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Salve Regina

also known as Hail Holy Queen, Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae

Salve Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail.

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Amen.

Amen.

V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

About the Salve Regina

The Salve Regina is one of the four great Marian antiphons of the Roman Rite. Composed in the eleventh century — its authorship traditionally attributed to Bl. Hermann the Lame of Reichenau — it has been prayed by the Church for nearly a thousand years. It is the antiphon for evening prayer from Trinity Sunday through Advent, and it concludes the Holy Rosary.

When prayed: Sung at Compline from Trinity Sunday through the eve of the First Sunday of Advent. Prayed at the conclusion of every Holy Rosary. Often the last prayer on the lips of the dying.

Line-by-line translation

The Latin text of the Salve Regina alongside its English translation, line by line.

Latin English
Salve Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Amen. Amen.
V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Vocabulary

Word-by-word definitions and example uses. Tap any word to learn its meaning, then return to the prayer with new ears.

salve

Definition: Hail, a greeting

Salve amice! (Hail, friend!)

regina

Definition: Queen

Maria regina caeli est. (Mary is the queen of heaven.)

mater

Definition: Mother

Mater mea bene est. (My mother is well.)

misericordiae

Definition: Of mercy

Opus misericordiae fecimus. (We did a work of mercy.)

vita

Definition: Life

Vita brevis est. (Life is short.)

dulcedo

Definition: Sweetness

Dulcedo fructus delectat. (The sweetness of the fruit delights.)

spes

Definition: Hope

Spes mea in te est. (My hope is in you.)

nostra

Definition: Our

Domus nostra est parva. (Our house is small.)

ad

Definition: To, towards, at

Ad urbem pergimus. (We are going to the city.)

te

Definition: You (singular)

Te amo. (I love you.)

clamamus

Definition: We cry out

Clamamus auxilium. (We cry out for help.)

exsules

Definition: Exiles

Exsules patriam desiderant. (The exiles long for their homeland.)

filii

Definition: Sons, children

Filii ludent in horto. (The children play in the garden.)

Hevae

Definition: Of Eve

Filii Hevae sumus. (We are children of Eve.)

suspiramus

Definition: We sigh

Sub arbore suspiramus. (We sigh under the tree.)

gementes

Definition: Groaning

Gementes, dolorem exprimunt. (Groaning, they express pain.)

flentes

Definition: Weeping

Flentes amicum salutavimus. (We greeted our friend weeping.)

hac

Definition: This (ablative singular feminine)

In hac via ambulamus. (We walk on this road.)

lacrimarum

Definition: Of tears

Vallis lacrimarum tristis est. (The valley of tears is sad.)

valle

Definition: Valley

Vallis alta et latus est. (The valley is deep and wide.)

eia

Definition: Ah, alas (an exclamation)

Eia, quam ingratus dies! (Ah, what an ungrateful day!)

ergo

Definition: Therefore

Lupus ergo fugit. (The wolf therefore flees.)

advocata

Definition: Advocate

Advocata nostra adest. (Our advocate is here.)

illos

Definition: Those

Illos libros legebamus. (We were reading those books.)

tuos

Definition: Your (plural accusative)

Tuos amicos vides. (You see your friends.)

misericordes

Definition: Merciful

Misericordes homines laudantur. (Merciful people are praised.)

oculos

Definition: Eyes

Oculos felis video. (I see the cat's eyes.)

nos

Definition: Us

Nos adiuva. (Help us.)

converte

Definition: Turn (imperative)

Converte oculos ad caelum. (Turn your eyes to heaven.)

