On July 22, the Church honors the memory of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Myrrh-Bearer Mary Magdalene.
In her life it is said that when Jesus Christ walked through Galilee and performed miracles, a woman named Mary Magdalene approached him and asked him for help. The Lord cast out seven demons from her and completely healed her of her illness. Since then, the grateful Mary served the Lord unceasingly, listened to his teachings and followed him until his death on the cross.
The people honor St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Myrrh-Bearer Mary Magdalene as the sister of Saint Elijah. She is credited with the first exclamation "Christ is risen!".
In the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the veneration of Mary Magdalene has certain differences: the Orthodox venerate her primarily as a myrrh-bearing healer of demons, who appears episodically in several of the Gospels, while in the Catholic Church her image has long been legendaryly identified with the repentant harlot of Martha and Mary. The nature of the relationship between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene is the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, conjectures and assumptions, which are sometimes viewed by believers as sacrilege.
On July 22, Maria, Mariana, Mariyka, Mara, Maruda, Manda, Marusha, Magdalena, Magda, Miglena, Lina celebrate their name day.