Perpetual virgin and Queen of Heaven?

Much of Catholic tradition cannot be found in the Bible.  One such tradition is the perpetual virginity of Mary the mother of Jesus.  That is the idea that Mary continued to be a virgin the rest of her life after the birth Jesus.  In Matthew we can read about Jesus, "Is not this the carpenter's son?  Is not his mother called Mary, and his brother, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?  And his sisters, are they not all with us? (Matt. 13:55)  Catholics will argue that Joseph had children from a previous marriage yet there is no biblical reference of such a thing.

About 600 years before Christ Jeremiah the prophet records how the Jewish women were burning sacrifices to other gods including the female cult deities who they called the queen of heaven (Jere. 44:15-27).  They went by different names depending on the linguistic origin.  There was the Babylonian Ishtar, Egyptian Hathor and in the New Testament we see the Apostles having to confront the cult of Diana (also called Artemis by the Romans) in Ephesus (Acts 19;24-29).  To appease the barking dogs the Catholic church elevated Mary to cult status at the Council of Ephesus (AD 431).
There is no reference to Mary being the queen of heaven yet Catholic tradition places her in this position causing people to worship her.

When the followers of Jesus said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breast at which you nursed, he replied, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it." (Luke 11:27-28)

At the day of Pentecost the saints gathered to pray. "These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers" (Acts 1:14).  So why weren't they praying to Mary?

The cult of Mary is displayed in all its glory in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in the Washington D.C. where there are seventy shrines to Mary.  There is even a shrine in honor of "Our Mother of Africa" with the assumption into heaven claim, complete with a black Madonna and baby Jesus.

In honor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Mother of Africa, Our Lady of China, Our Lady of Quadalupe, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Mary Queen of Ireland, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of La Selette, Our Lady of the Rosary, and the list goes on.

This queen of heaven theme is found in artwork

 in cathedrals around the world.

Jews never prayed to Moses or any of the Old Testament prophets so why did Catholics decide to pray to biblical saints?