One of our most beloved Catholic Marian hymns or prayers is the Salve Regina, Latin for “Hail, Holy Queen.” This hymn, composed in Latin in the 11th century, is sung or recited as part of the Liturgy of the Hours (especially at Compline) and serves as the final prayer of the Rosary. Since its true author is unknown, its authorship is widely regarded as anonymous today. Tradition largely attributes it to Hermann of Reichenau (1013-1054), a German Benedictine monk. The Cistercians and Dominicans helped popularize the hymn in the 12th and 13th centuries, and it was officially added to the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius V in 1568. Like all Marian prayers, the Salve Regina emphasizes Mary’s various roles by virtue of her being Jesus’s mother and asking for her intercession.