Saints LightAve Maris Stella (Hail, Star of the Sea)
A Latin hymn to Our Lady from at least the ninth century, sung at Vespers on her feasts; the Latin is the original and the English is a translation made for this app. The second verse plays on words: Gabriel's "Ave" spells "Eva" backward, because Mary undoes what Eve began. Pray it in the evening or on any feast of Mary.
The prayer
Hail, Star of the Sea,
loving Mother of God,
and Virgin evermore,
happy gate of heaven.
Taking that Ave
from the lips of Gabriel,
establish us in peace,
turning round the name of Eva.
Loose the bonds of the guilty,
bring light to the blind,
drive away our evils,
ask for us every good.
Show thyself a Mother;
through thee may He receive our prayers
who, born for us,
chose to be thine own.
O Virgin beyond compare,
gentle above all others,
make us, freed from our sins,
gentle and chaste.
Grant us a pure life,
make ready a safe road,
that, seeing Jesus,
we may rejoice with thee for ever.
Praise be to God the Father,
glory to Christ most high,
and to the Holy Ghost,
one honor to the Three. Amen.
In Latin
Ave maris stella, Dei Mater alma, atque semper Virgo, felix caeli porta. Sumens illud Ave Gabrielis ore, funda nos in pace, mutans Evae nomen. Solve vincla reis, profer lumen caecis, mala nostra pelle, bona cuncta posce. Monstra te esse matrem, sumat per te preces, qui pro nobis natus tulit esse tuus. Virgo singularis, inter omnes mitis, nos culpis solutos mites fac et castos. Vitam praesta puram, iter para tutum, ut videntes Iesum semper collaetemur. Sit laus Deo Patri, summo Christo decus, Spiritui Sancto, tribus honor unus. Amen.
Pray it this week
On Saturday this week (a day traditionally given to Our Lady), pray the Ave Maris Stella for someone you know who is far from God.
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