He is Risen! During Pascal Time (Holy Thursday until Trinity Sunday), we pray the Regina Caeli (or Coeli, which is the original Latin) at 6am, 12pm, and 6pm rather than the Angelus. The Church has granted a ten year indulgence for every time the Regina Caeli (or the Angelus) is said. Once a month a plenary indulgence may be received for the “faithful who, every day in the morning, at noon, and in the evening at sunset, shall say devoutly the Angelus Domini, with the Hail Mary, three times, or at Eastertide the Regina Coeli, on any day when, being truly penitent, after confession and communion, they shall pray for peace and union among Christian princes, for the extirpation of heresy, and for the triumph of Holy Mother Church” (My Prayer-Book, Fr. Lasance). Below is the text of the traditional Marian antiphoni in Latin and then in English.

REGINA CAELI (Latin)

Regina Coeli, laetare, Alleluia.

Quia quem meruisti portare, Alleluia.

Resurrexit, sicut dixit, Alleluia. 

Ora pro nobis Deum, Alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, Alleluia.

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia.

Oremus

Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri, Jesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es, praesta, quaesumus, ut per ejus genetricem Virginem Mariam perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae: per eundem Christum, Dominum nostrum. 

R. Amen.

REGINA CAELI (English)

Queen of heaven, rejoice, Alleluia.

For He Whom thou didst merit to bear, Alleluia.

Hath risen as He said, Alleluia.

Pray for us to God, Alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary! Alleluia.

R. Because the Lord is truly risen, Alleluia.

Let us pray

O God, Who by the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, hast vouchsafed to make glad the whole world, grant, we beseech Thee, that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. 

R. Amen.

Although the original author is unknown, it is recorded in the Golden Legend that the Regina Caeli originated in 590 with St. Gregory the Great. He was walking barefoot in a procession all around the city of Rome, asking the Blessed Mother to end a plague while carrying the Salus Populi Romani (the painting of the Blessed Mother and Jesus painted by St. Luke). During this procession on Easter morn, those participating in the procession heard the first three lines of the Regina Caeli sung by angels. Pope St. Gregory the Great then responded, “Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.”  At the end of the procession, he saw St. Michael sheathe his sword and the plague ended.

Let us join the Blessed Mother and the holy angels in the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, and may we obtain everlasting joy in heaven through her constant intercession. 

To learn how to chant in Latin with your family, see the following video.

https://youtu.be/Rurv5HZMKEg?si=m5PuI3iy-2Cnmaj-