Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above was first published in 1687 as Gegrüßet seist du, Königin by Servant of God Johann Georg Seidenbusch. Johann had a devotion to Our Lady from a young age. As a youth he attended a stately wedding, and was hurt to see how everyone was careful with their outward appearances, but nobody really prayed. He turned to an image of Our Lady and said to her, “ad carissimam Sponsam te eligo.” That is, “I chose you as my dearest bride.” He was later ordained a priest, went on to found an abbey which still stands today, and maintained a life-long devotion to the Mother of God under the title “Our Lady of the Snows.” (The abbey’s named “Our Lady of the Snows,” natch.) The hymn was introduced to North America via German immigrants in the early Eighteenth Century.
Hail, Holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria!
Hail, Mother of mercy and of love, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!Our life, our sweetness here below, O Maria!
Our hope in sorrow and in woe, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!
To Thee we cry, poor sons of Eve!
To Thee we cry, we mourn, we grieve!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!Turn, then, most gracious advocate
toward us Thine eyes compassionate!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!When this, our exile, is complete
show us thy womb-born, Jesus sweet!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!Oh, clement, gracious mother, sweet!
Oh Virgin Mary, we entreat!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!