her attachment to Christ even more concrete.
R
Rebecca Parker
I didn't know those names either until I read this article. The bit about her studying the prophecies and then choosing to live simply after her parents died feels very real, like the sort of decision you see in the lives of the older saints. Did you come across any of her story in the Gospels that suddenly made more sense after reading this?
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