Relics of Mary Magdalene

The relics of Mary Magdalene refers to a set of human remains that purportedly belonged to the Christian saint. The most famous is a blackened skull, displayed in a golden reliquary at the basilica of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, in Southern France, which has been described as "one of the most precious [relics] in all Christendom"[1] and "one of the world's most famous sets of human remains".[2] Other relics said to have belonged to Mary Magdalene include a foot bone located at the basilica of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini in Italy, a left hand located at the Simonopetra Monastery in Greece and a tooth displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.[3]

Mary Magdalene's alleged skull, displayed at the basilica of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, in Southern France.

The purported skull of Mary Magdalene was analyzed in 1974 and has remained sealed inside a glass case since then.[4] Scientists found that it is the skull of a female that lived in the 1st century, who most likely lived until the age of 50, had dark brown hair and was not originally from Southern France.[4] There is no scientific way to determine if the skull is Mary Magdalene's.[4]