Origin of the feast: Victory at the Battle of Vienna, 1683
Meaning of the Name of Mary
In the Gospel of Luke, the name of the maiden who would be the Mother of God is revealed to us: “And her name was Mary.” The name Mary, derived from the Hebrew “Miriam,” means Maiden, Lady, Princess.
The hymn “Ave maris stella” sings of Mary as the Star of the Sea and Gate of Heaven. Mary’s name has a phonetic connection to the sea, given that the three letters of “sea” resemble “Mary.” In addition, Mary is linked to myrrh, an African herb used for incense and perfume, derived from a Semitic language.
In the “Song of Songs,” the husband visits the wife, who awaits him with hands scented with myrrh: “I come to my garden, my sister and my bride, to gather balm and myrrh.” The Magi offer myrrh to Mary as a symbol of worship: “And entering the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and they fell and worshipped him, and opening their treasure chests, they offered him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Myrrh, like Mary, symbolizes the union of men with God, which takes place in the womb of Mary. Thus, Mary is the center of this union.
Linguistic and biblical scholars explore the roots of the name Mary, which was already borne by Moses’ sister and was common in Israel. For philologists, it means beautiful, lady, princess, exalted, all of them beautiful and significant adjectives.
The Name and the Mission
In the History of Salvation, it is God who gives or changes the name to those with an important mission. To Simon, Jesus says: “You are called Simon. From now on you will be called Kefá, Peter, stone, rock, because on this rock I will build my Church.” Mary, with the highest mission of being the Mother of God, does not receive a new name, but keeps her own: MARIA. A name that fulfills all these meanings, because as Queen and Lady all generations will call her.
Mary is young, a woman, a virgin, a citizen of her people, a wife and mother, a slave of the Lord. A sweet woman who receives her child in the most humble conditions, but with her warmth she wraps him in swaddling clothes and cradles him. Mary is brave, she is not afraid to flee to Egypt to save her son. She is a companion on the road, she intercedes for her son in Cana, and she is a strong woman, with her heart pierced by the pain of the Cross of her Son, receiving his dead body in her arms. She is the support of the Church in its first steps, with a motherhood open to all humanity. Mary is human, determined, generous, faithful, a friend, strong, and trusting. Mary is Immaculate, Mother, Star of Evangelization.
