A peasant girl, it is said, stands, in today’s world, as one of the most beloved goddesses of all time. In her day, girls were betrothed and were married off around 12 years of age, when puberty hit. Parents would arrange the marriage and usually it was to an older man, and usually with an older man that already had a wife, or more. Mary would have been given to Joseph.
One thing I focused on, was that Joseph, upon hearing she was pregnant, could have had her stoned. He had every right to do so. He did not. I have many questions. If God, in some religions can do anything why did he not intercede and make Mary’s burden easier? God could have found a better place for Mary to give birth? Why did he not just show Wisemen where to go, rather than have them searching for him? But, I am comforted to feel like Mary was a goddess of old and that her story has to be one of great drama, as all goddesses, and she overcame in some way, perhaps.
The Mary, in the Christian story, shared experiences of all women of her time. She gave birth to a child. It is said Joseph died before her son. She shared a woman’s grief. She saw the horror of her son’s death. She had devoted everything in herself for her son, because women without a male were nothing. It was reassuring that, in the story, her son is said to have given her to John, who was to treat her as his own mother.
Mary is a symbolic goddess who became subordinated into the patriarchy of that time and remains so as a symbolic pale version of a goddess, conquered by Christianity. In her story, which is vague and little mentioned, she is a servant to the men in her life. Although, they try to appease the goddess by trying to have us venerate her through Christian ways. It seems the Patriarchal the religions regard her as less venerable. We must remember, she also symbolizes that women carry the divine in their bodies as well.
There are many stories about what happens to Mary after her son’s death. There have been records found, and she became a controversial figure through many myths and stories told.
A 4th Century manuscript was found that speaks to Mary being hidden, because it was so dangerous to be connected to her son, and, in one story, taken to an island off the West Coast of Britain. There are some writings that speak to her becoming one of the disciples. Another story tells of her going to all the areas that her son went to. Another story is that she was in Turkey and there is a shrine at the top of a hill where she lived out her life. One story says that she died a natural death and was taken up into heaven, the same as her son, in three days. There are three places that compete with each other about where her burial happened. One is in the Valley of Jehosaphat in Jerusalem, another is in the
Roman ruins of Ephesus in Turkey, another is at Llanerchymedd on the Welsh island of Anglesey. The stories continue. We will never know.
As for me, I choose to see her as symbolic of a goddess whose story was taken over by Patriarchy.
©Carol Desjarlais 12.27.22
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