Stella Maris
Stella Maris literally means “Star of the Sea.” This name was given to the Virgin Mary by early church fathers but the title first belonged to Isis, Ishtar, Aphrodite, and Venus. Mari, of course, is one of the most ancient names of the Goddess. It means Mother Sea, and she was often seen dressed in a blue robe edged with pearly foam. Her star was sometimes identified as Venus or Sirius/Sothis and sometimes as the Pleiades. She is sister to the Afro-Caribbean orishas Yemaya of the Seven Petticoats (or seven waves) and Iamanja, “Holy Queen Sea.”
This image is inspired by her depiction on a contemporary Spanish Catholic prayer card, where She is not identified as Mary, but rather as “La Diosa del Mar” — Goddess of the Sea.
