Saints of the Resurrection: The First Witnesses to the Risen Lord

The stories of so many saints intertwine with the Story of Salvation during the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord. Previously, we reflected on several of the saints who appear in the Gospel accounts of Holy Week—those who stood near the Cross, followed Christ to Calvary, or remained faithful in the shadow of the Crucifixion.

The Resurrection brought new encounters, new understanding, and new witnesses from whom we can learn how to embrace the hope and the joy the Resurrection brings us.

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St. Mary Magdalene: The First Witness

The first person to encounter the risen Christ was not one of the Twelve but Mary Magdalene.

She came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, expecting to anoint Christ’s body. Instead she found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Distressed, she ran to tell the disciples, assuming that someone had taken the Lord’s body.

Even after seeing the empty tomb, she did not yet understand what had happened. She remained outside the tomb weeping. When she turned and saw Jesus standing there, she mistook Him for the gardener. 

But when the risen Christ spoke her name, grief turned into recognition. Christ then entrusted her with the first proclamation of the Resurrection, sending her to tell the apostles what she had seen. For this reason, she is sometimes called the “Apostle to the Apostles.”

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Sts. Peter and John: Running to the Tomb

When Mary Magdalene reported that the tomb was empty, two disciples ran to see it for themselves: Peter the Apostle and John the Apostle.

John arrived first but paused outside the tomb. Peter, arriving moments later, went straight inside. There they saw the burial cloth lying where Christ’s body had been and the face cloth folded separately.

John’s Gospel tells us that when John entered the tomb, “he saw and believed.” Yet the full meaning of the Resurrection would continue to unfold for both apostles in the days ahead.

For Peter especially, the Resurrection also brought healing. Only days earlier he had denied Christ three times. Soon the risen Lord would meet him again on the shores of Galilee and ask him three times, “Do you love me?”

The Resurrection was not only proof of victory over death—it was also the beginning of restoration.

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St. Thomas: From Doubt to Faith

Among the apostles, Thomas the Apostle is often remembered for his doubt. When the other disciples told him they had seen the Lord, Thomas refused to believe unless he could see and touch the wounds himself.

A week later, Christ appeared again while Thomas was present. Turning directly to him, Jesus invited him to place his finger in the wounds of His hands and side. Thomas’ response is one of the most powerful professions of faith in Scripture: “My Lord and my God.”

Christ then spoke words that reach far beyond that room to every Christian who would come after: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

Thomas reminds us that honest questions can lead to profound faith.

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St. Cleopas: Recognizing Christ on the Road

On the afternoon of the Resurrection, two disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. One of them was Cleopas.

As they walked, they discussed the events of the past few days—Christ’s crucifixion and the confusing reports of the empty tomb. A stranger joined them along the road and began explaining how the Scriptures foretold the suffering and glory of the Messiah.

Though they did not recognize Him at first, their hearts began to burn within them as He spoke. It was only later, when they sat down to share a meal and He broke the bread, that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him as the risen Christ.

Immediately they returned to Jerusalem to share the news with the other disciples.

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St. Matthias

Not every saint connected to the Resurrection encountered Christ on Easter morning. Some were later chosen to testify to the truth of what had happened.

After the Ascension, the apostles selected Matthias the Apostle to replace Judas Iscariot. The man chosen needed to have followed Christ from the beginning of His ministry and to be able to serve as a “witness to His resurrection” (Acts 1:22). 

Matthias’ calling highlights how central the Resurrection was to the early Church. The apostles were not simply teachers of moral wisdom—they were witnesses to a historical event that transformed the world.

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