The apparitions of Christ to Mary Magdalene

To understand

WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE

The scene is in the open air, in a garden with trees and birds. Mary Magdalene is on her knees beside a vase of spices; she has just been to the tomb and has not understood why it was empty. And suddenly, she sees a man who seems to be a gardener but, when he pronounces her name, she recognizes Jesus.

 Jesus is risen and she holds out her hand to touch him but he blesses her and tells her not to touch him, or not to hold him back: “noli me tangere” in Latin, which is often the title given to the work of art.

... AND IN  OTHER PICTURES

Christ should always wear some clothes to maintain the confusion or, at least, carry some tools such as a spade… This is frequent but he also appears naked in his shroud or with a luminous body and bearing the standard of the cross.

 Mary Magdalene stretches out her arm to touch Jesus; in general he makes a gesture to keep her away and sometimes he blesses her by touching her forehead.

 As this scene immediately follows that of the empty tomb, both representations are sometimes side by side or mixed.

Not be confused with

The biblical narrative

The Gospel according to John, chapter 20

On the morning of the Resurrection, Mary was near the empty tomb

  And when she had said this, she turned round, and saw Jesus standing, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her : "Woman, why do you weep? whom do you seek?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him: "Sir, if you have borne him hence, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."  Jesus said to her : "Mary !" She turned , and said to him in Hebrew: "Rabbouni !" - that is to say, Master.   Jesus said to her: "Do not touch me; for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."  (John 20:14-17)

 Comment

The apparition narratives show how Jesus gives himself to be seen to the witnesses he chooses in order to strengthen them in their certainty that he remains with them.

They must recognise the crucified Christ of the Passion in the risen Christ of Easter.

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