Hymns and Marian Antiphons from the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Alphabetical index of all hymns and Marian Antiphons included in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1988) , by the Catholic Book Publishing Company. The Little Office is a variation of the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Liturgy of the Hours and is prayed in addition to the Divine Office. Rather than the 4 week cycle of the Breviary, it follows a simpler 1 week cycle. For those interested in the Divine Office but are unsure about the cost of a Breviary and it's complexity, the Little Office of the B.V.M. provides new comers an easy to use and affordable alternative. The earliest recorded use of the devotion was in the 8th century at the Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino when the practice received approval from Pope Zachary (679-752). From there it spread to other Monastic communities, often with considerable variation, and eventually became popular with secular clergy, Third Orders, and devout Laity. It was standardized by St. Pius V (1504-1572) in 1585 and revised by St. Pius X (1835-1914) in 1910. The reforms of Vatican II recommended the use of the Liturgy of the Hours in place of the Little Office, and consequently did not revise it. None the less, Religious Orders and publishers have produced new versions approved for private or community devotions. As well, Benedict XVI's 2007 Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum made it again possible for the approved use of the 1961 Latin text of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Related Post: Index of Marian Hymns and Antiphons.

Alma Redemptoris Mater
Ave Maria
Ave Regina Caelorum
Breathe On Me, Breath of God
Firmly I Believe and Truly
From All That Dwell Below the Skies
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star
Help Us, O Lord
Lord God and Maker of All Things
Lord of All Hopefulness
Mary, Crowned with Living Light
Mary Immaculate, Star of the Morning
Mary the Dawn
O Christ, You are the Light and Day
O Mary, of All Women
Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate
Regina Caeli
Salve Regina
The God Whom Earth and Sea and Sky
Virgin-Born, We Bow Before You
What Child is This
Ye Who Own the Faith of Jesus

Hail, Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star / Ave Maris Stella

Guide Of The Wanderer Here Below

Hail Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star is based on the Latin hymn, Ave Maris Stella. This Medieval plainchant has been traditionally used in the Roman Breviary at Vespers on Marian Feast Days. The Catholic Priest and historian, Fr. John Lingard (1771–1851) composed the hymn Hail Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star based upon the ancient Latin text. It was first published in Easy Hymn Tunes for Catholic Schools (1851) and matched with the melody: Stella, a folk tune the editor had heard sung by children in the village of Stella, near Newcastle-Upon-Tyme. An alternative translation of Ave Maris Stella is: Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate.


Tune: Stella

HAIL, QUEEN OF HEAVEN, THE OCEAN STAR by John Lingard, 1851 (Public Domain)

1. Hail, Queen of heaven, the ocean star,
Guide of the wanderer here below,
Thrown on life's surge, we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the sea
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

2. O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee;
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.

3. Sojourners in this vale of tears,
Blest advocate, to thee we cry,
Assuage our sorrows, calm our fears,
And soothe with hope our misery. 
Refuge in grief, Star of the sea
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.

4. And while to Him Who reigns above
In Godhead one, in Persons three,
The Source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee:
Do thou, bright Queen, Star of the sea,
Pray for thy children, pray for me.


Gregorian (Sung by the Daughters of St. Paul)

AVE MARIS STELLA (Public Domain)

1. Ave maris stella,
Dei Mater alma,
atque semper Virgo,
felix caeli porta.

2. Sumens illud Ave
Gabrielis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Hevae nomen.

3. Solve vincula reis,
profer lumen caecis
mala nostra pelle,
bona cuncta posce.

4. Monstra te esse matrem:
sumat per te preces,
qui pro nobis natus,
tulit esse tuus.

5. Virgo singularis,
inter omnes mites,
nos culpis solutos,
mites fac et castos.

6. Vitam praesta puram,
iter para tutum:
ut videntes Iesum
semper collaetemur.

7. Sit laus Deo Patri,
summo Christo decus,
Spiritui Sancto,
tribus honor unus. Amen.

Queen of Heaven, Rejoice / Regina Caeli

Basilica of the Assumption, Covington KY - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Queen of Heaven, Rejoice is an anonymous translation of the 12th century Latin hymn: Regina Cæli which is traditionally sung as a Marian antiphon after Compline in the Roman Breviary from Easter till Pentecost. An ancient tradition relates how at Easter time in the year 596, as Rome suffered from a great pestilence, Pope St. Gregory the Great (c.540-604), barefoot and holding an icon of the Madonna said to have been painted by St. Luke, heard the first three lines of Regina Cæli sung by angels as he led a procession through the city at dawn to entreat deliverance. He answered them with: "Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia!", and saw a vision of an angel with sword, readied for battle. From that day, the pestilence is said to have ceased. In the Divine Office (1974), the Liturgy of the Hours (1975), and the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Regina Cœli is sung at the conclusion of Night Prayer. In the Divine Office (1974), Queen of Heaven, Rejoice is sung as a final anthem after Night Prayer.



Regina coeli laetare, Alleluia,
Quia quem meruisti portare. Alleluia,
Resurrexit, Sicut dixit, Alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia.