In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," how was the albatross received?

In the middle of a terrible and frightening situation,
when the ship has been blown off-course and is surrounded by fog and massive, creaking
icebergs that are mast-high, the albatross is the first living thing that the sailors
see in their new environment near the South Pole. Birds, of course, usually mean that
land is somewhere near, and so are greeted particularly warmly, but especially for the
sailors who have been at sea during an ice storm, the albatross is greeted with open
arms.

Key to note is the distinctly religious way that it
is introduced. The albatross "crosses" the ship and is described as if it were a
"Christian soul." The albatross seems to bring the sailors good luck, as after its
arrival the helmsman "steers us through" and a good south wind gives the ship the motion
it needs to continue on its journey. The albatross thus becomes a firm favourite of the
sailors:

And
a good south wind sprung up behind;

The Albatross did
follow,

And every day, for food or
play,

Come to the mariner's
hello!

In mist or cloud, on mast or
shroud,

It perched for vespers
nine;

Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke
white,

Glimmered the white
Moonshine.

Note how the
Albatross becomes a firm fixture of life on the ship. He always joins the crew for their
evening prayers and is compared to "white Moonshine," clearly referring to the luck that
the sailors believe it brings them.