Iesum

Definition: Jesus

Iesum amat Dominus. (The Lord loves Jesus.)

benedictum

Definition: Blessed

Benedictum sit nomen tuum. (Blessed be your name.)

fructum

Definition: Fruit

Fructum pomi edimus. (We eat the fruit of the apple.)

ventris

Definition: Of the womb

Ventris matris memor es. (You remember the mother's womb.)

tui

Definition: Your (genitive singular)

Amor est tui. (Love is yours.)

nobis

Definition: To us

Nobis auxilium dat. (He gives help to us.)

post

Definition: After

Post cenam, ambulamus. (After dinner, we walk.)

hoc

Definition: This (neuter accusative singular)

Hoc donum mihi placet. (I like this gift.)

exsilium

Definition: Exile

Exsilium durum est. (Exile is hard.)

ostende

Definition: Show (imperative)

Ostende viam mihi. (Show me the way.)

o

Definition: O (vocative particle)

O amici, audite! (O friends, listen!)

clemens

Definition: Clement, merciful

Clemens dominus servat. (The merciful lord saves.)

pia

Definition: Pious

Pia femina orat. (The pious woman prays.)

dulcis

Definition: Sweet

Dulcis mel est. (The honey is sweet.)

Virgo

Definition: Virgin

Virgo beata est. (The virgin is blessed.)

Maria

Definition: Mary

Maria gratia plena. (Mary is full of grace.)

Amen

Definition: Amen, so be it

Preces finit, et dicit, Amen. (He finishes his prayers and says, Amen.)

ora

Definition: Pray (imperative)

Ora pro fratribus tuis. (Pray for your brothers.)

pro

Definition: For, on behalf of

Pro amicitia certa. (For certain friendship.)

nobis

Definition: Us, for us

Nobis auxilium ferte. (Bring help for us.)

sancta

Definition: Holy, sacred

Sancta oratio. (Holy prayer.)

Dei

Definition: Of God

Templum Dei magnificum est. (The temple of God is magnificent.)

Genitrix

Definition: Mother, bearer

Genitrix nos protegit. (The mother protects us.)

ut

Definition: That, so that

Ut valeam, cursus facio. (So that I may be well, I exercise.)

digni

Definition: Worthy

Digni amore sumus. (We are worthy of love.)

efficiamur

Definition: We may become

Efficiamur fortiores. (Let us become stronger.)

promissionibus

Definition: Promises

Promissionibus fides tenetur. (Faith is kept by promises.)

Christi

Definition: Of Christ

Amor Christi praevalet. (The love of Christ prevails.)

About the Salve Regina

What is the Salve Regina?

The Salve Regina — Hail, Holy Queen — is one of the four great Marian antiphons of the Roman Rite, alongside the Alma Redemptoris Mater, the Ave Regina Caelorum, and the Regina Caeli. It is a sung petition to Our Lady as Queen of Heaven, asking her to turn her eyes of mercy toward us, the exiled children of Eve, and to show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of her womb.

Who composed the Salve Regina?

The hymn is traditionally attributed to Bl. Hermann the Lame, a Benedictine monk of the Abbey of Reichenau who died in 1054. Whether or not the attribution is exact, the prayer entered the liturgy of the Western Church in the eleventh century and has been continuously sung in monasteries, parishes, and homes ever since.

When is the Salve Regina sung in the Liturgy?

In the Roman Breviary, the Salve Regina is the Marian antiphon at Compline (Night Prayer) from Trinity Sunday until the eve of the First Sunday of Advent — the longer 'green' season of the Church year. It is also prayed at the conclusion of every Holy Rosary, and Dominicans sing it daily in choir as a special part of their charism.

Why is Mary called 'Regina' — Queen?

The Church gives the title Queen to the Blessed Virgin because she is the Mother of Christ the King. As in the kingdoms of the Old Testament — most notably the kingdom of David — the queen was not the king's wife but his mother (the gebirah). Mary, Mother of the Eternal King, reigns as Queen at His side. The dogma was solemnly affirmed by Pope Pius XII in his 1954 encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam.

What is the meaning of 'Mater misericordiae'?

Mater misericordiae means 'Mother of mercy.' The Church gives Mary this title because she is the Mother of Christ, who is mercy itself, and because she shares uniquely in His work of obtaining mercy for sinners. To call Mary Mater misericordiae is to confess our absolute trust that her prayers obtain forgiveness for those who turn to her.

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