Seasonal Marian
Anthems
Alma
Redemptoris
Mater:
1st Sunday of
Advent until the
Feast of the
Purification on
February 2.
Sung from
the first
Sunday of
Advent until
the Feast of
the
Purification
on February
2 (the
original
ending date
of the
Christmas
season),
this prayer
tells of
Gabriel’s
announcement,
and of
Mary’s
divine
motherhood.
The text is
credited to
Herimann the
Lame, a monk
of Reichenau
(1013-1054).
Herimann’s
Latinized
name was
Hermanus
Contractus
and he is
sometimes
also
credited
with the
chant
melody.
Alma
Redemptoris
Mater, quae
pervia caeli
porta manes
et stella
maris,
succurre
cadenti,
surgere qui
curat,
populo: tu
quae
genuisti,
natura
mirante,
tuum sanctum
genitorem,
Virgo prius,
ac posterius,
Gabrielis ab
ore sumens
illud ave,
peccatorum
miserere.
This
translation
is by the
Reverend
Adrian
Fortescue,
1913:
Holy mother
of our
Redeemer,
thou gate
leading to
heaven and
star of the
sea; help
the falling
people who
seek to
rise, thou
who, all
nature
wondering,
didst give
birth to thy
holy
Creator.
Virgin
always,
hearing the
greeting
from
Gabriel’s
lips, take
pity on
sinners.
Ave Regina
Caelorum:
From after
Purification
(February 2 or
Candlemas) until
Easter Vigil.
This anthem
is sung from
after
Purification
(February 2
or Candlemas)
until Easter
Vigil. Its
earliest
appearance
was in the
12th
century,
although
some also
attribute
this text to
Herimann the
Lame.
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.
This
translation
was done for
our
monastery by
Dr. Rudolph
Masciantonio,
president of
the
Philadelphia
Latin
Liturgy
Association:
Hail, queen
of heaven,
hail lady of
the angels.
Hail, root,
hail the
door through
which the
Light of the
world is
risen.
Rejoice,
glorious
Virgin,
beautiful
above all.
Hail, O very
fair one,
and plead
for us to
Christ.
Regina Caeli:
From
Easter Vigil
through to
Pentecost
Sunday.
Regina
Caeli is
perhaps the
second-most
familiar of
the four
texts,
having been
set to music
by so many
composers
over the
centuries,
and
frequently
heard at
Easter Vigil
Mass. It is
sung from
Easter Vigil
through
Pentecost
Sunday.
The text
first
appeared
about the
year 1200,
and is often
credited to
Pope Gregory
V (+998);
the chant
melody
probably
dates from
the 14th
century.
Regina
caeli,
laetare,
alleluia;
quia quem
meruisti
portare,
alleluia;
resurrexit
sicut dixit,
alleluia;
ora pro
nobis Deum,
alleluia.
(A note on
the Latin: caeli is
sometimes
spelled coeli.
The oe vowel
format was
integrated
into Latin
from the
Greek, and
the more
accepted
spelling
today of
this word
for heaven
is the fully
Latinized ae
version.)
This
translation
is by the
Reverend
Adrian
Fortescue,
1913:
Queen of
heaven,
rejoice,
alleluia;
for He whom
thou was
chosen to
bear,
alleluia;
has risen as
He said,
alleluia;
pray for us
to God,
alleluia.
It is
certainly
indicative
of the
Easter
season, this
hymn, filled
with
alleluias
after a Lent
where no
alleluia is
sung.
Another form
of this text
is in Regina
Caeli Jubilo,
dating from
the 17th
century. Its
English form
survives in
the hymn “Be
Joyful Mary”
(melody by
Johann
Leisentritt
(1527-1586).
Salve Regina:
From the
day after
Pentecost Sunday
until the first
Sunday of
Advent.
The Salve
Regina has
also been
credited to
Herimann the
Lame (Hermanus
Contractus),
monk of
Reichenau,
but it is
also
attributed
to Adhemar
de Monteil
(+1098) and
Saint
Bernard
(+1153). It
has become a
traditional
Carmelite
hymn, sung
at Carmelite
events
throughout
the world.
It is sung
as a
seasonal
anthem from
the day
after
Pentecost
Sunday until
the first
Sunday of
Advent. As a
spoken
prayer, it
has also
been added
to the
conclusion
of the
rosary, so
it is
perhaps the
most
familiar of
these four
texts to
Catholics.
Salve
Regina,
mater
misericordiae,
vita,
dulcedo, et
spes nostra
salve. Ad te
clamamus,
exules filii
Evae. Ad te
suspiramus,
gementes et
flentes, in
hac
lacrimarum
valle. Eia
ergo,
advocate
nostra,
illos tuos
misericordes
oculos, ad
nos converte.
Et Jesum,
benedictum
fructum
ventris tui,
nobis post
hoc exsilium
ostende. O
Clemens, o
pia, o
dulcis virgo
Maria.
This early
translation
is by the
Reverend
Adrian
Fortescue,
1913:
Hail holy
queen,
mother of
mercy, hail
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 vale of
tears. Turn
then most
gracious
advocate,
thine eyes
of mercy
towards us.
And after
this, our
exile, show
unto us the
blessed
fruit of thy
womb, Jesus.
O clement, o
loving, o
sweet Virgin
Mary.
While
parishes may
not include
the seasonal
anthem each
Sunday, it
is to be
recommended
that the Regina
Caeli be
sung at
Easter, and
the Alma
Redemptorisat
Christmas
Mass, and
that the
anthems be
sung by
choir and
congregation
sometime
during the
seasons.
The simple
chant
melodies of
these
anthems may
all be found
in the
Adoremus
Hymnal.
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