Mary Magdalene’s Stations of the Cross

By: Ann Regimbal

Narrated by: Ann Regimbal

Christian Indie Award: Best Gift Book, 2021

The Stations of the Cross from the perspective of Mary Magdalene come to life with historical and archeological references and beautiful reflections and prayers.

In a fresh take on the Stations of the Cross, this version gives a human voice - and a female voice, that of Mary Magdalene - to the Stations, interweaving with history and archeology of the actual sites on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, today. The result is a profound and beautiful experience that touches the heart and enriches the mind - exactly what the originators of the Stations wanted those who undertook this spiritual exercise to achieve.

By humanizing the Stations and bringing them to life, the audiobook offers a primer on dealing with adversity - with perseverance, grace, and hope. Listeners will encounter Mary Magdalene, Simon of Cyrene, Veronica, and Joseph of Arimathea - all of whom were ordinary people that stepped up in a crisis and did something noble, even if it was something small. Each of the 14 Stations has been designed to allow listeners to tap into that nobility.

The audiobook largely avoids the debate over who Mary Magdalene was - the penitent prostitute of European art or the secret wife of the DaVinci Code - and focuses instead on what she was: A strong, courageous, loyal, and determined woman who was virtually unstoppable at the time of the crucifixion! A saint for the 21st century.

It also highlights recent archeological discoveries at Magdala, Israel which provide new insights about Mary Magdalene’s life there, including a 1st-century synagogue where Jesus undoubtedly taught and a Jewish purification bath (or miqva’ot) she may even have used, herself.

©2022 Ann Regimbal (P)2022 Ann Regimbal

A beautiful way to bring renewed and personal relevance to the Stations of the Cross

This audiobook was a beautiful way to bring renewed and personal relevance to the Stations of the Cross for me. The book is told through the eyes of Mary Magdalene who was present throughout Jesus’ way to the cross, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. We are drawn into the story and we can place ourselves in Mary Magdalene’s shoes and journey with her. We are able to personally relate to these events through the Reflections and Prayers after each station. The history that Ann Regimbal provides helps bring the stations alive as we gain understanding of the context in which the events of Christ’s crucifixion took place. As a parishioner of a St. Mary Magdalene Parish, this book helps bring me closer to our Patron Saint and the strength, courage, and love of Jesus she demonstrated, encouraging me to emanate these qualities.

A beautiful book!

What a beautiful book and interesting perspective. The Stations of the Cross are given new meaning and significance as told through the eyes and heart of Mary Magdalene. The “personal” account of this biblical character was so poignant and it really feels like the reader is given a new opportunity to learn the stations in a new way all over again. By far, the most meaningful feature of the book for me were the “Reflections and Prayers.” I found myself wanting to create my own reflections under the author’s very personal and expressive guidance. So lovely. The author also has a really soothing voice, and the music and additional ‘actor’ voices were a nice change from most other audiobooks. I loved it and look forward to listening to this again. Perhaps it will become an Easter tradition?