Pope Francis on Tuesday added the memorial of Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus to the General Roman Calendar, giving the siblings the combined feast day of July 29.

A decree from the Congregation for Divine Worship said on Feb. 2 that Pope Francis had included the three saints in the General Roman Calendar “considering the important evangelical witness they offered in welcoming the Lord Jesus into their home, in listening to him attentively, in believing that he is the resurrection and the life.”

The General Roman Calendar is the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, which denotes the dates of holy days and the feast days of saints commemorated annually.

The memorial of St. Martha was already included on Jan. 29 in the General Roman Calendar before the Second Vatican Council, but St. Lazarus and St. Mary had been originally left off due to uncertainty about the identity of Mary Magdalene.

The decree explained that these uncertainties “have been resolved in recent studies and times,” and pointed out that Mary and Lazarus are already commemorated on July 29 in the Roman Martyrology, the Church’s official catalog of martyrs and saints.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news ... ndar-31940

I wonder what the author of the decree meant by saying "these uncertainties have been resolved in recent studies and times". I know there is an old tradition in the Western church that identifies Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany, and also with the unnamed sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet in the house of the Pharisee. I believe that the Eastern church has always regarded them as three different people.

I've never understood the rationale for thinking Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany are the same person. There is nothing whatever in the Gospels to identify them. Steve Greydanus, in his discussion of the recent film on Mary Magdalene (http://www.decentfilms.com/blog/mary-magdalene-bad-rap) pointed out that she is identified in the Gospels as one of the women who traveled with our Lord and the apostles, helping to provide for their material needs. On the other hand, the only time Mary of Bethany appears is when Jesus goes to Bethany. There is no hint that she ever travels around with the Lord. So, all the indicators are that they are different people.

Pope St. Gregory the Great taught that they were the same person. It's our (Latin) tradition.