Hail Holy Queen

The prayer, Hail Holy Queen, is most known for being one of the ending prayers for the Rosary. It is said after the last decade. It is also one of the four antiphons of Mary.

Traditionally it is divided into three responses. In the first and third part, all participants pray in unison; and then the second part, only the leader responds.

There are different accounts of the origins of the Hail, Holy Queen. However, the general consensus among Catholic sources is that this prayer was composed between the 11-12^th centuries. Nevertheless, the titles and honor given to Mary were not new then. Rather, they were beloved traditions that were put together beautifully as a hymn of praise and intercession. Let’s look at the prayer’s scriptural origins: more...