Stella Maris Chaplet

Also referred to as the Chaplet of Our Lady Star of the Sea

It may be that the Chaplet of Our Lady Star of the Sea is a relatively new devotion of prayers. However, referencing Mary, the Mother of God, as “Star of the Sea” is a tradition that can be documented as dating as far back as the 800s AD. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Patroness of the Carmelite Order, is also referred to as “Stella Maris” or “Our Lady, Star of the Sea.”

Biblically, the reference to Mary as “Star of the Sea” is said to have come from I Kings 18:41-45.

In I Kings Chapter 18, Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest to see who could light a sacrifice by fire on Mt. Carmel. The prophets of Baal did not succeed. Then Elijah poured water on his sacrifice, prayed to God, and the sacrifice was consumed by fire. Afterwards, Elijah told his servants to look toward the sea. The servant returned six times and said there was nothing there. Elijah ordered the servant to go back again, and the servant returned to report seeing a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising up from the sea. The sky then grew black and heavy rain fell on the land, which had been experiencing a severe drought.

Devotion to Mary as Star of the Sea has special meaning to those of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelite Monastery founded in the 12th century on the hills of Mt. Carmel was named Stella Maris. According to Carmelite tradition, the cloud that descended over the sea after Elijah’s sacrifice on Mt. Carmel was consumed is said to be the Star of Mary–a sign of hope.

For centuries, Our Lady, Star of the Sea has been a guiding light of hope to those that sail the seven seas. Mary can also be a guiding light to Christ for us as we struggle with the storms of life.

The traditional prayers for the Chaplet of Our Lady Star of the Sea are as follows:

Begin on the medal and pray:

Most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to help me in this necessity; there are none that can withstand your power.

On each of the first three beads, pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

On each of the twelve beads of the circle, pray the following:
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, help and protect us!
Sweet mother I place this cause in your hands.

(The Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea)

Some also suggest to include the Ave Stella Maris as a final prayer on the medal. The Stella Maris is a Latin hymn dating back to the 9the century. Because of its frequent use in the Divine Office, it was very popular in the Middle Ages and became a foundation of inspiration for many other hymns thereafter.

HAIL, O Star of the ocean,
God’s own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heav’nly rest.

Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eve’s name.

Break the sinners’ fetters,
make our blindness day
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.

Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thy infant
hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt, preserve us
pure and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.

Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one.

Amen.

Personally, my favorite way to end the devotion is to use the Searfarers’ Prayer written by Pope John Paul II.

O Mary, Star of the Sea, light of every ocean,
guide
seafarers across all dark and stormy seas
that they
may reach the haven of peace and light
prepared in
Him who calmed the sea.

As we set forth upon the oceans of the world
and
cross the deserts of our time,
show us, O Mary, the
fruit of your womb,
for without your Son we are lost.

Pray that we will never fail on life’s journey,
that in
heart and mind, in word and deed,
in days of turmoil
and in days of calm,
we will always look to Christ and
say,
“Who is this that even wind and sea obey him?”

Bright Star of the Sea, guide us!

http://www.stellamaris.net/page.php?s=1&p=553

The earliest theological references to Mary as “Star of the Sea” come from the writings of Paschasius Radbertus, a 9th century Benedictine abbot and theologian, who wrote:

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 illuminate us to believe in Christ born of Her for the salvation of the world.

The Ave Maris Stella (also Ave Stella Maris)—Latin for Hail, Star of the Sea—is a popular liturgical hymn preserved in the Codex Sangallensis, held in the Monastery of Saint Galen, Switzerland. The hymn is also found in ancient codices of the Divine Office for Vespers on Marian Feasts, and today in the Divine Office (Roman Breviary to Vespers in the Common Office), the Office for Saturdays, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin and other Feasts.

Authorship of the Ave Stella Maris is unknown, but it has been attributed to Venantius Fortunatus (d 609), Paul the Deacon (d 787), St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), and King Robert (1031). The Ave Stella Maris is most frequently attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux. But the presence of the hymn in the Codex mentioned above shows that it predates him.

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