Salve Regina

The most famous of the Antiphons addressed to Mary. She is, of course, Queen, but the author Adhémar de Monteil, bishop of Le Puy in the 11th century, immediately calls her the mother of mercy, and her merciful eyes are turned towards us.

In the 12th century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux added the last three tender invocations to the Salve Regina.

You can listen to the Salve Regina Antiphon in its most commonly sung version at Notre-Dame de Paris here:

 

or in its Gregorian version performed by the cathedral’s Maîtrise choirs under the direction of Denis Rouger here:

Text in English

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.

Text in Latin

Salve, Regína,Máter misericórdiæ
Víta, dulcédo, et spes nóstra, sálve.
Ad te clamámus, éxules, fílii Hévæ.
Ad te suspirámus, geméntes et flentes
in hac lacrimárum válle.
Eia ergo, Advocáta nóstra,
íllos túos misericórdes óculos
ad nos convérte.
Et Jésum, benedíctum frúctum véntris túi,
nóbis post hoc exsílium osténde.
O clémens, O pía, O dúlcis Vírgo María.

Imprimer