Eremitic Life of Mary Magdalene

Vita eremitica Maria Magdalena

Standard abbreviation: Erem. Life Magd.

Other titles: Life of the Blessed Mary Magdalene; “Narrat Josephus”

Clavis numbers: ECCA 181

Category: Hagiography

Related literature: Life of Mary Magdalene

Compiled by: Brandon W. Hawk, Rhode Island College ([email protected]).

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Hawk, Brandon W. “Eremitic Life of Mary Magdalene.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/eremitic-life-of-mary-magdalene/

Created November 2020. Current as of January 2024.

1. SUMMARY

This Latin apocryphon offers an account of Mary Magdalene’s life after Jesus’ ascension. Leaving the other disciples, Mary becomes a hermit in the wilderness and takes up solitary residence in a cave. She is visited daily by angels, who bring her heavenly food for physical sustenance and carry her into the heavens for spiritual sustenance. Thirty years later, a priest of a local congregation retreats into the wilderness for a Lenten fast and witnesses Mary being lifted into the air by angels before being taken back to her cave. He approaches the cave, wary that she might be a supernatural creature, and attempts to talk to Mary. They carry on a conversation in which Mary identifies herself as a former demoniac, according to the account in the gospels. She decides to rejoin society for her final days and requests that the priest bring her human clothing to wear. Mary joins the priest and his congregation for Mass and she takes the Eucharist, then she sends her spirit from her body into heaven. Afterward, her body is buried at the church. The apocryphon ends with Mary sending her spirit to heaven, mention of her merit as a hermit, and, in many versions, a final doxological conclusion.

Named historical figures and characters: Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene.

Geographical locations: none.

2. RESOURCES

2.1 Art and Iconography

Untitled painting by the Master of the Magdalen (ca. 1280–1285), Gallerica dell’Accademia, Florence, featuring canonical and noncanonical episodes from the life of Mary Magdalene.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Latin

3.1.1.1 Short A Version (BHL 5453–5454)

Bern, Burgerbibliothek 133, fol. 2^r–v (12th cent.)

Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale 64, fols. 128^r–129^r (11th cent., Würzburg?)

Cologne, Historisches Archiv der Stadt, Wallraf 222 [Best. 7010 222], fols. 117^r–118^r (12th cent.)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Fies. 34, fols. 221^v–222^r (ca. 1464, Florence)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Mugellano 13, fol. 281^v (15th cent.)

Hermetschwil, Benediktinerinnenkloster, Cod. membr. 6, fols. 147^v–149^r (12th/13th cent., SW Germany) ~ e-codices

Kassel, Gesamthochschulbibliothek, 2° Ms. theol. 133, fols. 139^r–144^r (14th cent., Fritzlar)

Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, C.133, fols. 87^v–88^v (11th cent., Milan)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Lat. 3278, fols. 65^v–66^r(13th cent., Italy) ~ Gallica

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Lat. 3827, pp. 161–162 (12th cent.) ~ Gallica

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. lat. 1190, fols. 4^v–5^r (12th cent.)

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 5411, fols. 215^r–v (11th/12th cent.)

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Ottoboniani 106, fols. 192^r–193^r (10th/11th cent.)

Cross, J. E. “Mary Magdalen in the Old English Martyrology: The Earliest Extant ‘Narrat Josephus’ Variant of Her Legend.” Speculum 53 (1978): 16–25 (edition of Short A version, pp. 20–22).

3.1.1.2 Longer Version

Cambridge, Peterhouse, 130, fols. 246^v–248^r (ca. 1145, Germany) ~ Cambridge

Engelberg, Stiftsbibliothek, 2, fols. 1r-v (1143-1197, Engelberg)

Linz, Oberösterreichische Landesbibliothek, Cod. 473, fols. 160^v–161^v (13th cent., Baumgartenberg) ~ DLO

Melk, Benediktinerstift, Cod. 101 (676, M 6), fols. 94^r–95^r (ca. 1470, Melk) ~ Manuscripta

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm. 14311, fols. 222^r–223^v (10th cent., Germany) ~ MDZ

St. Gall, Kantonsbibliothek, Vadianische Sammlung, VadSlg Ms. 70, fols. 91^v–92^r (15th cent., St. Gall) ~ e-codices

St. Gall, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 610, pp. 210–211 (1452–1459, prob. St. Gall) ~ e-codices

Zwettl, Zisterzienserstift, Cod. 49, fols. 290^r–291^r (12th cent., Zwettl) ~ Manuscripta

Hawk, Brandon W. “The Latin Eremitic Life of Mary Magdalene: Further Witnesses and a New Version.” Forthcoming (editio princeps of the Longer Version).

