An important part in the Da Vinci Code handles about the role of Mary Magdalene in the (early) church. The church claimed for centuries she was a prostitute. Dan Brown says she was not. According to Dan Brown Jesus was married with Mary Magdalene. They even had a child together, a daughter named Sarah.

There is one aspect everyone agrees about: Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute. Mary Magdalene was a wealthy woman who got mixed up with another Mary. In the 6yh century Pope Gregory stated: "She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary [of Bethany], we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark," Gregory declared in a sermon. Gregory was dead wrong, but the position became church teaching.

It is unknown what prompted Gregory. Whatever the motivation, the effect of the process was drastic and, from a feminist perspective, tragic. Magdalene's witness to the Resurrection, rather than being acclaimed as an act of discipleship in some ways greater than the men's, was reduced to the final stage in a moving but far less central tale about the redemption of a repentant sinner. It took the catholic church till 1969 to admit that they had made a mistake.

So. She was not a prostitute. But was she married to Jesus? Well: there is no smoking gun that proves Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married. But there are a lot of signs in that direction.

Mary Magdalene was present during all the important occurances that are mentioned in the New Testament. All the disciples had fled but Mary Magdalene was there when Jesus died on the cross, she was the one who put Jesus after his dead in the grave. Plus she was the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection. Mary Magdalene played an important role in the life of Jesus.

The Dutch Church historian Jacob Slavenburg thinks Jesus was married with her: "In the first centuries, Mary Magdalene was known among christians as the Apostola apostolorum, de disciple above the disciples. The Gnostic Gospel of Philip describes Magdalene as "the one who was called [Jesus'] companion," claiming that he "used to kiss her on her [mouth].""

Jacob Slavenburg is not the only person who 'beliefs' in a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Martin Luther believed that Jesus and Magdalene were married, as did Mormon patriarch Brigham Young.

There is little known what happened to Mary Magdalene after Jesus died. Some people think she died in Efeze, in company of John the Baptist. There is also the theory that Mary Magdalene fled to France, together with her daughter Sarah, and died in Aix-en-Provence. There is no proof what so ever that this is true.