A statue of the Virgin Mary appearing to rise from the Ligurian Sea off of the Italian coast has drawn renewed attention online for the dramatic scene of the waves crashing against it, but the image tells a story deeper than a viral coastal view. Known as Stella Maris, the white marble Madonna stands near the small island of Tinetto, off Portovenere, as a Marian sign of protection and a vital warning to those navigating the waters.
A Madonna above the water
The statue stands about 6 feet tall on the Scoglio del Diavolo, or “Devil’s Rock,” a dangerous submerged shoal just south of Tinetto Island in the Gulf of La Spezia. From a boat, the figure can seem to emerge directly from the sea: the Virgin is depicted with her hands folded, facing the open waters.
The statue was installed on August 17, 2003, the feast day of Portovenere’s Madonna Bianca, as part of an initiative from volunteers connected with Stella Maris, the church serving the Port of La Spezia. In 2008, the statue was damaged by a storm, later recovered, and returned to its place as a sign of protection over the gulf.
Yet Stella Maris is not only devotional.
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