Mary Magdalene
After reading Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln, many years ago, I became very interested in all things Magdalene. Every-time I feel that I’m getting close to knowing why she has this grip on me, or get near to finding a theory of why she holds so many people captive, the answer fades from my intellectual grasp.
I hope in these pages to present and explore some of the aspects of the Magdalene puzzle that have intrigued me and others for years. Perhaps a pattern or picture will emerge…eventually.
(page is updated on a regular basis as I add to it)
Caravaggio, c. 1597
| Penitent Magdalene (Mary Magdalene) |
| Caravaggio |
Caravaggio is one of my favourite artists. It was only after many years of reading about Mary Magdalene, the Cathars, Rennes le Chateau, the Templars and the Grail that the penny finally dropped for me when I looked at this painting.
To me Caravaggio has clearly painted Mary Magdalene as though she were holding, and lovingly looking at, a baby in her arms, only the baby is missing.
Was the artist continuing the tradition of hiding the truth, the ‘heresy’ of the Cathars and Templars in plain sight?
(Update)
I’m reading Laurence Gardner’s The Magdalene Legacyand he too points out the missing child in Caravaggio’s painting, describing her as being in a ‘nursing pose’, so I don’t feel so daft! ( Gina) He also points to the shell-designed chalice on the front of her skirt stating:
The engralled scalloping on this device is the most forthright of Grail-related generational allegory…Scallop engrailing was at all times connected with love goddesses and fertility cult females associated with the sea – from Mary Magdalene to Aphrodite, Botticelli’s painting The Birth of Venus is a supreme icon of this tradition.
Showing that the tradition of artists depicting Mary Magdalene as a mother has continued, Gardner point’s to a Dali painting that appeared in a strange book entitled L’Apocalypse de Saint Jean. The book produced in 1961, was apparently a one-off; comprised of hand-made parchment leaves; had a bronze, sculpted cover encrusted with precious stones; weighed 210 kgs; had original commissioned artwork by the world’s most prominent artists; was the most expensive book in the world; and after being exhibited around the world it was hidden away in a Swiss bank vault.
The painting The Life of Mary Magdalene to me clearly shows a woman whose abdomen shows signs of having given birth. Dali has The Magdalene’s abdomen being assaulted by or pierced by a nail. The nail reminds me of the crucifixion. Is Dali portraying a symbolic assault against her by the Church and history for being the carrier of the Grail.?…..
The beautiful stained glass window below is a prominent and controversial feature of Kilmore Church on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Installed in 1906 it seems to show Jesus with a halo, holding the hand of a pregnant woman. The bible verse below the pair relates to Mary of Bethany, who it is believed is also Mary Magdalene. Interestingly, the church itself has a round tower, yet another symbol of Mary Magdalene.
There is more detail and explanation of the window and church here http://www.blackshouse.demon.co.uk/dervaig_magdalene.htm
November 9, 2007 at 12:23 am
Oooh How Interesting. The Ripped Off Madonna.
Alternatively, relate this image of the penitent tart back to your article on female targets of modern day cries of “Get thee to a Nunnery..”
It’s a great picture. Grail Queen/Queen of Cups reference in the pattern on her skirt too.
December 7, 2007 at 9:24 am
ALOHA,
I don’t think that it is a mystery that our lord would be married,why wouldn’t he?The Bible it self support marriage,for example, Matthew 22:23-32, Luke 20:28-38 and Mark12:19-27. Peter was married!. Luke 4:38 and why do you think the lord came to Mary Magdalene after he was resurrected and not mary his mother? I believe that Christ was married.
December 9, 2007 at 8:35 pm
I too believe Mary Magdalene had a child by Jesus. This means SHE is the Holy grail, and the two of them are the pregenitors of a Holy blood line. Now, given that would mean there is, somewhere, a most direct living decsendant of Jesus and Mary, and given the large numbers of conections between Mary Magdalene and Madeleine McCann, who would you suppose is that most direct decsendant?! It feels good to finally put that in print, after thinking this to myself for nearly six months.
