According to tradition, the Book of Revelation was written by Saint John after a series of revelations that occurred on the Island of Patmos in Greece. In one of the visions, Saint John saw a “woman clothed with the son” (Revelation 12) who stood upon the moon and was crowned with twelve stars. The woman was in the process of giving birth to a son who was to rule the nations. As she cried out from the pains of childbirth, a dragon waited nearby to consume the child. After the child was born, however, he was protected by God and enthroned. The woman escaped to the wilderness.

Although this woman is never directly identified as the Virgin Mary, the parallels between this vision and later apparitions are quite strong. Over time, Mary came to be associated with the moon and stars, and this theme has often been incorporated into many artistic representations of her. In icons, her veil is adorned with stars, and in many of the statues and paintings of the Virgin Mary, she stands upon the moon.