Ave maris stella
Staff Notation • Sacred, Office hymns
2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
Subscribed as
Want Sunday picks sent to another address too?
Your choir should not be left out in what's trending
Sunday mass selections, psalms, and trending songs in your area — straight to your inbox.
Ave maris stella by John Sheppard — Lyrics
About Ave maris stella
John Sheppard was an influential English composer of the Tudor period. His setting of the Marian antiphon Ave maris stella is written for double choir, SSATTBB and SATTBarB. The text, a familiar Latin hymn, addresses Mary as the Star of the Sea, Mother of God, Everlasting Virgin, and Gate of Heaven. It petitions her to grant peace, to absolve the guilty, to give light to the blind, and to drive away evils. The hymn asks her to show herself a mother and present our prayers, so that through her we may obtain grace, and that we, freed from guilt, may be made gentle and chaste. It concludes with a prayer for a pure life, a safe journey, and everlasting joy in seeing Jesus.