March 7, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Might be helpful to suppose there was more than one child born to Mary and Jesus, perhaps as many as four. (Three girls and one boy would be biologically symbolic and would help insure the dispersion and survival of the bloodline. ) Could explain why the legend of Joseph of Arimathea arriving with the Holy Grail in Glastonbury persists at the same time we have the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus in France. All members of the family would have been in grave danger, sending them in several different directions makes sense.
March 19, 2008 at 2:58 am
Hi there,
The painting of Mary Magdalene by Caravaggio is very interested. I noticed the grail looking symbol on her dress as you’ve mentioned and the fact that she seems like she’s nursing her baby. However, from art class, I learned that the vase by her side is also important. It is a symbol for virginity. You can see the same symbology of the vase in the Annuciation paintings. The vase represents the purity of the womb, meaning it’s not broken. But one thing that oddly strikes me is the broken pearls on the floor. If you put the two together, is he trying to say that the womb is broken? I’m just rambling now. -.-”
March 22, 2008 at 10:13 am
Are you the Kate Smith I was at University with? Warwick? If not then I guess it’s just coincidence. Yes wonderful site and very interesting. I’m also of the mind that there is a dark connection with the disappearance of Maddie McCann. Her age too smacks of Revelationary darkness. There is so much more to it all than meets the eye. Undoubtedly Christ had at least one child with Mary and this image of her is shown in so many paintings of her. She is often depicted with a small bump, enough to get passed the religious zealot censors, but a bump nonetheless. Always left deep in thought and deep in mourining. To take your theory further, look at the parallels between the legend of Osiris and Isis taken from Eyptian mythology. There is pretty much an exact copy of the legend of Christ and the Magdalene (or rather the legend of christ is a copy of Eyptian myth). To what end, I’m not sure.
March 22, 2008 at 10:28 am
Thanks Kate;) I wasn’t at Warwick..
There are as you say parallels with the Isis/Osiris stories..When I hev a minute I’ll try and piece something together.
Being brought up a Catholic and spending a lot of time absorbing the religious iconography around me, I realised when I was older that perhaps the images of the virgin Mary and child were in fact the Magdalene and child?
March 22, 2008 at 10:29 am
Thanks Viv for your input;)
It is interesting about the pearls…
September 13, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I too have been deeply drawn to Mary Magdalene – before and after leaving traditional christianity. I made note of “Holy Blood Holy Grail” and will get the book. I also have the gospels of Mary. Can you recommend any other reading? I read that Magdalene was not Mary’s last name, but that, I quote,” ‘Magdalene’ was not Mary’s last name – it was her title, signifying the role she played in the early Christian assembly. It is a conjunction of two Hebrew words – magdala and eder. ‘Magdala’ is the feminine form of the word for ‘tower’, and ‘eder’ is the Hebrew word for ‘flock’. The name that we know as Magdalene means, literally, ‘the [feminine] tower of the flock’.”
Have you heard this also?
Thanks for your help,
Dana
September 13, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Hi Dana, Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Yes, I have heard about the origin of the name,,,
Some books you may be interested in are any of the Magdalene books by Margaret Starbird and Mary Magdalene: Christianity’s Hidden Goddess by Lynn Picknett – you might find Holy Blood a bit heavy and not so much about MM.
April 11, 2009 at 6:42 am
I came across your site after reading The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan. I am very interested now in all things Magdalena. I am so happy to see there is so much out there on the subject.
Nice site
Angela
August 27, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Hi,
I was just looking for Magdalene images for my workshop. Thought you all might be interested in my experience with Mary Magdalene.
My website, dedicated to her is http://www.thehheartoflove.com.
I am the author of the book The Heart of Love : Mary Magdalene Speaks.
Blessings,
Gail Swanson
September 27, 2009 at 4:48 am
Have you ever seen th girl behind Jesus in Rembrant’s interpretation of the Last Supper? It’s a red-chalk drawing that’s at the Met Museum
September 27, 2009 at 11:00 am
Do you have a link McKenna?