Through the centuries Mary has been associated with numerous traditions and symbols. The masterpieces of art and architecture commissioned in commemoration of Mary reflect and reinforce these associations. Certain symbols that appear more frequently have become universal signs of Mary.

Among those most evocative of Marian tradition are flowers, the moon and the colors blue and gold. The Chapel of the Virgin Mary incorporates these historical Christian symbols with themes from the traditions of David and the Hebrew Scriptures.

FLOWERS

In medieval literature Mary is the flower (C'est la fleur), the Mother of God whose sweet scent fills us with joy and reminds us of her victory over death. The practice of leaving perfumed flowers at shrines to Mary became a popular tradition that continues today. In the Roman calendar the Assumption (August 15) is specifically indicated as the day for the blessing of flowers and herbs.

In the Hebrew Scriptures many references foreshadowing Mary can be found in the Song of Solomon, with its numerous passages describing flowers and other symbols of the natural world. For example, Song of Solomon 3:6 is commonly seen as a prefiguration of the Assumption, "Who is this that commeth out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense... "

MOON

In Christian symbolism the moon signifies Mary and the sun signifies Christ. Christian tradition often looks to natural symbols for answers to the sacred mysteries. Medieval Christians believed that God wrote two books: the Bible and the "book" of nature. Both were keys to understanding God. As a result symbols of nature became prominent in church art, architecture and teaching.

Pope Innocent (12 c.) wrote, "...look to the Moon, you who are buried in sin and iniquity. Having lost grace, the day disappears and there is no more Sun for you, but the Moon floats in the sky. Address yourself to Mary; under her influence many find their way to God. " This passage illuminates Mary's role as intercessor and mediator. As the moon reflects the pure and powerful light of the sun toward the earth, so Mary stands as mediator between God in heaven and those on earth below.

The moon also symbolizes Mary's historic role as life-giver and nourisher. In ancient civilizations predating the Christian era the moon's association with female deities and fertility was nearly universal. The ancients believed the moon to be the source of moisture, because of its association with the dew that nourished the fields at night after the parching heat of the day.
The gentle lunar light was seen as a life-giving force by producing these waters and influencing the tides and represents grace in Christian teaching. The moon on its journey through the sky also represents constancy and eternity, two additional attributes of Mary.

The crescent moon symbolizes both the Immaculate Conception and Mary, Queen of Heaven. In Song of Solomon 6:10 we read, "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon... " and in Revelations 12:1, "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet... "

The moon encapsulates many of the historic traditions and virtues associated with Mary. For the ancients, the moon in the evening sky was a nightly reminder of Mary's constant love and intercession. This yearning for Mary's benevolence continues today in the often repeated lines of Mary's prayer, "...pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. "

BLUE AND GOLD

Blue is Mary's color. In Christian tradition blue is associated with Mary's attributes: heavenly love, water, constancy, sky, sea, light and eternity. Blue and gold were the most expensive colors for the ancients to obtain and their use in paintings and mosaics was a deliberate tribute to Mary. The visual richness of the combination of blue and gold lends itself well to Mary's symbolic imagery. As the two colors enhance each other, they produce a sense of the mystical, and many Renaissance masterpieces depicting the Virgin used blue and gold to stunning effect.

Gold is the symbol of celestial light, where God abides. The heavenly Jerusalem described in Revelation 21:18, "was pure gold, like unto clear glass."

The Venetian mosaics used in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary emphasize the traditional blue and gold associated with Mary. The gold mosaics are made with pure gold (24K). All of the mosaics are made of glass, the Christian symbol of purity.

DAVID AND THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

There are numerous and important connections drawn between Mary and the Hebrew Scriptures, several of which are mentioned above. The Gospel of Luke is full of references to the Hebrew Scriptures, including the association of Mary with the Ark of the Covenant. Luke's description of the Annunciation and the Visitation refers back to descriptions of the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus and 2 Samuel, making clear his intent to consider Mary's womb as the Ark from which the New Covenant was born. "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. " Exodus 40: 34-35. "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of the father David... The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." 1 Luke 1:30-3:

A legend about the betrothal of Mary tells of another connection with David. An angel directed that men from the House of David were to assemble for consideration as Mary's husband. The men were asked to leave their staffs in the Temple during the night. By the next morning, the staff of Joseph had sprouted, showing that he was to be Mary's husband. The sprouting branch seen in the mosaic recalls this episode while also reminding us of the symbolic importance of the palm branch. The palm branch signified victory to the ancient Romans and became an important symbol of Jesus' and Mary's triumph over death.

Mary's role as the mother of Jesus, a relationship prefigured in passages from the Hebrew Scripture carries out a central Biblical theme, the continuity of family from one generation to the next. The writers of the Gospels went to great lengths to place Joseph, Mary and Jesus clearly in the royal line of the House of David. The mother, Mary, and the son, Jesus, and the two generations they represent are the ultimate symbols of familial continuity in the New Testament. This theme is expressed in the positioning of the crucifix and the image of Mary in the Church of Saint David the King. Mary gazes across the church to her son, suggesting the words of Dante (Paradiso XXXII 85-87):

Look now on her who most resembles Christ,
for only the great glory of her shining
can purify your eyes to look on Christ.