The Virgin Mary
Isis of the Third Millenium??
Written by
Ishara
At first, the idea of equating Isis, an ancient Egyptian diety, with Mary, the the holy Virgin of Christianity and the mother of Jesus, may seem strange and to many Christians even blasphemous. However, many Pagans and Witches, particularly those who were raised as Catholics, now regard Mary as one of the numerous forms of the Goddess.
Every culture in history, whether monotheistic or polytheistic, has had a female figure who represents and embodies the role of motherhood.In Egypt this was Isis or Aset, to the Romans She was Cybele or Magna Mater - The Great Mother - who was also known as Rhea to the Greeks.
To Hindu's She is Kali, Parvati and Durga - all forms of Mahadevi, The Great Goddess - and Buddhists know Her as the bodhisattva Tara or Quan Yin, the consort of Avalokitesvara.In Islam She is Maryam, the mother of the Prophet Isa, and to Christianity She is the Virgin Mary, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name Miriam.
Isis is often known as Isis Myrionymos which roughly translates as 'Isis of the Thousand (or Myriad) names'. Her attributes encompass those of all other Goddesses and it is now common for encyclopedias such as the Encyclopedia Brittannica and the on-line Encyclopedia Mythica to describe Isis as being 'identified with the Virgin Mary'.
One of Isis' many epithets is Theotokos or Mother of God (Horus)' which is one of the most popular of titles attributed t6 Mary. Mary is also known as Stella Maris or 'Star of the Sea' while Isis was given a similar title of Pelagia meaning 'of the ocean'. Another title Mary shares with Isis is 'Queen of Heaven' (also a title of lshtar/lnanna) which for Isis reflects Her Goddess status as the ruler of all that is while for Mary it represents her assumption and coronation in Heaven as spouse of the Holy Spirit.
With the acceptance of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire by the Romanan Emperor Constantine in the fourth century C.E. the worship of Isis was slowly banned, despite the fact that Constantine, who was originally a henotheist and Sun worshipper in early life, tolerated Paganism.
Isis' Temples, called Iseums, were destroyed or else converted to Christianity as the new religion travelled the length and breadth of the Empire. The icons of Isis and Horus were renamed as the Madonna and Her child. lndeed, in many of the earliest carvings, it is impossible to tell which pair, they depict.
The most familiar of all statues that have survived shows Isis holding Her son Horus to Her breast and it is this classic pose which is repeated in Christianity but Isis and Horus are replaced by Mary and the infant Jesus. Indeed, in Orthodox and Catholic icons across the world, Mary is shown holding Jesus in Her arms, the universal sign of motherhood.
There has also been recent controversy on the Internet about Pope John Paul Il's intention to give Mary a new title for the millennium, that of "Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Grace and Advocate". This would, for all intents and purposes, place Her on a par with Jesus Christ and give Her Goddess status.
At present this matter remains unresolved by the Vatican and, according to the Catholic organisation Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici (Voice of the People for Mary Mediatrix) this issue awaits the 'final and definitive judgement' of Pope John Paul II.
Mary's role as the compassionate intercessor and advocate for humanity is well known, particularly in the Roman Catholic denomination where She holds a special place in their hearts, more so than any other branch of the Christian faith. Isis also listens to Her devotees prayers, in fact one of Her epithets is All-hearing. While Mary is the Christian vision of women: meek, passive and subdued, Isis is powerful, wise and no man can prevent Her from doing as She wishes.
Christians, regardless of denomination, are always the first to say that Mary is not on the same level as God or Christ and that She is only a mortal woman. However Her attributes are certainly Goddess-like and very reminiscent of Isis. The two certainly share similarities beyond just coincidence.
From the Pagan point of view, Mary is one of the numerous names of the Goddess, as is Isis and they are both manifestations of Her many forms. Both are in essence the same Goddess and embody the aspect of the divine Mother. In a way, to the Christians who destroyed Her temples and killed her devotees, Isis lives on as Mary, a Christian-friendly figure who had taken on many of Her major epithets and attributes, thus making Her acceptable to a patriarchal monotheistic religion.
Glossary
Epithet - A name or title given to a deity who expresses a particular quality that deity possesses.
Henotheist - A person who adopts a specific God or Goddess from a polytheistic pantheon as a persona'l deity.
BibliographyThe Mysteries of Isis - deTraci Regula (ISBN: 1567185606)
Isis in the Ancient World (previously Isis in the Graeco-Roman World) - R.E. Witt
Marian Coredemption: A Retrospect - Rev. Fr. Peter Damien Fehler (http://www.marymediatrix.com)
Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate: A Response To the Vatican's Pontifical Commission - Dr. Mark I. Miravalle (http://www.immaculateheart.com/maryonline/html/coredemptrix)
The Catholic FAQ: The Blessed Virgin Mary (http://www. newadvent.org.faq/faq005.htm)
AcknowledgementsKaizen for posting my request for information in his monthly flyer and his Website.
Everybody on the Fellowship of Isis Onelist who sent me informative emails.
Rob Hunt and Katherine Molntee for giving me the Catholic viewpoint.
