Virgin a Day, 2013 - Day 2 Stella Maris

 (Image and text from here)

Fons Lucis Stella Maris

This Byzantine icon of Mary is venerated in the Roman basilica of Santa Maria in Via Lata 

under the title ‘Source of Light, Star of the Sea’.

It is one of several images in the Eternal City of Mary in the orante position, 

the prayer posture of early Christianity.

Stella Maris "sea-star" is a name of α Ursae Minoris or Polaris, the "guiding star" (also "lodestar", "ship star", "steering star", etc.) because it has been used for celestial navigation at sea since antiquity. The name is applied to the Virgin Mary in Saint Jerome's Latin translation of the Onomasticon by Eusebius of Caesarea,^[1] although this is in fact a misnomer based on a transcription error. The Hebrew name Miryam, meaning drop of the sea, was translated by St Jerome into Stilla Maris, but at some later stage a copyist transcribed this into Stella Maris, and this transcription error became widespread.^{[2]   (Wiki entry)}

The Afro-Cuban Orisha Yemayá and the Black Virgin of Regla, patroness of Havana, collection of the Musée des Arts Modestes - image and text from here.  

Every September 7th by the docks of Regla in Havana, thousands of Cubans await the procession of the black Virgin at the Church of Our Lady of Regla, patroness of the sea, of sailors and mariners, and of Cuba’s capital city. Devotees of the Virgin dress in shades of her colors: deep azure, bright turquoise, baby blue, and white. The majority board the lanchita, a small commuter ferry that runs between Havana and Regla, with white flowers and candles in hand, and some carry black “spirit” dolls elaborately dressed in blue and white. Women and men make their way through the crowd to one of the six small windows, where they cross themselves with coins, tossing the shiny offerings into the bay as they whisper appeals to the oricha of the ocean, Yemayá. Many dress in white and wear colorful beaded necklaces (collares) and multi-stranded bracelets (ides) that identify them as priests or priestesses of the Afro-Cuban religion, la Regla de Ocha, while others don gold crucifixes or saints’ medallions. Some wear both.  (You can read the rest of the article here.) 

 (Image from here)

Yemaya’s Wisdom

I am the force that swirls beneath the surface,

She who connects Sea and Sky,

the Infinite Mother who reclaims you.

Feel the sand beneath your feet, hold the conch to your ear,

gaze upon My Blue,

and you know Me.

Submit your troubles upon Me,

cast your cares into the heart of the ocean that is Me.

I will nurture you,

wipe your tears,

soothe the anger,

and shelter you from the coming storms.

In your surrender, I become your voice.

In the giving over, I become your freedom.

Daughter, come home, and allow Me

to make whole

that which is incomplete

~Brandi Auset

This is the chant that I use when I cannot sleep or am mentally agitated.  I hope you enjoy it.

Rebecca is hosting another yearly Virgin A Day over at her place - be sure to check out all of the offerings.