A Dictionary of Hymnology/Ave maris stella
Ave maris stella. Anon. [B. V. M] This hymn, so well known as to its words, is of uncertain authorship. It has been wrongly ascribed to St. Bernard, as it is found in a St, Gall ms., No. 95, of the 9th cent, and to Venantius Fortunatus (by M. A. Luchi, 1789), but on insufficient authority. The text is given in Daniel, i., No. 171, with various readings. (Other notes are given in vol. iii. p. 286, and vol iv. p. 136.) Mone gives five paraphrases of this hymn, Nos. 496-500; each line of the original being followed by versified explanations and simplifications, a certain testimony to the popularity of the original.
It has been treated with so much respect as hardly to have been altered in the Roman Breviary, 1632, and was retained in the revised Breviaries of French dioceses (Paris, Lyons, &c.), as one of the few exceptions of old hymns not supplanted. It is appointed for Vespers in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, Officium parvum beatae Mariae, Paris, Lyons, Le Mans, &c.; some, as Paris, Le Mans, &c., having it also in the Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin, Officium beatae Mariae in Sabbato, and in Feasts which have no special or proper hymns.
In the Roman Breviary it is the Hymn for 1st and 2nd vespers in the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary; also in the Office of the B. V. M. on Saturdays, and in the Little Office, Officium parvum Beatae Mariae Virginis, at 1st vespers, there being no 2nd vespers in these two latter cases.
The hymn is found in three mss. of the 11th cent, in the British Museum (Harl. 2961, f. 241; Vesp. D. xii. f. 63; Jul. A. vi. f. 56); and in the Latin Hys. of the Anglo-Saxon Church, 1851, p. 76, it is printed from an 11th cent. ms. at Durham. It is also given in Bässler, Königsfeld, Simrock, Wackernagel, i. No. 85, and various modern Roman Catholic collections. [W. A. S.]Translations in C. U.:—
1. Hail, thou Star of Ocean. By E. Caswall, 1st pub. in his Lyra Catholica, 1849, p. 197, where it began "Gentle Star of Ocean;" and again, in an altered form, in his Hymns & Poems, 1873, p. 105, in 7 st. of 4 l. It is given in a large number of Roman Catholic collections in G. Britain and America, often in an altered form, and sometimes beginning, "Hail, bright star of ocean."
2. Hail, Sea Star, we bless thee. This is by J. R. Beste in his Church Hys. (R. Cath.), 1849. Its use is not extensive.
3. Hail, thou resplendent Star. In A Sel. of Catholic Hys., Glasgow, H. Margey, 1861, No. 41, the St. Patrick's Catholic H. Bk., 1862, No. 60, and other collections this tr. is given without signature. It is based upon Caswall.
Translations not in C. U.:—
1. Hail, Ocean Star. E. Caswall, 1873.
2. The Star which o'er the sea. J. W. Hewett, 1859.
3. Hail! Star of Ocean, Mary. Chambers, ii. 1866.
4. Hail! Star of the sea, &c. (Prose). Mrs. Charles, 1858.