His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa Celebrates the Feast of the first witness of the Risen Lord: "I am also a Mary Magdalene"
MAGDALA - On April 15th, 2023, the Holy Land celebrated the Feast of Magdala in honor of Saint Mary Magdalene, with a Mass presided over by His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and concelebrated by Mgr Rafiq Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, and Mgr Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, bishop emeritus, in the site of Magdala, in Galilee. The celebration was followed by the blessing of the Magdala center by the Patriarch.
"Before going to Magdala, I didn’t know much of Mary Magdalene. I knew she was an important figure in the life of ministry of Christ and was present during two key moments of his life (the crucifixtion and resurrection), but I did not have so much of a connection with her."
Mariana Be was born in Mexico, grew up in Texas, and also has a Middle-Eastern background. She is a singer, songwriter, composer and producer who, in 2022, went to London to showcase and release her original music. Instead, a couple of months later, she found herself in Magdala, composing songs about the key passages of the Bible illustrated in the seven chapels of the site Duc in Altum – including one about the disciple Mary Magdalene, which she sung during the feast.
Singing on the Sea of Galilee
"Back then, everything seemed to be going great. I thought I was ready to dive into the music industry... And yet, inside, I was still searching. I grew up in faith-based family and environment, and my faith never left me. But there was a point in my life where I fell – or almost fell – into the hands of the worldy things: success, ambition, body image, etc. Like so many others, I seeked happiness, but in the wrong places. So when Holy Week drew close, I reached out to a priest I knew and somehow I ended up in Magdala, contributing to this wonderful musical project I would have never imagined doing a couple of years ago."
“Mary Madgalene’s song”, as the young singer dubbed it, is called "New Life”, and will be officially released on July 22nd, for the international feast day of Mary Magdalene. It speaks of love and freedom, understanding and healing; about the transformation that Mary Magdalene went through after her encounter with Christ. “That song is a mirror of my personal experience,” explained Mariana. “I had insecurities, I was feeling lonely, I wasn’t fulfilled; then, in Magdala, I met God’s love, I met Christ, I met wonderful godly people who helped me spiritually. I learnt that I was not alone. I think – I believe! – that Mary Madgalene, according to the Gospel, went through perhaps a similar experience. She was possessed by seven demons, as I was troubled by my anxiety and insecurities; and then she met Christ and found peace in Him, as I did. So, I am also a Mary Magdalene, as it’s sung in ‘New Life’, and which I hope may connect with others experiencing a constant search or turmoil in their lives."
Singing on the Sea of Galilee
During his homily, the Patriarch also highlighted Mary Magdalene’s deep connection to Christ, saying that “today, with this feast, we celebrate the woman who introduced us to the turning point of the Gospel; the life of the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene is the ring that connects the Risen Lord with humanity, because she is at our level; she is a sinner like us, a sinner who however was forgiven, who was saved and redeemed by the Lord.”
Click here to see all the pictures of the celebration!
This news was originally published on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Please click here to read the full text.
