I have to echo Mary Wells: the Virgin Mary, also known as the Blessed Mother, is the most influential and powerful woman in the world. A good portion of the 1.2 billion Catholics in the world talk to her regularly, or every day, or more, seeking help and advice. Protestants honor her singular place in history, and the Koran speaks of her with respect as well. She was a young Jewish girl when she changed human history. So you see she covers a lot of territory. She did this by saying one word: "Yes." She performs miracles. She consoles. She has come down to talk to little children; she once, in Fatima, made the sun dance to prove that she was present. She is understood as such a source of mercy that it’s a pious old joke to say that when you die, if St. Peter won’t let you in the gates you can go around the back and talk to Mary and she’ll try to get you in. But she’s very good at thwarting mischief; when old John Paul was shot, he felt certain she’d saved his life by redirecting a bullet away from his artery. She is the main source of strength to many people who happen to make the world work, who keep it running. Without her, nothing would work. She protects nations. You cannot love Mary and at the same time hold to disparaging assumptions as to the place and power of women, so she is a powerful teacher in that area, also. She is very brave but not warrior-like, very powerful but not forward or aggressive. She is, I guarantee you, a silent mainstay and great love of some of the Most Powerful Women named on this list. (Ask the U.S. Speaker of the House how she feels about her.) She is the Queen of Peace. We are lucky she is there.