Marie de Magdala, une psychopompe chrétienne

Abstract

: Several contemporary writers redefine the role of the saint in the mortuary rites around the death of the Messiah. While centuries of religious painting have transmitted the image of a Mary Magdalene in tears at the foot of the cross, some authors rather emphasize her stoicism, or, on the contrary, her deep psychological distress. Moreover, the mourning woman often supplants the penitent in the evocations of the post-testamentary life of Mary Magdalene, who appears more as a grieving widow than as a repentant sinner. Some writers also illustrate the saint’s insight, fully confident in the fulfillment of the Resurrection, with the absence of ointment on Easter morning: the miracle obviously makes the mortuary toilet useless. In contrast, the anointing of Bethany, a metaphor for both the royal coronation and the anticipated embalming of Christ, regularly holds the attention of contemporary writers. Once again, the young woman’s discernment is put forward: she understands, before the other disciples, the need to prepare the death of the Nazarene. Mary Magdalene therefore accompanies Christ at every step of his journey into the hereafter – towards death and in victory over death – and undoubtedly assumes the role of psychopomp. In the light of those reinterpretations of the figure of Mary Magdalene, this article studies representations of Mary Magdalene in relation to Christ’ death in Western literature of the 20 th and the 21 st centuries, particularly since the 1980s.