Mary Magdalene Festival

Brigid’s Place is pleased to announce The Many Faces of Mary Magdalene, a monumental, first-ever, month-long festival held at Christ Church Cathedral and The Jung Center from July 7-August 3, 2015. The festival will be open to the public and the offerings will include lectures, workshops, and a month-long art show in the Cloister Gallery at Christ Church Cathedral.

For centuries, Mary Magdalene has been portrayed as the penitent sinner or as a weeping woman scorned in the western world because of a homily given by Pope Gregory in 591 C.E. This vision of Mary belies her true identity, and this summer, The Many Faces of Mary Magdalene, will reshape the legacy of Mary Magdalene and tell her true story. Through offerings of art, historical scholarship, spiritual practices, and dynamic teaching, a contemporary vision of the Magdalene will emerge capable of empowering us all. In a world that hasn’t yet learned to respect all peoples, the story of Mary Magdalene can lead the way.

An important component of the Festival will be an art exhibit that will encourage both artists and viewers to look at Mary Magdalene differently - as the beloved disciple of Jesus and a woman of great wisdom and power. Artists nationwide are encouraged to submit works of art to Re-IMAGE-ing Mary Magdalene; there will be cash prizes and the deadline to enter is June 1, 2015. The art exhibit will run from July 7-August 3, 2015 with a launch party on Friday, July, 10th from 7-9pm.

The featured event of the festival will be the Mary Magdalene Presentation and Workshop with Dr. Kayleen Asbo on July 23-25, 2015. Internationally renowned lecturer Dr. Kayleen Asbo, cultural historian, musician, writer and teacher, will weave together myth, history, and the arts with experiential learning during a two evening presentation and labyrinth walk, followed by a day-long workshop. Dr. Asbo has been a guest lecturer and presenter at Oxford University in England, the Assisi Institute of Depth Psychology Conference in Italy, and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkley among many other prestigious institutions. She presents a fascinating account of Mary Magdalene, combining a scholarly approach clothed in mysticism. Brigid’s Place will partner with The Jung Center for the Thursday night presentation.

The Rev. Betty Adam, founder of Brigid’s Place and author of The Magdalene Mystique: Living the Spirituality of Mary Today, believes that The Gospel of Mary - a historical document that was found in a Cairo marketplace in 1896 - has significant implications for spiritual seekers hungry for a new kind of spirituality today. She says, "Written in the early part of the second century in the framework of an ancient world, the Gospel Mary Magdalene is a Gospel of our deepest roots, filled with fresh insights for us today. It offers a Jesus who teaches that nature is good and that our true nature is rooted in the Good, a Jesus who greets his disciples with his peace and boldly instructs his disciples to 'acquire my peace within yourselves.' It’s this teaching to turn inward into peace that is so remarkable. It’s a call to come home to our shared humanity and divinity. Grounded in our original Good, we can develop the peace by starting with ourselves."

Click here for information about the entire festival, including ticket prices and sponsorship packages. Click here for a video interview with Dr. Kayleen Asbo about Mary Magdalene, created specifically for this festival.

Brigid's Place is a 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Non-Profit Organization. Brigid's Place provides education, dialogue and celebrations to foster women's spiritual and personal transformation.