One of the lesser saints remembered on this day in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar is St. Mary Salome, mother of the Apostles James and John and wife of Zebedee. With the recent canonization of Pope John Paul II, remembrance of St. Mary Salome is overshadowed by celebrating John Paul II’s feast day on this day as well.
St. Mary Salome was a faithful disciple who should be remembered by all Christian faithful. She continues the theme of October being the month of angels, because she was one of the the three women greeted at the empty tomb by the two angels. She, along with Mary Magdalene and Joanna, was one of the first people to come to conscious awareness of the resurrection of Christ.
Like Mary Magdalene, she puts a feminine face on discipleship. A truth that the Roman Catholic Church suppressed and denied throughout history.
On this link here on catholic.org, we learn that Salome is mentioned in the early Christian text, the Infancy Gospel attributed to James the Just:
14 And the midwife went out from the cave, and Salome met her. 15 And the midwife said to her, “Salome, Salome, I will tell you a most surprising thing, which I saw. 16 A virgin has brought forth, which is a thing contrary to nature.” 17 To which Salome replied, “As the Lord my God lives, unless I receive particular proof of this matter, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.” 18 Then Salome went in, and the midwife said, “Mary, show yourself, for a great controversy has arisen about you.” 19 And Salome tested her with her finger. 20 But her hand was withered, and she groaned bitterly, 21 and said, “Woe to me, because of my iniquity! For I have tempted the living God, and my hand is ready to drop off. — Protevangelion of James, ch. XIV
The Gospel of Thomas, another early Christian writing, refers to a Salome receiving secret teachings from Jesus. It is believed that St. Mary Salome is the one and same Salome. As a disciple, she passed on these esoteric teachings to those she proclaimed the good news of Christ’s resurrection.
As one of the Myrrh Bearing Women, she is remembered by our Orthodox brothers and sister on August 3. One of the prayers prayed on that date ignites in me the wonder of the importance of remembering and recalling this holy saint and her myrrh bearing companions on that fateful day:
Come from that scene, O women bearers of glad tidings, and say to Zion: “Receive from us the glad tidings of joy, of Christ’s Resurrection! Exult and be glad, and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing Christ the King, Who comes forth from the tomb like a bridegroom in procession!”
The myrrh-bearing women, at the break of dawn, drew near to the tomb of the Life-giver. There they found an Angel sitting upon the stone. He greeted them with these words: “Why do you seek the Living among the dead? Why do you mourn the Incorrupt amid corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples!”
St. Mary Salome, pray for us.
Originally published 10/22/2014