In many medieval heresies, the figure of Mary Magdalene eclipses the apostles in scale and becomes on a par with Jesus Christ. Is it possible that initially it played a much more important role in the creation and dissemination of Christian teachings than is represented in the Bible? A comparison of canonical biblical texts with the apocryphal Gospels can give the most amazing results. By demonstrating how accounts of significant events were removed from the texts included in the New Testament, how characters and important elements of religious teaching were falsified and replaced by others, Lynn Picknett convincingly argues that many of the tenets of Christianity have been misunderstood or deliberately distorted by generations of followers, interpreters and philosophers. Undeservedly slandered and overshadowed by the male characters of Scripture, Mary Magdalene becomes the central figure in this study. Studying the unusual relationships of three New Testament cult figures - Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene and John the Baptist - leads the author to sensational conclusions that can challenge Christian dogma and orthodox values.