The heart of Christianity, the first formula of faith, is summed up in one word: eghèrthe, "He is risen." This tiny "seed" brought forth all the incredible flowering that embellished the coming centuries. Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the only appropriate response, which also contains the seeds of our own resurrection. The early Christians, so impressed and charmed by it, often repeated, especially during the Eucharistic celebration, this fervent invocation: "Marana tha. Come, O Lord!" The churches themselves were oriented toward the east, where the sun rises, symbolizing the Lord who brings the day without evening.
Mulieris Dignitatem says, "The women are the first at the tomb. They are the first to find it empty. They are the first to hear: 'He is not here. He has risen, as he said'. They are the first to embrace his feet. They are also the first to be called to announce this truth to the Apostles. (...) Mary Magdalene is the first to meet the Risen Christ. (...) Hence, she came to be called 'the apostle of the Apostles.' Mary Magdalene was the first eyewitness of the Risen Christ, and for this reason she was also the first to bear witness to him before the Apostles" (MD 16).
