Veiled in Strength
The Myrrh-bearing Women
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"Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen."
— Mark 16:1–2
In the quiet, pre-dawn hours after the Sabbath, a group of women made their way to the tomb of Christ. They were not strategizing. They were not calculating the risks of Roman guards or sealed stones. Their only concern? “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3).
They went anyway.
These are the Myrrh-bearing Women—those who stood by Christ in His life, His Passion, His death, and now, in His burial. These women were the first to witness the empty tomb, the first to hear the news of the Resurrection, and the first to share it—fulfilling a role that would later be known as that of “apostles to the apostles.”
As Abbess Theologia writes in her book The Perfection of Women in Christ:
“Feminine love, in all its modest expression for the person of Jesus, is to be found in the Myrrh-bearing women... On Sunday, while it was still dark, they went to the tomb with fragrances that they had prepared. Their only concern was the enormous stone that sealed the entrance to the tomb. However, in spite of their anxiety, an ineffable joy awaited them, and Jesus rewarded their courage!”
This kind of courage is not loud, nor is it the kind the world typically applauds. It is a humble bravery, one born from deep love and unwavering faith. Their love outpaced fear. Their service was not conditional on the outcome. They came to anoint a dead body and instead were gifted the news that would change the world.
What the Fathers Say
What the Fathers Say
St. Gregory Palamas praises their spiritual vision:
"To the women who had followed Him and ministered to Him, the angels appeared, and to them Christ Himself first appeared after His Resurrection... because they had stood more firmly than the male disciples."
St. John Chrysostom, too, reflects on their faithfulness:
“The women were first to see Jesus and to proclaim the resurrection, while the disciples were hiding in fear. What courage! What devotion!”
A Call to Us
A Call to Us
The Myrrh-bearing Women teach us that true strength is quiet and steadfast. Their story invites us to ask:
What are we, as women, using our courage for?
Are we bold in our devotion, even when the outcome is uncertain?
Do we come to the tomb with trembling hearts but steady steps, trusting God to roll away the stone?
Their legacy is one of action rooted in love—not flash, not force, but faithful, fragrant offering.
Let us remember them, not just on the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearers, but as the Church remembers them always: as women of veiled, radiant strength.
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