3.1.1.3 Interpolated Version

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Lat. 14363, fols. 177^v–178^v (12th cent.)

Lobrichon, Guy. “Le dossier magdalénien aux XIe-XIIe siècles. Édition de trois pièces majeures.” Mélanges de I’École française de Rome. Moyen Âge 104 (1992): 163–80 (edition of Interpolated Version, pp. 177–80).

3.1.1.4 Abbreviated Version (BHL 5455)

Göttweig, Benediktinerstift, Cod. 214 (175) fol. 69^v (14th cent., Austria) ~ Manuscripta

Munich, Universitätsbibliothek, 2° Cod. ms. 70, fols. 193^r–194^r (1470–1471, Landshut)

Rome, Biblioteca Casanatense 1408, fols. 150^r–151^r(12th cent., Benevento)

Cross, J. E. “Mary Magdalen in the Old English Martyrology: The Earliest Extant ‘Narrat Josephus’ Variant of Her Legend.” Speculum 53 (1978): 16–25 (edition of Abbreviated Version, pp. 24–25).

3.1.1.5 Short B Version (BHL 5456)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Conv. soppr. 302, fols. 27^v–28^v (12th cent., Florence)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Ed. 132, fol. 152^r–v (12th cent., Arezzo)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Ed. 133, fol. 175^r–v (12th cent., Umbria)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Ed. 137, fol. 121^r–v (11th/12th cent., Tuscany)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Ed. 139, fol. 137^r–v (12th cent., Florence)

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 17.37, fol. 188^r–v (11th cent., Tuscany) ~ BML

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 17.41, fol. 238^r–v (12th cent., Florence) ~ BML

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 20.2, fol. 133^r–v (12th cent., Florence) ~ BML

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 20.3, fol. 107^r–v(12th cent., Lucca) ~ BML

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 89 sup. 24, fols. 120^v–121^v (10th cent., Florence) ~ BML

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Strozzi 2 , fols. 13^v–14^r (12th cent., Florence),

Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Conv. soppr. A.2.41, frammento, fols. IV^r–v (12th cent., prob. Tuscany) ~ Mirabile

Siena, Biblioteca Comunale degli Intronati F.I.9, fols. 142^v–143^r (12th cent., Siena?)

Trento, Archivio Diocesano Tridentino. Biblioteca Capitolare 39, fols. 83^v–84^r (12th cent.)

Trento, Biblioteca Comunale 1566, pp. 69^r–76^r (12th cent., Brescia?)

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 6075 , fols. 162^r–v (1601?) ~ DigiVatLib

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 6450, fols. 193^v–194^r (11th/12th cent.) ~ DigiVatLib

Washington, DC, Museum of the Bible, MS.000229.1–2 (olim Brooklyn Museum), fols. unnumbered (11th cent.)

Misrahi, Jean. “A Vita Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae (B.H.L. 5456) in an Eleventh-Century Manuscript.” Speculum 18 (1943): 334-–39 (edition of Short B Version, pp. 338–39).

3.1.2 Middle Welsh

Aberystywth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth 5, fols. 26^r–28^r (ca. 1350)

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

Hawk, Brandon. “The Eremitic Life of Mary Magdalene.” Pages 130–39 in vol. 3 of New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures. Edited by Tony Burke. 3 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2023 (introduction with translation of the Short A Version).

3.3 General Works

Alexander, Seth J. A. “The Magdalene of Medieval Hagiography.” Pages 176–88 in Mary Magdalene from the New Testament to the New Age and Beyond. Edited by Edmondo F. Lupieri. Themes in Biblical Narrative 24. Leiden: Brill, 2019.

Gross-Diaz, Theresa. “The Cult of Mary Magdalene in the Medieval West.” Pages 151–75 in Mary Magdalene from the New Testament to the New Age and Beyond. Edited by Edmondo F. Lupieri. Themes in Biblical Narrative 24. Leiden: Brill, 2019.

Hansel, Hans. Die Maria-Magdalena-Legende. Eine Quellen-Untersuchung. Greifswalder Beiträge zur Literatur und Stilforschung 16.1. Greifswald: Hans Dallmeyer, 1937.

Jansen, Katherine Ludwig. The Making of the Magdalen: Preaching and Popular Devotion in the Later Middle Ages. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000.

Mycoff, David, ed. and trans. The Life of Saint Mary Magdalene and of Her Sister Saint Martha: A Medieval Biography. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1989.

Saxer, Victor. Le Culte de Marie-Madeleine en Occident des origines à la fin du moyen âge. Cahiers d’archéologie et d’histoire 3. Auxerre: Publications de la Société des Fouilles Archéologiques et des Monuments Historiques de l’Yonne, 1959.