St. Mary Magdalene
- proper noun
- Did St. Mary Magdalene really witness the resurrection?
Examples
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Many people admire St. Mary Magdalene for her unwavering faith.
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St. Mary Magdalene was one of the key figures present at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
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Many churches are named after St. Mary Magdalene across Europe.
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Some legends claim that St. Mary Magdalene traveled to southern France after Jesus's resurrection.
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The painting depicts St. Mary Magdalene at the foot of the cross.
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According to the Bible, St. Mary Magdalene was healed by Jesus from seven demons.
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As a devoted follower, St. Mary Magdalene was there when Jesus was buried.
Synonyms
A woman in the New Testament who Jesus heals and who follows him closely
A woman in the New Testament who was healed by Jesus and became his follower
A woman who followed Jesus and is shown as sorry for her sins
Surface Forms
Morphology
St. + Mary + Magdalene
This is a proper name referring to a specific biblical person; knowing the constituent tokens 'St.' (saint), 'Mary', and 'Magdalene' does not allow a learner to infer the biographical meaning (follower of Jesus, healed by him, witness to crucifixion/resurrection). The information is referential and cultural/historical rather than compositional, so the meaning must be learned as a whole and is not predictable from the parts.
Etymology
St. Mary Magdalene is a name made of Mary and Magdalene, where Magdalene means 'from Magdala', a town by the sea. She was a woman Jesus healed who stayed with him and was the first 'witness' to see him alive after his death, so many churches are named for her.