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Welcome to our parish website and to Star of the Sea Church Faughanvale. We are a Catholic parish belonging to the Diocese of Derry. We are an active and open community with good school and ecumenical links. We are located approximately 8 miles from Derry city centre and half a mile from the City of Derry airport.

 

Star of the Sea is an ancient title for the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The words Star of the Sea are a translation of the Latin title Stella Maris, first reliably used with relation to the Virgin Mary in the ninth century.

 

The title was used to emphasise Mary's role as a sign of hope and as a guiding star for Christians. Under this title, the Virgin Mary is believed to intercede as a guide and protector of those who travel or seek their livelihoods on the sea. This aspect of the Virgin has led to Our Lady, Star of the Sea, being named as patroness of the Catholic missions to seafarers, the Apostleship of the Sea, and to many coastal churches being named Stella Maris or Mary, Star of the Sea. This devotion towards Our Lady with this ancient title is very popular throughout the Catholic world

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