17/10/2025
*DAY 17: OCTOBER DEVOTION: 17/10/2025*
*ππ½ Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary:*
*πTOPIC: TOWER OF IVORY*
πWhy Mary Is Called, "Tower of Ivory"
This phrase is derived from the biblical description of the beloved's neck in the songs of Solomon which says, "Your neck is like an ivory tower." (Songs of Solon 7:4). In this context, the "Tower of Ivory" is a symbol of beauty and purity.
As devotees of our Lady, we take cues from this biblical verse to emphasize the strength and beauty of our Lady. The tower in biblical times was the citadel, the fortress, constructed atop a hill as the last stronghold of safety (Refer to the title, "Tower of David" page ππ» Catholic Matters post on (15/10/2025)
Ivory as a material is a hard, white and valuable substance that comes from the tusks of certain animals, such as elephants, walruses and mammoths. It is the opaque and dentine of the elephant commonly known as tusk. As an ornament and decorative material, ivory has been extensively used by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, etc. Solomon made a great ivory throne (2 Chronicles 9:17) and Ahab built an Ivory House (1 kings 22:39). Being the product of the tusks of the elephant, ivory is a symbol of strength. Just as the horns of the bulls of Bashan are the sign of their strength, so the tusks of the elephant are its strength. That it is also precious, ornamental and decorative enhances it'ys symbolism as Greatness, Beauty and Power.
As an ornament, ivory is something that adorns and beautifies; for a person, "it is regarded as a source of honour and credit." Our Lady is engraved with cardinal virtues and studded with the gifts of the spirit (Gal 5:22). She is the finest ornament that adorns the celestial courts. As personified in the Ivory Tower, she is "our human nature's solitary boasts."
"A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." (Rev. 12:1).
LET US PRAY
O Mary, my mother, how proud I feel when I speak of thee. You are my "Tower of Ivory", my tower of beauty. For you fill the highest place, next to the heavens imperial throne. Obtain for us each saving grace and make our wants thine own. Amen