Chapter 3 - Prayers of the Holy Rosary & Marian Devotions
A Powerful Marian Hymn of Hope and Devotion
The Salve Regina—known in English as the Hail, Holy Queen—is one of the most cherished Marian prayers of the Catholic Church, traditionally recited at the end of the Rosary and during Compline in the Divine Office. Its rich theological depth and heartfelt appeal to the Blessed Virgin Mary as our life, our sweetness, and our hope reflect the pre-Vatican II Catholic understanding of Mary’s indispensable role in the economy of salvation. In these times of great apostasy and confusion—since the invalid and heretical Second Vatican Council attempted to redefine Catholic doctrine, distort Marian devotion, and introduce ecumenical errors—it is all the more urgent to return to the traditional devotions and prayers of the True Church.
The Salve Regina, composed in the eleventh century and used faithfully for centuries by saints and faithful alike, remains a timeless cry of confidence and trust in Our Mother during our earthly exile. Learning this prayer in Latin, the sacred language of the Church, not only connects us with our Catholic heritage but also preserves the reverence and doctrinal purity that modernist liturgies and translations have often undermined.
1. Salve Regina
Latin:
Salve, Regína, mater misericórdiæ,
vita, dulcédo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamámus, exsúles, fílii Evæ.
Ad te suspirámus, geméntes et flentes
in hac lacrimárum valle.
Eia ergo, Advocáta nostra,
illos tuos misericórdes óculos ad nos convérte.
Et Jesum, benedíctum frúctum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsílium osténde.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo María!
English Translation:
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!
📌 Key Notes:
The Salve Regina is one of the Four Marian Antiphons, traditionally sung after Compline (Night Prayer).
It is closely associated with the Rosary, where it is prayed at the conclusion of five decades.
2. Pronunciation Guide
Here is a word-by-word pronunciation breakdown using Ecclesiastical Latin:
Salve Regina Pronunciation Guide
| Latin Word | Phonetic Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Salve | SAHL-veh | Hail |
| Regína | Reh-JEE-nah | Queen |
| Mater | MAH-tehr | Mother |
| Misericórdiæ | Mee-seh-ree-KOR-dee-eh | Mercy |
| Vita | VEE-tah | Life |
| Dulcédo | Dool-CHAY-doh | Sweetness |
| Et | Et | And |
| Spes | Spes | Hope |
| Nostra | NOH-strah | Our |
| Salve | SAHL-veh | Hail |
| Ad | Ahd | To |
| Te | Teh | Thee |
| Clamámus | Klah-MAH-moos | We cry |
| Exsúles | Eks-SOO-les | Exiles |
| Fílii | FEE-lee-ee | Children |
| Evæ | EH-veh | Of Eve |
| Ad | Ahd | To |
| Te | Teh | Thee |
| Suspirámus | Soo-spee-RAH-moos | We sigh |
| Geméntes | Jeh-MEN-tehs | Mourning |
| Et | Et | And |
| Flentes | FLEN-tehs | Weeping |
| In | EEN | In |
| Hac | Ahk | This |
| Lacrimárum | Lah-kree-MAH-room | Of tears |
| Valle | VAH-leh | Valley |
| Eia | EH-yah | Oh |
| Ergo | EHR-goh | Therefore |
| Advocáta | Ahd-vo-KAH-tah | Advocate |
| Nostra | NOH-strah | Our |
| Illos | EEL-los | Those |
| Tuos | TOO-os | Thine |
| Misericórdes | Mee-seh-ree-KOR-des | Merciful |
| Óculos | OH-koo-los | Eyes |
| Ad | Ahd | To |
| Nos | Nos | Us |
| Convérte | Kon-VEHR-teh | Turn |
| Et | Et | And |
| Jesum | YAY-soom | Jesus |
| Benedíctum | Beh-neh-DEEK-toom | Blessed |
| Frúctum | FROOK-toom | Fruit |
| Ventris | VEN-trees | Of thy womb |
| Tui | TOO-ee | Thy |
| Nobis | NOH-bees | To us |
| Post | Post | After |
| Hoc | Hok | This |
| Exsílium | Eks-SEE-lee-oom | Exile |
| Osténde | Os-TEN-deh | Show |
| O | Oh | O |
| Clemens | KLEH-mens | Clement |
| Pia | PEE-ah | Loving |
| Dulcis | DOOL-chees | Sweet |
| Virgo | VEER-go | Virgin |
| María | Mah-REE-ah | Mary |
Key Pronunciation Notes:
Salve (SAHL-veh) – "V" is pronounced as "v", not "w".
Regína (Reh-JEE-nah) – "G" before "i" is soft like "J" in Jesus.
Misericórdiæ (Mee-seh-ree-KOR-dee-eh) – "Córdiæ" is "KOR-dee-eh", not "kor-die".
Dulcédo (Dool-CHAY-doh) – "C" before "e" is soft (ch), not hard "k".
Exsúles (Eks-SOO-les) – "X" is "ks", not "gz" (as in "example").
Fílii (FEE-lee-ee) – "II" is separate syllables: "lee-ee".
Evæ (EH-veh) – "Æ" is pronounced "ay", so it is EH-veh, not "EE-veh".
Advocáta (Ahd-vo-KAH-tah) – "C" before "a" is hard K.
Jesum (YAY-soom) – "J" is "Y", so YAY-soom, not "JAY-soom".
Exsílium (Eks-SEE-lee-oom) – "X" is "ks", and "lium" is "lee-oom".
