The paper examines the convergence of the kabbalistic feminine sefirot with marian christian theology in the thought of the cardinal and christian kabbalist Giles of Viterbo (1469-1532), focusing on his work Scechina. The nature of the Divine Feminine in Jewish Kabbalah, as well as its privileged position, has been addressed by many distinguished scholars like Moshe Idel and Elliot Wolfson. In 2010, Peter Schäfer and Arthur Green proposed to consider the marian devotion of medieval Provence and Spain as a source of crossed influence with the emerging Kabbalah. Although intriguing, this theory lacks concrete evidence of direct interaction between Mary and the Shekhinah during the medieval period. Yet, what happens when the boundaries between the two blur, and the tenth sefirah meets the Virgin, as in 16th-century's Christian Kabbalists? What can be said, thanks to kabbalistic symbolism, about the Mother of God, and conversely, what's the marian corollary on a Jewish symbol perceived as further revelation in christian theology?
Giles of Viterbo's Scechina integrates kabbalistic symbols, particularly those linked to the feminine, creating a syncretic framework between religions and theological systems. The christian humanistic reception of the Shekhinah/Binah/Malkhut symbolism introduces a new layer of interpretation in christian theology, reshaping the Gospel's narratives on the Church, God, and ultimately Mary, 'Queen of Heavens' as much as her kabbalistic counterpart.