Mary of Magdala, also known as Magdalene, has been portrayed in very different ways throughout history. In the New Testament, she first appears as a follower of Jesus and as a witness to the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. In apocryphal writings of early Christianity, she is depicted as Jesus' favorite disciple and receives special revelations from him. Later on, she was identified with the anointing sinner from the Gospel of Luke and ultimately became the epitome of the repentant sinner and penitent. Recently, speculation has increased that she may have been Jesus' beloved or wife. The book explores the transformations of the Magdalene figure over time but also raises the question of the historical Mary from the Galilean town of Magdala and her role in the Jesus movement and as a witness to the Easter events.