The Sunday of the Myrrhbearers commemorates those who were directly involved in the burial of Jesus and/or who discovered His empty tomb. Therefore, although there is a tendency to equate this day with those women who came very early on the third day to complete the burial process, the Church also includes Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who asked permission of Pilate to take Jesus’ Body down from the cross, anointed it with a mixture of myrrh and aloes, wrapped it in fine linen, and placed Him in a new tomb.
There is also a long-standing tradition in the Church that the Myrrhbearers were comprised not only of those specifically mentioned in the gospel accounts, but includes those women who stood by the cross without fear and who provided for Christ “out of their means” as recorded in Luke 8:3.
Here is a traditional listing of the Myrrhbearers commemorated on the Third Sunday of Pascha: Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of James and Joses; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Martha and Mary of Bethany, sisters of Lazarus; Joanna, the wife of Chuza the steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee; Susanna; Joseph of Arimathea; and Nicodemus.
