Stella Maris

On the western edge of Mount Carmel is Stella Maris Monastery and church.  The name of the monastery is Latin for “Star of the Sea.” This name refers not to the magnificent view, but to an early title for Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The monastery is the world headquarters of a Catholic religious order of friars and nuns, the Carmelites.  Opposite the monastery, a steep footpath down toward the Mediterranean leads to a larger grotto, Elijah’s Cave, where the prophet is said to have meditated.

In the Church, steps lead down to a grotto, with a small altar, where the Old Testament prophet Elijah is believed to have occasionally lived.  Being able to see and to these sacred sites brings the pages of history books alive.