Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina)
The Hail Holy Queen, or Salve Regina, is one of the four Marian antiphons of the Catholic Church. This ancient hymn-prayer honors Mary as Queen of Heaven and expresses the longing of God's children in exile for her maternal protection and guidance toward her Son, Jesus Christ.
✝Prayer Text
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. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
⏰When to Pray
The Hail Holy Queen is traditionally prayed at the end of the Rosary, during Compline (Night Prayer), and from Trinity Sunday to the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. It is a beautiful evening prayer.
📖How to Pray
Pray the Hail Holy Queen after completing the five decades of the Rosary, or as a standalone prayer in the evening. Let its imagery of exile and homecoming remind you that this life is a pilgrimage, and Mary guides us to Christ, "the blessed fruit of thy womb."
📜Related Scripture
Revelation 12:1
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”
Genesis 3:15
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; they will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.”
Luke 1:48-49
“For the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”
📚History & Background
The Salve Regina is attributed to Hermann of Reichenau (1013-1054), a Benedictine monk. St. Bernard of Clairvaux is said to have added the final three invocations. It became one of the four seasonal Marian antiphons and was adopted as the closing prayer of the Rosary.
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