Ave Maria Stella

I have never been up on the most popular names, and actually thought that my sister-in-law had made up the name AVA when she named her beautiful baby girl last year.

Therefore, I noticed with great interest that the name AVA had made the top ten list for the past five years.

Here is the chart for the most girls' names in the US in 2006:

1. Emily
2. Emma
3. Madison
4. Isabella
5. Ava
6. Abigail
7. Olivia
8. Hannah
9. Sophia
10. Samantha

My husband immediately pointed out that one of the famous bearers of this name was Adolf Hitler's mistress, Eva Braun. Evangeline is a longer form of the name.

I thought of the beautiful prayer, “Ave Maris Stella”. In this prayer, Ave is meant to show Mary was quite literally the reverse of Eva, or Eve (Adam’s wife and the first woman, who also was the first human to sin).

While AVA is the Latin form of the Hebrew Eve, a slight variation in the spelling yields “Ave”, which is Latin for “Hail”.

An interesting story tells of the promises to those who pray the Ave Maris Stella. During a riot in Rome, a mob came to the house where St. Bridget lived, intent on burning her Alive. She prayed to The Lord and asked if she should flee to safety.

Jesus advised her to stay; "It doesn't matter if they plot thy death. My power will break the malice of thy enemies. If Mine crucified Me, it is because I permitted it."

Our Blessed Mother added: "Sing as a group the AVE MARIS STELLA and I'll guard you from every danger."

Ave Maria Stella
(in both Latin and English)

Ave maria Stella
Dei Mater Alma
Atque Semper Virgo
Felix Coeli Porta

Hail Thou Star of the Ocean
Portal of the Sky
Ever Virgin Mother
Of The Lord Most High

Sumens Illud Ave
Gabrielis Ore
Funda Nos in Pace
Mutans Evae Nomen

Oh, by Gabriel's Ave
Uttered Long Ago
Eva's Name Reversing
Established Peace Below

Solve Vincia Reis
Profer Lumen Caecis
Malla Nostra Pelle
Bona Cuncta Posce

Break the Captives' Fetters
Light on Blindness Pour
All our Ills Expelling
Every Bliss Implore

Monstra te Esse Matrem
Sumat per te Preces
Qui pro Nobis Natus
Tulit esse Tuus

Show Thyself a Mother
Offer Him our Sighs
Who for us Incarnate
Did not Thee Despise

Virgo Singularis
Inter Omnes Mitis
Nos Culpis Solutos
Mites fac et Castos

Virgin of all Virgins
To Thy Shelter Take us
Gentlest of the Gentle
Chaste and Gentle make us

Vitam Presta Puram
Iter Para Tutum
Ut, Videntes Jesum
Semper Collaetemur

Still, as on we Journey,
Help our Weak Endeavor,
Till with Thee and Jesus
We Rejoice Forever

Sit Laus Deo Patri
Summo Cristo Decus
Spiritui Sancto:
Tribus Honor Unus.
Amen

Through the Highest Heaven,
To the Almighty Three
Father, Son and Spirit,
One Same Glory be.
Amen

Oil painting above:
Nest Builders by Ava Freeman

What's in a Name?

If I had been a boy, my name would have been Nevada. My Mom is eternally grateful that I was a girl. She named me Elizabeth, which means “consecrated to God”. She says that is what she did when she found out I had been conceived. My Dad was afraid people would sully my beautiful name by shortening it to Liz, Beth, or Betsy. So he called me Lisa, which is a derivative of Elizabeth. He explained this to all my teachers, and I grew up being called Lisa. (Once he teased that he would call me "Lee" and take me to work at his construction site - I thought this would be fun, but he was just kidding.)

My middle name, Kathryn, means "pure".

Gerold is my maiden name, and Miller is my married name.

In real life, I do not hyphenate my name. The reason I do so on my blog is basically to "hedge my bets".

In high school I remember someone saying, "Elizabeth Kathryn Gerold is such a literary-sounding name!" I actually kept my maiden name for a full five years because I felt it was part of my identity. Then I had it changed to Miller.

So far, I have submitted all of my works in the name of Miller. However, I had always thought I would publish my novels in the name of Gerold. I also thought about Elizabeth Gerold Miller, except that would remove my beloved middle name.

I would love to hear what my readers think.