“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.” ~Fr. John Lingard (b. 1771- d. 1851)
“Hail, Queen of Heaven, the ocean star” are the words which begin the famous Catholic hymn, Hail, Queen of Heaven. This Marian hymn has been loved by Catholics for quite a long time and is the topic of today’s post.
The words which make up Hail, Queen of Heaven flowed from the pen of Fr. John Lingard in the nineteenth century. The lyrics were then adapted by Henri Friedrich Hemi to a popular English folk song named Stella, see here. Hail, Queen of Heaven the popular Catholic hymn may be heard here:
Though long having passed into his eternal reward, and having met the Queen of Heaven about whom he wrote, Fr. Lingard’s Marian prayer-song remains a Catholic favorite. It is a portion of our Catholic heritage. The entire lyrics by Fr. Lingard follow:
Hail, Queen Of Heaven (The Ocean Star)I
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.II
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 us sinner, pray for me.III
Sojourners in this vale of tears,To thee, blest, Advocate, we cry,
Pity 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.
IV
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 you, bright Queen, Star of the Sea,
Pray for thy children, pray for me. (source)
This prayer-song remains as applicable and fresh today as it was upon its creation in the heart of one nineteenth century Catholic priest.
Today, as we draw closer to May, the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, may Our Lady, as in the prayer of Fr. Lingard, pray for her children, pray for us!
May you have a good day.
~SCF
Top image: Our Lady Stella Maris Sliema statue, image source.
