The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1501 page)

(Pharaoh's wife), and
Khad
ja
.

 
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Maryam
:

see
MARY, BLESSED VIRGIN
.

 
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Mary Magdalen(e)
.

A follower of Jesus out of whom he cast seven devils, who ministered to him in Galilee (Luke 8. 2). She remained close to the
Cross
(Mark 15. 40) with other women (when the male disciples had fled), and she was the first to meet the risen Christ, being charged to proclaim the resurrection to the eleven. For that reason, she was called (first by Hippolytus of Rome, early 3rd cent.) ‘the apostle to the apostles’. However,
Gregory I
merged Mary Magdalene with two other Marys, the sinner who anointed Jesus (Luke 7. 37) and Mary of Bethany who also anointed him (John 12. 3), thus producing the composite figure of the sexually aberrant penitent. From this, ‘Magdalens’ became a term for prostitutes who had turned to Christ, and for the Houses which took them in, sometimes as specific religious orders. There is, however, no ground for Gregory's identifications, and they have been abandoned even by the
Roman Catholic Church
where they had great emotional importance.

 
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see
ZUTRA, MAR
.

 
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Masada
.

Prominent rocky site in Israel/Palestine, where
Herod
the Great built a palace and refuge. According to
Josephus
, it was here that the last defenders against Rome at the end of the first Jewish revolt committed
suicide
rather than surrender. Despite the emotional importance of this in the state of Israel, archaeology throws doubt on Josephus' account.

 
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(Hind
and
Pañj
b
corruption of Persian
masnad-
-
l
, lofty throne, title of courtiers). Agent of Sikh
Gur
s
, originally appointed to organize the worship of the
sangats
and to collect their offerings. The masands were instructed to come annually on
Bais
kh
day to present the Sikhs' contributions. The masands appointed were devout, informed men who could instruct the increasing sa
gats.
Unfortunately, the system degenerated as individual masands supported rival claimants to Gur
ship. Consequently Gur
Gobind Si
gh
dismissed the masands and in successive
hukamn
m
s