Outsider/Folk Art: Patroness of Fallen Women

About fifteen years ago, there was a local woman who sold religious folk art/outsider art items at her booth at the Saturday Market. Saturday Market is a long running street fair in Eugene (since 1970),  full of booths of hand made items, as well as food booths and lots of music.

I bought several things from her at the time and did a paper on her when I was studying folklore at the University of Oregon.

This is a beaded necklace, with a wood pendant. On the front is an image of St. Maria Magdalene. On the back is a little label: "St. Maria Magdalene Patroness of Fallen Women." This is what Books of the Times site has to say about St. Maria Magdalene:

There is a breathtaking moment in the Gospel of Philip, one of the Gnostic gospels, which were denounced by the church as heresy. The apostles witness Jesus kissing Mary Magdalene on the mouth. The apostles are horrified, jealous. ''Why do you love her more than us?'' they ask. Jesus' response is mysterious and enigmatic. ''Why do I not love you like her?'' he says.

What is the meaning of those kisses? Sexual passion? A profound friendship? Jesus anointing Mary Magdalene as his successor and as leader of the church?

Traditionally, Mary Magdalene has been seen as a reformed harlot, portrayed in paintings as red haired and bare breasted. But as Karen L. King, the Winn professor of ecclesiastical history at Harvard University, in the Divinity School, points out in her new book, ''The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle,'' nowhere does the Bible say that she was a prostitute.

I know I have that paper, with photos, around here somewhere. I also have other items that I hope to take snaps of and post. I think the woman -- a very colorful person! -- called herself "Sister Spirit" and I want to say "bear" was in there somewhere, but it's been many years and I don't remember.

She sold jewelry with decorated images of the saints and the BVM as well as Jesus. She was known for her Jesus nightlights: religious plastic nightlights of Jesus and Mary, (the kind you can buy at dime stores; I've even seen them at Dollar Store type places) painted, often with neon colors, and decorated with beads, glitter, feathers .

I haven't been to the Saturday Market for a couple of years; but when I have gone there, I didn't notice her around. I think she left the area some time ago, or at least, stopped making her wonderful folk art.

(cross posted on UFO Mary.)

The BVM, The Vatican and Project Blue Beam: Paranoid Thoughts

I posted this short item on my blog UFO Mary, about the Vatican's sudden interest in investigating, after twenty plus years, the visions at Medjugorje. And this at The Orange Orb, after I checked my email and found a link to a new piece about Project Blue Beam and possible use of religious scenarios as psy-ops technology.






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Magic Inscription of Lilith Found on Human Skull

Magic Inscription of Lilith Found on Human Skull by Stephen Yulish on UFO Digest. Yulish, a Christian steeped within a Christian framework, comments on Dan Levene's article in Biblical Archaeology Review,: Rare Magic Inscription on Human Skull.

"Sacred Prostitute" - Mary Magdalene

Jules Joseph Lefebvre: "Mary Magdalene in the Cave" 1876

While working on something about birds, Mothman and the BVM (Blessed Virgin Mary) I found this: SACRED PROSTITUTE Mary Magdalene: Was She or Wasn’t She?, which I found very interesting. It's from a site called Sexual Fables.

Over the last 30 years, many scholars, both male and female, secular and religious, have complained that much has been left out of the Gospels (“Good stories”) by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John... and Paul. The gospel writers stand accused of patriarchal values because they left out the saucy details. The scholars have asked a series of provocative questions: what exactly was Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene? Was their relationship sexual? Wasn’t it normal for young Jewish men to be married by the time Jesus and the disciples were preaching in the Galilee? If so, why there is no mention of their wives? Was Mary Magdalene, in fact, the leading apostle? Was she married to Jesus? . . .

Above all, was Mary ever a prostitute and, if she was, what was the nature of her special mystique that she has incited all these scholarly reinventions? Was she from someplace else altogether, like Egypt? Was she black? Has the true story been suppressed?

Well, that last question is certainly THE question, as we know.

Lots of interesting things on the site, including threads to follow that lead to yet other interesting things . . .

Mary Alice Bennett: Sauniere and the Diva Emma Calve - Her Occult Influence

Hoffet also introduced Sauniere to the opera singer Emma Calve, the famous diva who was also a high priestess of the Parisian esoteric underground, and a Cathar.

Fascinating piece on UFO Digest by writer Mary Alice Bennett: Sauniere and the Diva Emma Calve - Her Occult Influence. New for me, and wonderfully intriguing. If you’re interested in the Cathars, Mary Magdelene, etc. you’ll want to read this.