Mary Magdalene and Venus

Mary Magdalene as Venus

As Christianity spread in areas where pagan goddess worship was prevalent, the figures of the Virgin Mary and, to some extent, Mary Magdalene, were used to replace or absorb some of the attributes and roles of the older goddesses, including Artemis/Venus.

The association between Mary Magdalene and Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, often stems from the Renaissance portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a "Heavenly Venus" whose prior life of sensuality and her subsequent conversion, echoed the duality of Venus, who embodies both lust and love.

• Renaissance artists frequently depicted Mary Magdalene in a manner that evoked Venus, drawing parallels between her beauty, her past, and her conversion.

• Mary Magdalene has been depicted as a "Heavenly Venus" in Renaissance art, a symbol of spiritual love and beauty after her conversion.

• Mary Magdalene, before her conversion, is associated with sensuality, while her subsequent life embodies chastity and obedience, like Venus, who represents both earthly love and heavenly love.

• Some interpretations suggest a connection between Mary Magdalene and Venus in the context of sacred sexuality, emphasizing the power of love and its role in spiritual healing and transformation.

Transformation, in the present, is the keyword for most who search for Mary Magdalene. Through her different aspects and through how she has been seen through the ages, we can also see how woman has been treated and perceived as humanity tries to grow up.