When a person is overcome with emotion, she may start to "cry like a madeleine," that is to say, weeping bitterly. The term has its roots in the Gospel. It refers to the story of Mary Magdalene, repentant prostitute who, upon hearing that Jesus came to Galilee, had presented to him in tears, consumed by remorse for his sins. Her tears were so heavy she could wash the feet of Christ, before drying them with her hair. She then became one of his most faithful disciples. Today, a Magdalene or Mary Magdalene means a former prostitute, and they say a person to "cry like a madeleine" when one finds that her tears are excessive or unjustified.
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