Ave Maris Stella, A Poem And A Prayer

The poem below was written by a Scot by the name of John Leyden (1775 – 1811). From what I could find, Leyden was a medical doctor by trade and a Christian. He was even a minister, and according to Wikipedia,

Though he completed his divinity course, and in 1798 was licensed to preach from the presbytery of St Andrews, it soon became clear that the pulpit was not his vocation.

But he evidently had a soft spot in his heart for Our Lady as attested to by the following apologetic words of his publisher in the introduction to these verses,

Though valuing highly the principles of the Protestant faith, we cannot withhold our approval of the many avenues of thought opened up by the Catholic creed, which afford material for beautiful poetry. These stanzes with exception of a few lines are executed in Leyden’s best manner.Many avenues of thought indeed! And material for beautiful poetry? Well, Dr. Leyden was inspired is all that I can figure. The spray in his face and the wind at his back, set his inner Catholic yearning to breathe free, aboard the good ship ironically named the St. Anthony. Take a look at what flowed forth from his pen,

Portuguese Hymn

To The Virgin Mary, “The Star of the Sea.”

Written At Sea, On Board The Ship Santo Antonio.Star of the wide and pathless sea,

Who lovest on mariners to shine,

These votive garments wet, to thee,

We hang within thy holy shrine.

When o’er us flash’d the surging brine,

Amid the waving waters tost,

We call’d no other name but thine,

And hoped when other hope was lost.

Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the vast and howling main!

When dark and lone is all the sky,

And mountain-waves o’er ocean’s plain

Erect their stormy heads on high;

When virgins for their true-loves sigh

They raise their weeping eyes to thee;—

The Star of ocean heeds their cry,

And saves the foundering bark at sea.

Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the dark and stormy sea!

When wrecking tempests round us rave,

Thy gentle virgin-form we see

Bright rising o’er the hoary wave;

The howling storms that seem’d to crave

Their victims, sink in music sweet;

The surging seas recede to pave

The path beneath thy glistening feet.

Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the desert waters wild,

Who pitying hears’t the seaman’s cry!

The God of mercy as a child

On that chaste bosom loves to lie;

While soft the chorus of the sky

Their hymns of tender mercy sing,

And angel voices name on high

The mother of the heavenly king.

Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the deep! at that blest name

The waves sleep silent round the keel,

The tempests wild their fury tame,

That made the deep’s foundations reel;

The soft celestial accents steal

So soothing through the realms of woe,

The newly-damn’d a respite feel

From torture in the depths below.

Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the mild and placid seas!

Whom rain-bow rays of mercy crown,

Whose name thy faithful Portuguese,

O’er all that to the depths go down,

With hymns of grateful transport own,

When clouds obscure all other light,

And heaven assumes an awful frown,

The Star of ocean glitters bright.

Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the deep! when angel lyres

To hymn thy holy name assay,

In vain a mortal harp aspires

To mingle in the mighty lay;

Mother of God! one living ray

Of hope our grateful bosoms fires—

When storms and tempests pass away,

To join the bright immortal choirs.

Ave Maris Stella!

And what, pray tell, is this Ave Maris Stella? A beautiful prayer, that’s what. Again, I’m indebted to the anonymous authors of Wikipedia for the following citation:

“Ave Maris Stella (Latin, “Hail Star of the Sea”) is a plainsong Vespers hymn to the Virgin Mary. It is of uncertain origin and can be dated back at least as far as the eighth century. It was especially popular in the Middle Ages and has been used by many composers as the basis of other compositions. The creation of the original hymn has been attributed to several people, including Saint Venantius Fortunatus.

The melody is found in the Irish plainsong “Gabhaim Molta Bríde”, a piece in praise of St. Bridget. The popular modern hymn Hail Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star, is loosely based on this plainsong original. It finds particular prominence in the “Way of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary” by Saint Louis de Montfort.”

It is certainly a beautiful way to ask Our Lady to pray for us. Won’t you pray this with me now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TacNIbmDZ4s?fs=1

Ave Maris Stella, A Poem and a Prayer