Although she was not to be worshiped as a goddess, there are some strong parallels between Mary and some of the ancient goddesses. In many ways, the Virgin Mary fits the type of woman who is described in the tales of the ancient goddesses. Many of them are referred to as parthenos, which means “virgin.” Many of these parthenos goddesses give birth to a child who is to suffer. Like Mary, they are impregnated by a divine being (or they become pregnant within themselves using their own supernatural powers). These goddesses are often shown holding this sacrificial child, an image that is certainly familiar to those who have seen icons or statues of the Virgin Mary holding her infant Christ, who is destined to suffer for the whole world.

One of the images of the ancient goddess Isis seems to express this particularly well. The poet Lucius Apuleius's fictional story The Golden Ass includes the story of an apparition of Isis. In this story, a young man in distress runs to the seashore, prays to Isis, and falls asleep. While he is sleeping, he sees a gloriously beautiful woman rising from the sea before him with stars and a moon on her cloak. The woman begins to speak to him, telling him that she is the mother of all, and the queen of the dead and the immortals. She says that she is known by many names but her true name is Queen Isis and that she has come in response to his prayers. In this passage, the parallels between the Virgin Mary and the goddess Isis are startling.

In many depictions of the Virgin Mary, she has stars on her cloak, is often called Our Lady of the Sea, and is invoked to protect sailors. In this passage, Isis comes in response to intercessions, just as Mary is reported to sometimes come to those who seek her support in times of distress. The symbolism of the moon on Isis's cloak also speaks to the parallels between Isis and Mary — as Mary is also associated with the moon. In the Tilma of Guadalupe and the image of the woman from Revelations 12, she is shown standing upon the moon; and at the apparitions that occurred at Fatima and Medjugorje, lunar miracles are reported to have occurred.