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“The Virgin Mary Is the Star of the Sea”: A Contribution to Early Modern Marian Devotion
Abstract
One of the oldest Marian symbols is the Star of the Sea (stella maris). It comes from patristic literature and has a permanent place in the writings, liturgy, and devotion dedicated to Mary. He is present in them to this day. This article briefly recounts the origins of the symbol and focuses on several examples from works of literature and art from the second half of the 17th century. In them, Mary, Star of the Sea, is portrayed as a special protector of people on life’s perilous path. The examples cited create a coherent message of the topos of Marian devotion, based on tradition and at the same time updated in historical conditions. Particularly noteworthy is the identification of the Star of the Sea with the Polar Star and the use of its properties to describe the virtues of Mary. New elements were also successfully incorporated into the traditional narrative, such as the invention of the telescope at the beginning of the 17th century and the discovery of new worlds (on distant lands and planets).
Keywords:
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Marian iconography, Marian symbolsDetails
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.