Searching for a cross-cultural Virgin Mary

The figure of the Virgin Mary is a divisive one in our modern culture.

To some she appears to be a symbol of religious oppression, while to others she is a constant comfort and even an inspiration towards empowerment.

This book looks at women's relationship to the Virgin Mary in two different cultural and religious contexts and compares how these relationships have been analysed and explained on a theological and a sociological level.

Drawing on the author's own ethnographic research among Catholic Costa Rican women and Orthodox Finnish women, this study relates their experiences with Mary to the folklore and popular religion materials present in each culture.

The book combines not only different social and religious frameworks, but also takes a critical look at ways in which feminists have (mis)interpreted the meaning of Mary for women.