The Morning Star Symbol – Origin, Meaning, and Modern Use
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The morning star a name given to the planet Venus. It is the brightest object in the sky, right after the Sun and the Moon.
As it orbits the Sun, Venus overtakes the Earth every 584 days. On its journey, it changes from the Evening Star visible in the West after sunset, to the morning star seen in the East during sunrise.
Because of the extraordinary appearance of this planet, the morning star intrigued our ancestors. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at its origin, meaning, and contemporary use.
The History of The Morning Star
Since the earliest times, planets and stars were significant to ancient religions, and were personified as deities. Since ancient cultures didn’t understand modern astronomy, they saw Venus once in the morning and once in the evening as two separate celestial bodies.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians called it Phosphorous, meaning ‘light-bearer,’ or Heosphoros, which means ‘dawn-bringer.’ They later recognized it was one planet and named it after the goddess of love and fertility, Aphrodite (Venus in Roman mythology).
In Christianity, the name morning star was associated with Lucifer, once a beautiful archangel, who refused to honor God and was cast out of Heaven. Luciver means ‘light bringer’ in Latin, which harkens back to the ancient Egyptian and Greek names for the star.
The Symbolic Meaning of the Morning Star
As distant and majestic, as the source of light in the darkness, stars are often seen as something beautiful, divine, guiding, and enlightening. The morning star symbol appears in many different cultures and traditions around the world, and here are some of its universal symbolic meanings:
- Hope and guidance. – Due to its prominent appearance in the celestial sphere, the Morning Star was often used for navigation. This symbolic meaning can also be drawn from a four-pointed star shape resembling a compass that keeps us on the right path.
- Change and new beginnings. – As the Morning Star signals the dawn and the start of a new day, it symbolizes significant changes in our lives and great experience of spiritual journey and re-birth.
- Protection. – In the Christian context, the Morning Star is interpreted as Jesus Christ, who brings joy into the world, just as the Morning Star brings light to the day. Therefore, the Morning Star often symbolizes a sanctuary from darkness and the unknown. To some, it’s the personification of Jesus Christ, a source of light and happiness ending a dark night.
- Connection to Mother Nature. – Given that the four-pointed star also resembles the cross, it refers to the unity of opposites and balance. In this regard, the Morning Star represents the perfect link between the spiritual and the material world, and stands for harmony, goodness, and peace.
- If we look at the Morning Star as Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, we could associate it with femininity, passion, fertility, and prosperity.
The Morning Star in Fashion and Jewelry
Morning star pendant by Oakhill Silver Supply
The morning star is a common motif in contemporary art, jewelry, fashion, and the modern world in general. As a symbol of change, love, beginning, and protection, a piece of jewelry or clothing with the Morning Star pattern would make an ideal present for:
- A partner at the beginning of a relationship, to mark a fresh start;
- New parents, who are faced with the biggest challenge of their lives;
- A loved one faced with difficulty, as a protection amulet or a good luck charm;
- As a reminder of Christian values and faith
Since the oldest days, tattooing as a form of self-expression has been practiced across cultures. Native American symbols are still used as tattoos. The Morning Star tattoo has a deep personal significance, and it indicates the beginning of a new chapter in a person’s life or a crucial change in circumstances.
The Origin of The Morning Star Symbol
Surprisingly, the four-pointed morning star symbol we know today has its roots in Native American culture. They used various geometric shapes that resembled animals, natural phenomena, and celestial bodies as symbols that reflected their spiritual nature, beliefs, and way of life. One of those symbols is the morning star.
Shamanic Religion
Many different Native American tribes used the Morning Star as a symbol for their elders. Their religious leader was called the Shaman, who acted as a medium between the visible and the spiritual world. He would perform different mystical ceremonies to reinforce this connection and renew the natural world. The symbol of the Shaman was often associated with the Morning Star symbol. In this context, it represented the bond between the natural world and the world of spirits.
The Ghost Dance Religion
Ghost Dance, the Native American religious movement, involved ceremonial dancing and singing to rehabilitate traditional values. In these rituals, they used the Morning Star as a symbol of courage, renewal of tradition, and the resurrection of the past heroes.
The Morning Star Ceremony
The Pawnee were an agricultural tribe who raised corn on the territory known today as Nebraska. They would observe the movement of the stars and perform seasonal rituals based on their celestial interpretation. These rituals were important to them because they believed they had an impact on their agriculture. One of those rituals was called the Morning Star ceremony, and it involved the ritual human sacrificing of a young woman. From the Pawnee point of view, the woman was not a victim, but a messenger, who symbolized fertility. They believed that the young woman represented the Evening Star, whose soul needed to be brought back to her husband, the Morning Star. Their reunion meant a renewal of their crops and all growing things on Earth.
To Sum It All Up
The Morning Star symbol has a strong message that carries through time and holds great value to this day. As a bridge between the spiritual and the material, and a symbol of love, light, happiness, and balance, it represents a bond we have with the world around us and offers us a sense of comfort.
