medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
putting at severe risk my present position of near-pristine Ignorance, may i
pose two questions, O Oriens?
From: Bill East <[log in to unmask]>
> Ave, Maris stella,
> Dei Mater alma,
> Atque semper virgo,
> felix caeli porta.
> ‘Hail, star of the sea, gracious Mother of God and ever-virgin, happy
portal of heaven.’
>The title ‘Star of the Sea’ is very popular in modern Catholic devotion.
One finds it for example in the hymn ‘Hail, queen of heaven, the ocean
star’: ‘Mother of Christ, star of the sea, pray for the wanderer, pray for
me.’ Here we have a very early example of it – I dare not say the earliest,
for someone is sure to write in with an earlier one.
> It depends, no doubt, on a pun: ‘Maria’ besides being a woman’s name,
is the plural of ‘mare’ ‘the sea’. For a full explanation of this very
popular title I refer members to the article ‘The Name of Mary’ in the
Catholic Encyclopedia, available on line. It apparently goes back to the
phrase ‘stilla maris’ in Jerome.
the implication is, i assume, not just any old garden variety "star of the
sea" but the Pole Star, the Constant Guide of mariners cast upon the trackless
expanse of the ocean?
> A far more significant title is ‘Dei Mater’, ‘Mother of God’.
and you have translated the modifyer "alma" as "gracious".
would not "nurturing" be more appropriate, in this context?
taken literally, "gracious" might be "full of [or despensing] Grace, implying
Merciful and Compassionate.
but the Maternal role is, above all, a Nurturing one, the despensation of
Grace, Mercy and Compassion being inclusive but, as it were, secondary.
c
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