Our Magdalene Year

In 2023, the Order of the Black Madonna will engage in a deep focus on Mary Magdalene: her history, symbols, and mythos. In the ancient world, patriarchal writers attempted to besmirch the name of Mary Magdalene by labelling her a prostitute. In the Middle Ages, she became conflated with other women in the Bible and was turned into an amalgam instead of an individual. In the modern era, her historical personage is barely visible beneath the veneer of for-profit fiction that has risen up around her.

Artwork by Sue Ellen Parkinson

This year, the Order plans to spend an entire year studying Mary of Magdala, peeling back the layers of symbolism and narrative to discover her ancestral presence and meaning in our world. Our circles will be as follows:

Jan 24 - Dedication to Mary Magdalene
February 28 - The Magdalene’s Reputation
Mar 27 - The Magdalene and the Cosmic Egg
April 24 - Path of Venus
May 22 - The Perfume Jar
June 26 - The Cross of Camargue
July 24 - Stone of the Holy Tomb
Aug 28 - The Magdalene & Isis
Sept 25 - The Magdalene at Ephesus
Oct 23 - Rose of Jericho Magic
Nov 27 - The Skull of Mary Magdalene
Dec 18 - Hieros Gamos of Mary Magdalene & Jesus

To attend our ceremonies and participate in our Order, please join the Mt Shasta Goddess Temple as a Mandala Member. Your Lifetime membership includes participation in the monthly Order of the Black Madonna rites as well as numerous other benefits including classes, sacred daybook pages, written Lessons about goddesses and spirit allies, and Full and New Moon ceremonies. We welcome you to join our sisterhood and connect with the sacred energies of the Magdalene and her modern daughters!