Mary Magdalene and Isis: A Sirius Sisterhood
Are these two powerhouses of Divine Feminine wisdom related in some way?
Did Mary Magdalene have an Isis connection?
I hear this question often, and I also hear a number of responses: from the absolute certainty that she was a "priestess of Isis" all the way to the total rejection of any possible connection.
As is often the case, the truth is somewhere outside of both perspectives, and it's complicated.
It's not a simple answer and we do an injustice to the richness of her history by trying to make it black or white. Also, we are looking at evidence here, but evidence is not always hard and factual. It is cultural, contextual, and deserving of our full attention and analysis.
One element which connects them, somewhat mysteriously, is the date of Mary Magdalene’s feast: July 22nd. In the Egyptian world, this represents the “heliacal rising” of the star Sirius, and signals the flooding of the Nile. The heliacal rising occurs when the star first appears in the dawn sky each year. For the ancient Egyptians, this signaled the life-giving inundation of the Nile and essentially marked the New Year as the holy river brought its gifts of rich black soil to agricultural lands.
The rising of Sirius, which the Egyptians called Sopdet (Greek: Sothis), happened right before the annual flooding of the Nile, which occurred roughly (on what is our calendar now) on the 22nd of July .
The goddess Isis was associated with the star Sirius, and even considered to be an embodiment of the star itself. Just as Sirius appeared in the sky and brought life-giving floods, Isis was seen as a bringer of life, renewal, and magic. Her tears of mourning for her husband Osiris were poetically said to cause the Nile to swell and flood. So Sirius rising in the sky wasn't just a celestial event, it was a spiritual celebration of divine rebirth, fertility, and the return of abundance.
How Do We Know the Heliacal Rising of Sirius Happens Around July 22nd?
It’s an Astronomical Event, Not a Calendar Date
The heliacal rising of Sirius is a real event in the sky. It depends on where you are on Earth (your latitude) and when the star becomes visible again before dawn.
In modern times, in Egypt, this event often occurs between July 19 and July 23, depending on your exact location and the conditions of the horizon. It’s a bit later this year, so it fluctuates.
Thus July 22 is an approximate modern reference point for the heliacal rising in the region of ancient Thebes, which is modern Luxor, and where I am writing this today! Here the alignment of temples, like the ancient foundations of Karnak, point directly to the rising of Sirius.
The Egyptians didn’t go by a fixed date like we do now. They watched the sky, and when they saw Sirius rise just before the sun, they knew the Nile flood was coming. That observation became one of the most important markers of their year — it was the start of their New Year, called Wepet Renpet ("the Opening of the Year").
July 22 has become the symbolic and practical date to mark this event today, especially for celebrations connected to Isis, the Nile, and the Egyptian New Year.
Mary Magdalene’s feast day also falls on July 22, creating a powerful symbolic parallel for those who see Magdalene as a modern expression of the Isis archetype: a woman of divine renewal, love, hidden light, and resurrection mysteries.
The reason I say that this date “somewhat mysteriously” connects Mary Magdalene and Isis is because we do not know exactly when, why, or who affixed July 22nd as the remembrance day for Magdalene. We know it came into play in the early Middle Ages, but the specifics of how it came together are lost to history. Further to this mystery is the fact that a week later, on July 29th, is the feast day of St Martha, the sister of Magdalene, representing a one week period which aligned with the flooding of the Nile. This is just the opening of another door to be explored! Hint: it deals with the sister of Isis, Nephthys! And if you would like to explore it….
This question is one of many reasons that I am releasing Part One of my "Real Mary Magdalene" course next week, on her feast day, July 22, 2025. It contains literally 30 years of nearly non-stop research. Even today as I write this from my desk near the Valley of the Queens in Egypt, I am still researching the answers to this question.
Because that is the beauty of the quest for Truth. It never ends. I hope you will consider joining me on that journey soon.
You can reply to this or comment below to be placed on the announcement list for the course. I will also be posting more about it over the next four days in the approach.
I looked out my window this morning, I live in Brisbane, Australia and had to do a double take. My window faces East and at the moment I greet Venus every morning as morning Star, but this morning I saw 2 bright stars! Sirius was shining oh so bright. So I went outside and there were Sirius, Venus and waning moon. Shall we call them triple Goddess’s. Such a beautiful sight to wake up to. I probably can’t afford to do your course, but if you have that information in book form I will be delighted to read. Many Blessings to you, Kathleen. ✨⭐️✨
Hi Kathleen ! I thought Pope Francis declared MM feast day July 22? I’m interested in your course.