St. Mary Cleopas and St. Salome

The passion narratives of the Gospels mention several different women present at the crucifixion of Jesus. The same women seem to have gone to the tomb of Jesus on the morning of the resurrection. All of them seem to have the name Mary. They include Mary Magdalen, Mary the wife of Cleopas and mother of James and Joseph, Mary Salome, and Mary the mother of Jesus. On April 24, we remember two of these women, Mary Cleopas and Mary Salome.

Mother of St. James the Less and Joseph, wife of Cleopas. She was one of the "Three Marys" who served Jesus and was present at the Crucifixion, and accompanied Mary Magdalen to the tomb of Christ. Tradition reports that she went to Spain as a missionary. Mary reportedly died at Ciudad Rodrigo. Another tradition states that she went to France with St. Lazarus and his sisters.

Mary Salome is considered the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John, the two apostles identified as the sons of thunder in the Gospel. She is also the woman that asked that her sons sit at the left and right hand of Jesus when he came into his kingdom.