Star of Sea and Ocean / Ave Maris Stella

Painting by Filippo Lippi - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Star of Sea and Ocean is a translation by Rev. Ralph Wright O.S.B. (b.1938) of the 9th. century anonymous Latin hymn, Ave Maris Stella. Under her ancient title: Stella Maris (Star of the Sea), the Virgin Mary has been named the patroness of numerous coastal Churches, as well as missions to seafarers such as the Apostleship of the Sea. In the Divine Office (1974), Star of Sea and Ocean is sung at Evening Prayer I in the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is set to the same tradition tune associated with the ancient Latin text, as featured in the following video.


Gregorian (Sung by the Daughters of St. Paul)

AVE MARIS STELLA (Public Domain)

1. Ave maris stella,
Dei Mater alma,
atque semper Virgo,
felix caeli porta.

2. Sumens illud Ave
Gabrielis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Hevae nomen.

3. Solve vincula reis,
profer lumen caecis
mala nostra pelle,
bona cuncta posce.

4. Monstra te esse matrem:
sumat per te preces,
qui pro nobis natus,
tulit esse tuus.

5. Virgo singularis,
inter omnes mites,
nos culpis solutos,
mites fac et castos.

6. Vitam praesta puram,
iter para tutum:
ut videntes Iesum
semper collaetemur.

7. Sit laus Deo Patri,
summo Christo decus,
Spiritui Sancto,
tribus honor unus. Amen.