CCC 641

Mary Magdalene and the holy women who came to finish anointing the body of Jesus, which had been buried in haste because the Sabbath began on the evening of Good Friday, were the first to encounter the Risen One.⁴⁹⁷ Mk 16:1; Lk 24:1; Jn 19:31, 42. Thus the women were the first messengers of Christ's Resurrection for the apostles themselves.⁴⁹⁸ Cf Lk 24:9-10; Mt 28:9-10; Jn 20:11-18. They were the next to whom Jesus appears: first Peter, then the Twelve. Peter had been called to strengthen the faith of his brothers,⁴⁹⁹ Cf I Cor 15:5; Lk 22:31-32. and so sees the Risen One before them; it is on the basis of his testimony that the community exclaims: "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"⁵⁰⁰ Lk 24:34, 36.