This idiom is used both in French ‘Pleurer comme une Madeleine’ and in Spanish ‘Llorar como una magdalena’ which translates directly in English as ‘To cry like Mary Magdalene’, with an equivalent idiom of ‘To cry your eyes out’, which describes a situation in which one cries excessively.
This idiom has religious connotations; Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus, a prominent figure in Christianity believed to be the ‘Son of God’, who died as a result of crucifixion; a grisly form of execution which involves having the criminal tied or nailed to a large wooden cross by their hands and feet and left to die.
Mary Magdalene was one of the very few female followers of Jesus mentioned in the Bible, and some historians believe that Mary and Jesus were lovers, which has been a source of much debate.
When Jesus was crucified and died at the cross, Mary Magdalene was pictured kneeling at his cross and weeping for him, which gives premise to the idiom of crying to such an extent that it could be compared to the tears shed by Mary Magdalene.
Both the French language and the Spanish language share this idiom, which is likely down to both France and Hispanic countries being predominantly Christian countries, with many of their idioms being derived from the Bible and religious beliefs.
Sources:
Collins- French Idioms
Collins- Spanish Idioms
Related articles
- Jesus Mary Joseph: The Secret Legacy of Jesus and Mary Magdalene by Ariadne Green (mytruthsetsmefree.wordpress.com)
- “Mary Magdalene?” (altruistico.wordpress.com)
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