Virgo (VEER-go) – "V" is "v", not "w".
María (Mah-REE-ah) – Each vowel is separate: Mah-REE-ah, not "Mare-yah".
✅ Practice Tip: Slowly say each word aloud several times, ensuring correct pronunciation.
3. Videos
LATIN: Salve, Regína, mater misericórdiæ, vita, dulcédo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamámus, exsúles, fílii Evæ. Ad te suspirámus, geméntes et flentes in hac lacrimárum valle. Eia ergo, Advocáta nostra, illos tuos misericórdes óculos ad nos convérte. Et Jesum, benedíctum frúctum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsílium osténde. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo María!
PHONETIC: KSAHL-veh Reh-JEE-nah, MAH-tehr mee-seh-ree-KOR-dee-eh, VEE-tah, dool-CHAY-doh, et spes NOH-strah, SAHL-veh. Ahd teh klah-MAH-moos, eks-SOO-les, FEE-lee-ee EH-veh. Ahd teh soo-spee-RAH-moos, jeh-MEN-tehs et FLEN-tehs een ahk lah-kree-MAH-room VAH-leh. EH-yah EHR-goh, Ahd-vo-KAH-tah NOH-strah, EEL-los TOO-os mee-seh-ree-KOR-des OH-koo-los ahd nos kon-VEHR-teh. Et YAY-soom, beh-neh-DEEK-toom FROOK-toom VEN-trees TOO-ee, NOH-bees post hok eks-SEE-lee-oom os-TEN-deh. Oh KLEH-mens, Oh PEE-ah, Oh DOOL-chees VEER-go Mah-REE-ah.
LATIN: Salve, Regína, mater misericórdiæ, vita, dulcédo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamámus, exsúles, fílii Evæ. Ad te suspirámus, geméntes et flentes in hac lacrimárum valle. Eia ergo, Advocáta nostra, illos tuos misericórdes óculos ad nos convérte. Et Jesum, benedíctum frúctum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsílium osténde. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo María! PHONETIC: KSAHL-veh Reh-JEE-nah, MAH-tehr mee-seh-ree-KOR-dee-eh, VEE-tah, dool-CHAY-doh, et spes NOH-strah, SAHL-veh. Ahd teh klah-MAH-moos, eks-SOO-les, FEE-lee-ee EH-veh. Ahd teh soo-spee-RAH-moos, jeh-MEN-tehs et FLEN-tehs een ahk lah-kree-MAH-room VAH-leh. EH-yah EHR-goh, Ahd-vo-KAH-tah NOH-strah, EEL-los TOO-os mee-seh-ree-KOR-des OH-koo-los ahd nos kon-VEHR-teh. Et YAY-soom, beh-neh-DEEK-toom FROOK-toom VEN-trees TOO-ee, NOH-bees post hok eks-SEE-lee-oom os-TEN-deh. Oh KLEH-mens, Oh PEE-ah, Oh DOOL-chees VEER-go Mah-REE-ah.
4. How to Integrate the Prayer Into Daily Life
The Salve Regina is traditionally recited:
✔ At the end of the Rosary as a final Marian prayer.
✔ After Compline (Night Prayer) as part of the Divine Office.
✔ Before an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an act of devotion.
✔ In times of distress or sorrow, asking Our Lady for intercession.
📌 Devout Gesture:
Many Catholics bow their heads at "Jesum" out of reverence for Christ.
Some kneel while praying as a sign of humility before Our Lady.
5. Lesson Summary
In this lesson, you will learn the Salve Regina—the traditional Latin prayer honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as our Queen and Advocate. We focus on its pronunciation, meaning, and spiritual significance, firmly rooted in the doctrine and devotions of the True Catholic Church. By memorizing and praying this sacred hymn, we grow closer to Our Lady and remain steadfast in the Faith during this time of ecclesial crisis.
6. Final Thought – Why Does This Prayer Matter?
The Salve Regina is not just a beautiful prayer—it is a spiritual lifeline in this era of widespread apostasy. Since the invalid and heretical Vatican II council, a counterfeit church has occupied the physical structures once held by the Catholic Church, leading millions into error and indifferentism. This false sect promotes a worldly, ecumenical religion that obscures the unique mediating role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, diminishes devotion to her Immaculate Heart, and undermines the very prayers and practices that once sustained the faithful through persecution, plague, and turmoil.
To remain Catholic in the true sense of the word—as understood by all the saints, martyrs, doctors, and popes before the 1960s—we must hold fast to the traditions and devotions that the modernists have tried to erase. The Salve Regina is one such tradition: a prayer that not only exalts Our Lady as Queen and Advocate, but expresses the soul’s yearning for Heaven amid a “vale of tears.” It is a rallying cry for those who know that the Church cannot defect, yet see that the Conciliar Church is no true continuation of the Bride of Christ.
Learning and praying the Salve Regina in Latin affirms our identity as members of the remnant Church. It connects us to the unbroken line of true Catholic worship, untouched by novelty and heresy. It keeps us oriented toward Heaven, under the maternal mantle of the Immaculata. In clinging to Our Lady with the words “after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus,” we declare our fidelity not to a human council but to the divine deposit of Faith. Let us continue, then, to pray this traditional hymn with fervor, humility, and confidence—knowing that Our Lady will not abandon those who invoke her as Queen in the purity of the true Faith.
“Salve, Regína, mater misericórdiæ, vita, dulcédo, et spes nostra, salve..."
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