According to the legend, Mary Magdalene visited the Emperor Tiberius in Rome and proclaimed “Christ is risen”. The emperor doubted her and said that Jesus had no more risen than the egg on his table was red. As a sign of the truth, the egg miraculously turned red in her hand.

The story of Mary Magdalene and the red egg is a legend that relates to the resurrection of Jesus and the origin of Easter eggs. The egg is a symbol of new life breaking forth while leaving the empty tomb behind. For many cultures, even before the time of Christianity, the egg was a symbol of creation, spring, and rebirth.

The tradition of handing out red eggs at Easter is one that originated among Christians in Apostolic times and we often find Mary Magdalene depicted in icons holding a red egg.