Hail, Queen of Heaven
Hail, Queen of heaven,
hail, Lady of the angels;
hail, root and gate
from whom the Light has dawned upon the world.
Rejoice, glorious Virgin,
lovely beyond all others;
farewell, most beautiful,
and pray to Christ for us.
Text: our own text or translation, written for Verso.
In Latin
Ave, Regina caelorum,
Ave, Domina angelorum:
Salve, radix, salve, porta,
ex qua mundo lux est orta:
Gaude, Virgo gloriosa,
super omnes speciosa,
Vale, o valde decora,
et pro nobis Christum exora.
About this prayer
One of the four great antiphons to Mary, from about the twelfth century; its author is unknown. It is sung at the end of Compline in Lent, from the Presentation of the Lord until Holy Week.