‘Mary Magdalene Rises from the Dust,’ Twice

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Liturgy was the perfect and unparalleled medium for public relations in the Middle Ages, and when it came to relics, it could transform any stone, bone, or a piece of wood into an object worthy of devotion. This article revolves around the activating force of the relics of Mary Magdalene in medieval France. It examines two liturgies—from Vézelay and from Saint-Maximin in Provence—honouring the saint, representing two distinct responses whose character reflects the priorities of the communities that produced them and the agendas that set them in motion. Liturgy was accorded a special role in bolstering the claims of Provence over the corporeal presence of Mary Magdalene in its midst, with liturgists adopting a more audacious and unreserved vocabulary to validate these claims over those of Vézelay.

Original languageEnglish
Article number659
JournalReligions
Volume15
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2024

Keywords

  • liturgy
  • Mary Magdalene
  • medieval France
  • miracles
  • office
  • Provence

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Religious studies

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