Who’s “Mary” in Mozart’s Requiem?

A reasonable translation of these lines is: “You who absolved or forgave Mary and exonerated the thief, give me hope also.” So we need to ask, “Who is Mary?” (I’ll get to the thief next time.)

At first I thought, as you probably did, that “Mary” is the Virgin Mary, the human mother of Christ, and so the pairing of her and a thief would be setting up opposites, with the principle being that everyone needs forgiveness, from Mary to a thief. While that interpretation would make sense theologically (even though later Roman Catholic doctrine held that Mary had been conceived and born sinless), the text is apparently referring to a different Mary altogether: Mary Magdalene. And she’s such an interesting character that I’m happy to have an excuse to write about her. If nothing else, an examination of the traditions that have grown up around this woman can show how easily a false idea can become widely accepted. (And then re-interpreted and embroidered upon, as in Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code, in which it is revealed that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were actually married and had children. I’ll leave that idea to languish within these parentheses.)

So Mary Magdalene shows up in all four Gospels, and there is never the slightest hint in those that she is anything but perfectly respectable. “Magadalene” simply means “of Magdala,” a town of Galilee, and apparently had dyeworks and textile manufacturing as its main trades. Later tradition says that the town was destroyed because of its unsavory reputation, particularly as a center of prostitution, but I don’t know that there’s any real evidence for this destruction or its cause.

So what actual information do we have about Mary Magdalene? The Gospel of Luke tells us:

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means” (8:1-3 NIV).

So Mary is part of a group of women traveling with Jesus, all of whom have been cured of some condition and therefore have experienced miracles firsthand. They are also all capable of helping support the group “out of their own means,” so they must be well off. As for the “seven demons” associated with Mary, I will just say that her problems are labeled as spiritual or mental in nature and not physical. It’s interesting that this account makes a clear distinction between “evil spirits” and “diseases.” (An examination of the issues surrounding biblical teaching on this issue is beyond the scope of this post; I would recommend an excellent article on the subject here:
“Demons” Ancient Superstition or Historical Reality?”) Mary is usually named first in any lists of women following Jesus and in at least one account of the Resurrection she is described as being the first to see the risen Christ.

So where did all this about Mary Magdalene being a reformed prostitute come from? One source might be the aforementioned association between her home town and the oldest profession, although the connection might also grown up because of the rumors about Mary herself. Hard to say. But the main reason Mary got her reputation is that early readers of the New Testament drew a line from the story at the end of Luke chapter 7 to the mention of Mary at the beginning of Luke chapter 8 above. (Just to be clear: chapter divisions are a later addition to the biblical text and not in the originals; they were added to make it easier to find passages—sort of an early search engine capability.) This whole conflation started with Pope Gregory in the 6th century. As the theologian Michael Bird says,  “Sadly, the legend that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute began in the sixth century when Pope Gregory I conflated Mary Magdalene (Lk 8:2) with Mary of Bethany (Lk 10:39) and with the anonymous ‘sinful woman’ who washed Jesus’s feet (Lk 7:36-50).” Who’s the Luke 7 woman? We’re never given her name, but she’s specifically labeled “a sinner” who comes to a house where Jesus is a guest of a Pharisee, a member of the strict Jewish legalists, and she anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive ointment. (One translation calls her “the town harlot,” but my Greek is a little rusty and so I don’t know how valid that wording is.) The guests are scandalized, but Jesus recognizes the woman’s heart and tells her, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (vs. 50 NIV). There’s no idea at all that she’s being invited to come along with the group following Jesus, and we’re told specifically that after this occurrence Jesus traveled about from one town to another. Only then is Mary Magdalene mentioned, so there seems to be a clear division between her and this other woman.

I ran across a very interesting tidbit while writing this post that may also help explain Mary Magdalene’s reputation. “Magdala” actually means “tower” or “citadel.” In Jerusalem there is the “Mariamne Magdala,” or “Mary’s Tower.” Sounds like it must have something to do with our Mary, doesn’t it? But it doesn’t. The Mary here was the wife of Herod the Great, and she was executed by her husband in 29 BC because of her supposed infidelity. But she was very beautiful, and Herod grieved for her deeply. (There were several Herods during this time, just so you know. It’s all very confusing, almost as confusing as all the Marys.) So the unfaithful wife Mary, who had a magdala erected in her honor, becomes the sinful Mary Magdalene, a follower of Christ. It does seem to be a likely connection, doesn’t it?

Anyway, by 1324 MM’s (I’m sure she wouldn’t object to my abbreviation) reputation was so associated with so-called “fallen” women that the Roman Catholic Church opened the first of what would be many “Magdalen” houses. I would assume that these eventually became what were called “homes for unwed mothers.” (What about all those unwed fathers?) Artists had a heyday portraying this supposed courtesan (a pretty word that simply means a “high class” prostitute), as they could portray her as voluptuously as they wanted and still be picturing a biblical character. (You’ll notice in the picture I chose that she has an awful lot of hair; this feature is yet another reference to the story in Luke 7, as we’re told that the woman anointed Jesus’ feet, washed them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. No respectable woman back in those days let her hair be seen; a woman with uncovered hair was advertising herself as being for sale. Most of the paintings of MM have her hair on full display.)

Next up: the thief on the cross and the Christian doctrines of grace, forgiveness and repentance that show up so frequently in the Requiem text.