Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen)

This Marian hymn is one of the four seasonal Marian antiphons and it is also the final prayer of the Rosary.

It was composed during the Middle Ages by German monk Hermann of Reichenau.

It has been set to music by various composers - particularly well known settings include ones by Victoria, Palestrina, Josquin, Lassus, Handel, Liszt, Schubert (four versions). The movie Sister Act (1992) included a gospel/rock-and-roll version of the hymn "Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above" which is based on this prayer.

Downloads

PowerPoint slides
in Latin with picture

PowerPoint slides
in Latin, plain

PowerPoint slides
in English with picture

PowerPoint slides
in English, plain

Picture: : Attard - Saint Mary's Assumption Statue

Words (full text) of the prayer

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ,
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
Et Jesum, 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 efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

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

English translation

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
Poor banished children of Eve;
To thee do we send forth our sighs,
Mourning and weeping in this vale 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.

V: Pray for us O holy Mother of God,
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ, thy Son.

Let us pray:
Almighty, everlasting God, who by the co-operation of the Holy Spirit didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin-Mother Mary to become a dwelling-place meet for thy Son: grant that as we rejoice in her commemoration; so by her fervent intercession we may be delivered from present evils and from everlasting death. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Alternative Translation

Hail, Holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria!
Hail, Mother of mercy and of love, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!

Our life, our sweetness here below, O Maria!
Our hope in sorrow and in woe, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!

And when our last breath leaves us, O Maria!
Show us thy son Christ Jesus, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!