The Hail Holy Queen

Updated October 15, 2026

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.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Traditional English version, with the usual versicle and response.

Pray the Hail Holy Queen every day with a reminder.

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Key takeaways

It is the traditional closing prayer of the Rosary.
It is one of the four seasonal Marian antiphons of the Church.
It comes from a Latin hymn of the 11th century, the Salve Regina.

What is the Hail Holy Queen?

Hail Holy Queen is the English form of the Salve Regina, a Latin hymn to Mary from about the 11th century. Tradition attributes it to Hermann of Reichenau, though scholars still debate who wrote it. It is the Marian antiphon sung at Night Prayer from Trinity Sunday to Advent.

When to pray it

Catholics pray it at the end of the Rosary. It is also sung at Compline, at funerals and Marian celebrations, and by many religious communities at the close of the day.

Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope

Mary is called Mother of mercy because she bore Christ, the source of mercy. She is "our life" and "our hope" because she points us to him.

Poor banished children of Eve

The prayer remembers that we live in a fallen world. "Exile" means we are not yet home in heaven.

Show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb

The prayer's real petition is that Mary will lead us to Jesus, now and after death.

Questions people ask

Is Hail Holy Queen part of every Rosary?

Yes, it is the usual closing, followed by the concluding versicle and prayer. The Church does not require it, but it is the common custom.

What does "valley of tears" mean?

It is a poetic image from Psalm 84:6 for the sorrows of earthly life, not a rejection of creation.

Why is Mary called Queen?

She is mother of Christ the King, and the Church honors her as Queen of Heaven (CCC 966). Her queenship is a sharing in her Son's reign.

Pray through what you are reading, every day, with a gentle reminder.