STAR OF HEAVEN, you who suckled the Lord, softly drinking the milk against the poison of our sins; and did away with the plague of death, which was planted by the first father of men.

Star deign now, appease the sky, how angry against the earth, which destroys towns with the cruel plague of death.

O Most Merciful Star of the sea, free us from the plague.

Hear our prayers, O our Lady, since your Son, who does not deny you anything, honors you.

Save us Jesus, for whom your Virgin Mother prays.

Pray for us, Holy Mother of God, so that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

God of mercy, God of forgiveness, who moved the affliction of your people to compassion, and who said to the Angel who struck your people: "stop your arm for the love of that glorious Star", whose precious chest you gently drank the milk against the poison of our sins; come to our help with your Divine Grace so that, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, we may free ourselves from any pestiferous contagion and sudden death, and we may be saved from all danger of becoming lost.

To You, Jesus Christ, King of glory, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

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The origins of this prayer are reported in a chronicle written in the 16th century by Fr. Francesco Gonzaga, Minister General of the Franciscan Friars Minor.


In 1317 Portugal was ravaged by the plague. The Poor Clares of Coimbra were very distressed by the advances of the disease, which was already widespread around their convent. Their anxiety and fear got to such extremes that the Mother Abbess had decided to break the cloister and allow the nuns to go elsewhere, to escape the plague. At that moment, the doorbell rang. A beggar was at the door, but his countenance was very much like that of an image of St. Bartholomew in the convent. The beggar gave to the nuns a paper with a prayer, telling them that if they prayed it daily, they would be protected from the disease. The text was the Stella Coeli Extirpavit. The nuns did pray it, and the plague passed them by and soon disappeared from the neighborhood.

The prayer rapidly spread throughout Europe, and was included in many prayer books, and as an appendix in the Franciscan Breviary.