Marian Shrines

Watch this short video of the 16 Marian Apparition shrines at Star of the Sea.

Star of the Sea Marian Shrines

With the blessing of the Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, Star of the Sea parish has built 16 shrines to Our Lady along the east and west walls of our church. These shrines portray the most important apparitions of Our Lady throughout history. Each features a 48-inch statue or image of that apparition, candles and kneelers for devotions, and a pamphlet describing not only the facts of the apparition but also the most vital words of Our Lady’s message at that time. 

The following apparitions are included:

  • Fatima (Portugal, 1917) Feast Day May 13
  • Lourdes (France, 1858) Feast Day February 11
  • Akita (Japan, 1973)
  • Guadalupe (Mexico, 1531) Feast Day December 12
  • Champion (Wisconsin, 1859) Feast Day October 9
  • Knock (Ireland, 1879) Feast Day August 21
  • Miraculous Medal (Paris, 1830) Feast Day November 27
  • La Salette (France, 1846) Feast Day September 19
  • Lady of China (China, 1868) Feast Day May 24
  • Manaoag (Philippines, 1610) Celebrated all month of May
  • La Vang (Vietnam, 1798) Feast Day November 22
  • Czestochowa (Poland, 1655) Feast Day August 26
  • Good Success (Ecuador, 1594) Feast Day February 2
  • Kibeho (Rwanda, 1981) Feast Day November 28
  • Banneux (Belgium, 1933) Feast Day May 31
  • Mt. Carmel (Israel, 1251) Feast Day July 16

We invite you to visit the 16 shrines of our Lady at Star of the Sea church, located five minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, at 4420 Geary Blvd in San Francisco. Parking is available and the church is open from 6am to 7pm each day, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the main altar. At night Eucharistic adoration continues in the side chapel, accessible by code for those who sign up for one hour of prayer a week. The priests offer three Masses daily, at 7am (traditional Latin), noon (English) and 6pm (English, or Latin for greater feasts). Confessions are available 15 minutes before each Mass, and a public rosary is recited after each Mass. Fr. Joseph Illo, pastor, welcomes all pilgrims in the name of God and on behalf of the other priests and parish community. You may call the parish office for further information at 415-751-0450.

TO LEARN ABOUT BASIC FACTS AND THE MESSAGE OF EACH APPARITION PLEASE DOWNLOAD A PDF COPY OF THE TITLE OF YOUR CHOICE (BELOW) PREPARED BY THE STAR OF THE SEA PASTOR FR. JOSEPH ILLO.

IMAGES OF THE 16 MARIAN STATUES AND ICONS AT STAR OF THE SEA

Listen to this Gregorian chant notation from the Liber Usualis (1961), p. 279. Latin lyrics sung by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

SALVE REGINA

We invite you to pray the Rosary every day

“On 13 May 1917, the shepherd children (Lúcia dos SantosFrancisco and Jacinta Marto) reported seeing a woman “brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun.” The woman wore a white mantle edged with gold and held a rosary in her hand. She asked them to devote themselves to the Holy Trinity and to “pray the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war”

HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

We pray the Rosary after each Mass: Monday to Friday 7:00am, 12noon, 6:00pm; Saturdays 8:30am, 12noon; Sunday 1pm (Latin).

CHILDREN’S FLOWERS TO OUR LADY

A TRADITION AT STAR OF THE SEA With the desire to welcome our parish young families, and to foster devotion to Virgin Mary, we have a tradition at Star that is tied to the Apparitions of Mary’s shrines. On Sundays after the 9:30am Family Mass, we invite the children to get a fresh flower that the parish provide, then they gather in front of the sanctuary to listen to one of our priests talk about one of our Lady’s apparitions. The children then follow our priest to the chosen shrine to place the flowers for our lady. The children are eager to participate and It brings joy to all the faithful attending the Mass, seeing the beautiful smiles of each child! as we all learn more about the different apparitions of Virgin Mary around the world.

Enjoy this short video clip recorded at Star of the Sea Church

CHILDREN’S FLOWERS TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

TO JESUS THROUGH MARY

Join us every year in May for our Walk to Mary!

ABOUT THE WALK TO MARY

Light a Candle!

We have 16 new candle racks for each of the Apparitions of Virgin Mary’s shrines in our church. Please light a candle for someone in need of your prayers, for your prayer intentions, or In gratitude to our Lady for her intercessions.

THE HAIL MARY

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

For more information about our shrine please call the parish office (415) 751-0450 or if you are interested in having a pilgrimage visit to our church, please contact: MARIELLA ZEVALLOS (415)751-0450, email: mariella@starparish.com

THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR SHRINES!