There are so many beautiful customs, hymns, prayers, devotions, antiphons, and countless traditions about our Catholic Faith.  One of the more touching and ancient prayers is known as the Four Marian Antiphons.

The seasonal Marian antiphons are sung nightly following Compline or Night Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours-the daily prayer that is obligatory for priests–and recommended for the laity to pray.  The Marian antiphons are “seasonal” because they change according to the liturgical seasons of the year.

Advent and Christmas:  Alma Redemptoris Mater
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 a monk, Blessed Hermann the Cripple (1013-1054).

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.

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.

Candlemas until Easter Vigil:  Ave Regina Caelorum
Its earliest appearance was in the 12th century, although some also attribute this text to Hermann the Cripple.

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.

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.

Easter until Pentecost: Regina Caeli
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.  It is prayed in place of the Angelus, three times a day during Easter time.  The text first appeared about the year 1200, and is often credited to Pope Gregory V.  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.

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.

Ordinary Time:  Salve Regina
The Salve Regina has also been credited to Hermann the Cripple but it is also attributed to Adhemar de Monteil, and Saint Bernard.  It is sung from the day after Pentecost Sunday until the first Sunday of Advent. We know it as the Hail, Holy Queen.  It was added to the conclusion of the rosary; it is the most familiar of these four antiphons.

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.

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.

It is recommended that the Regina Caeli be sung at Easter, and the Alma Redemptoris at Christmas Mass in parishes, and that the other antiphons be sung sometime during the seasons. During Lent, since we depart in silence, after the Blessing and Dismissal we hear the chant Ave Maria Caelorum.  Now you know.

Perhaps, we can add these little prayers into our night prayers; it only takes a minute–sometimes less.