The Blessed Virgin Mary; Mary the Mother of God; St. Mary – indeed, the patron saint of our parish has many titles.  But one title you may not be familiar with is Mary, Star of the Sea.  It was with this title of Mary in mind that St. Mary’s bell tower was built to resemble a lighthouse.  Read the paragraphs below to gain a better understanding of this title of our parish’s patron saint.

What is the Origin of Mary’s title: “Star of the Sea”?
Star symbolisms on behalf of Mary refer to two types of stars:

a) six-pointed stars indicate Mary’s Davidic origins and Jewish character;
b) stars with eight radiating points highlight Mary’s role in salvation as helper in the “restitutio perfectionis” (8=perfection) or “reparatrix parentum et totius orbis.” More generally (independently from the number of radiating points), the star symbolism may be used to articulate one or all of the following characteristics of Mary:

a) Her privileges, in particular, her mission as Mother of the Redeemer, or her holiness (full of grace);
b) Her anticipatory or demonstrative role (forerunner, announcer …) with regard to Christ ['she is the dawn, Christ the Rising Sun'] and the Trinity;
c) Her role as luminous and enlightening. The biblical and/or theological foundation of this title (Mary, Star of the Sea) may be based on 1 Kings 18:41-45. This text refers to a little cloud appearing above the sea as a sign of hope implying that rain will come and free the land from drought. The little cloud (small as a man’s hand) seen from Mt. Carmel is believed to be the “Star of the Sea” and Mary, thus, the sign of hope which announces freedom and renewal. The Carmelites built a church on Mt. Carmel and gave it the title “Stella Maris.”

The origin of the expression “Stella maris” is commonly attributed to St. Jerome (d. 420). However, Jerome called Mary “stilla maris”, meaning a drop of the sea. Perhaps a copyist transcribed this as “Stella maris”. Other authors recording the same Marian symbol include: Isidore of Seville (d. 636); Alcuin (d. 804); and Rhabanus Maurus (d. 856).

An explicit reference occurs in Paschasius Radbertus (d. 865):

Mary Star of the Sea must be followed in faith and morals lest we capsize amidst the storm-tossed waves of the sea. She will illumine us to believe in Christ born of her for the salvation of the world. Hincmar of Reims (d. 882) spoke of Mary as “a star of the sea assumed into the heavens.”

There are also some ancient Marian hymns related to the title: “Ave Maria Stella” (8th-9th century); and “Alma Redemptoris Mater” (by Herman of Reschenau, 11th century).

Very important for this title is the following twelfth-century prayer from St Bernard of Clairvaux:

If the winds of temptation arise; If you are driven upon the rocks of tribulation look to the star, call on Mary; If you are tossed upon the waves of pride, of ambition, of envy, of rivalry, look to the star, call on Mary.
(From The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute at University of Dayton)

A Prayer – Ave Maris Stella (Hail Star of the Sea)
by Venerable John Henry Newman, C.O.
“Hail, Star of the Sea
Truly art thou a star, O Mary! Our Lord indeed Himself, Jesus Christ, He is the truest and chiefest Star, the bright and morning Star, as St. John calls Him; that Star which was foretold from the beginning as destined to rise out of Israel, and which was displayed in figure by the star which appeared to the wise men in the East. But if the wise and learned and they who teach men in justice shall shine as stars for ever and ever; if the angels of the Churches are called stars in the Hand of Christ; if He honoured the apostles even in the days of their flesh by a title, calling them lights of the world; if even those angels who fell from heaven are called by the beloved disciple stars; if lastly all the saints in bliss are called stars, in that they are like stars differing from stars in glory; therefore most assuredly, without any derogation from the honour of our Lord, is Mary His mother called the Star of the Sea, and the more so because even on her head she wears a crown of twelve stars. Jesus is the Light of the world, illuminating every man who cometh into it, opening our eyes with the gift of faith, making souls luminous by His Almighty grace; and Mary is the Star, shining with the light of Jesus, fair as the moon, and special as the sun, the star of the heavens, which it is good to look upon, the star of the sea, which is welcome to the tempest-tossed, at whose smile the evil spirit flies, the passions are hushed, and peace is poured upon the soul. Hail then, Star of the Sea, we joy in the recollection of thee. Pray for us ever at the throne of Grace; plead our cause, pray with us, present our prayers to thy Son and Lord — now and in the hour of death, Mary be thou our help. ”
(source: Quenta Nârwenion)