Hail Holy Queen

Hail Holy Queen

The Hail, Holy Queen (known as the “Salve Regina” in the original Latin) is one of the most well-known and favorite prayers about Mary.  Salve Regina is a prayer of petition, asking the most blessed mother Mary for her intercessory prayers on our behalf. It has long been a part of the Liturgy of the Hours; the Church’s official daily prayer and various sources place its origins in the eleventh or twelfth century.

In medieval times, monks and friars sang it at the end of the day, and it is currently one of the four prayers to Mary that makes up a part of the Divine Office (the official prayers of the Church that are prayed at certain times of the day). The Hail, Holy Queen, is also prayed at the closing of the rosary.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Salve, Regina

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules Filii Hevae.
Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O Clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

V. Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix.
R. Ut digni efficamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui gloriosae Virginis Matris Mariae corpus et animam, ut dignum Filii tui habitaculum effici mereretur, Spiritu Sancto cooperante, praeparasti, da, ut cuius commemoratione laetamur; eius pia intercessione, ab instantibus malis et a morte perpetua liberemur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.