Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina) with a Prayer to Our Mother of Mercy
The ancient hymn to Mary that closes the rosary
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
For nearly a thousand years Christians have sung the Salve Regina at the close of the day. Pray it as the rosary ends or whenever this valley of tears feels very real.
Let us pray
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 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. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Mother of mercy, I know what it is to feel banished. There are days when this world feels like exile, when the people I love are suffering and I cannot help them, when my own sins weigh me down and heaven seems far away. On those days I send up my sighs to you, and I know you hear them.
Turn your eyes toward me, Mary. Not eyes of judgment but eyes of mercy, the eyes of a mother who has watched her child struggle and cannot stop loving him.
And when this exile ends, show me Jesus. That is all I really ask: that at the end of my life I would see His face and hear Him call me by name. Bring me to Him, sweet Virgin Mary, and bring everyone I love with me. Amen.
Blessing
May Mary, Mother of mercy, turn her eyes toward you and show you her Son.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Hail Holy Queen prayed?
It is traditionally prayed at the end of the rosary and as the night prayer of the Church from Trinity Sunday until Advent. Many religious communities sing it in Latin each evening.
Why does the prayer call Mary our life, our sweetness, and our hope?
Because through her yes, Christ, who is our true life and hope, came into the world. The titles express gratitude for her role, not a replacement for Christ, to whom the prayer finally points.
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