Sacred Scripture states that there were “three Mary’s” who visited the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Mark 16:1 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and {Mary} Salome went to the tomb to anoint Jesus.
In the Eastern Church, these three Mary’s are called the Holy Myrrhbearers.
Catholic tradition holds that the “three Mary’s” are the French Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (“Saint Marys of the Sea”). When the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem began to fiercely persecute the Christian in Jerusalem, their attention focused on the three women who claimed to be eye-witnesses of the empty tomb: Mary Salome, Mary Mother of James, and Mary Magdalene.
As long as these three women lived, anyone could consult them about the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb. These three courageous women stood in opposition to the claims if the High Priest in Jerusalem. No doubt, these women continued to visit the empty tomb and lead others to it.
So the Jews wanted to get rid of them.
These three Mary’s, along with Joseph of Arimathea (another resurrection witness) set sail (or were set adrift by the Jews) into the Mediterranean Sea.
One tradition recounts that they carried with them the relics of Saint Anne, the mother of the Mother of God. Saint Martha and Saint Lazarus (the man raised by Jesus Christ) were also aboard the boat. It appears that all the “usual suspects” that served as living witnesses to the power of Christ were sent away into the sea.
They landed on the coast of France and the location is now called Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – Saints Mary’s of the Sea.
Blessed King Charlemagne found the relics of Saint Anne in this region on Easter Sunday in AD 792. I’ve written about this discovery here: Discovery of Saint Anne’s Relics.
Holy Myrrhbearers, pray for us!
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