HAIL HOLY QUEEN
In the eleventh century, a man by the name of Notker Balbulus composed a hymn dedicated to the mother of Jesus, namely Mary, and entitled it, “Hail Holy Queen.” In Latin, this title is rendered “Salve Regina” and has been used for centuries to call our attention to Mary.
Salve Regina (Latin)
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae; vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. |
Salve Regina (English)
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you we cry, the children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this land of exile. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; lead us home at last and show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus: O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary. |
Just as the Salve Regina directs our attention to Mary, in turn, the Salve Regina Newman Center exists to direct our attention toward Jesus Christ. We do not worship Mary, Our Blessed Mother, but rather, we place ourselves under her motherly spiritual guidance, knowing that she will always lead us spiritually to her Son Jesus.