While Mary, the mother of Jesus, is looked upon as a "spiritual mother" of those who want to have her guidance, Mary Magdalene is more connected with life on earth for those who admire her.

Mary Magdalene (Maria of Magdala) was a woman who followed Jesus. Many people think she was a prostitute and that Jesus changed her life. But although Jesus said, "She has loved much", this did not necessarily mean a lot of sex, but the real ability to love people, to feel with people and to be good to people. She loved Jesus. She liked him both as a man AND admired him as a spiritual guide. According to mystical literature (Jakob Lorber) she purified her love for Jesus more and more, turning it into a spiritual love. So her love was her way to understand Jesus and God more and more. (Possibly similar to Clara, the woman who loved the monk Francis of Assisi /St. Franciscus around 1100 who first rejected her and later accepted her. There is an interesting movie in the cinemas about Francis, in German and English.)

There is a special tradition referring to Mary Magdalene - the legend of the "Holy Grail". Joseph of Arimathia, Mary Magdalene and some other followers of Jesus took the "Grail" - originally the cup with some blood from Jesus on the cross - to France or England. Some miracles are connected with the Grail. (The Grail is also a symbol of divine love). 

There are also other theories about Mary Magdalene. For instance, the theory that M. Magdalene had a child with Jesus, creating the beginning of a former dynasty of European kings (the Merowingers). Nobody is able to prove this speculation of modern books.