Attributed to Hermann of Reichenau, 11th century

Alma Redemptoris Mater — Loving Mother of the Redeemer

Antiphon of Our Lady from Advent to the Presentation (2 February)

LatinEnglish

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving Mother of the Redeemer, who remainest the open gate of heaven
and star of the sea, help thy falling people
who strive to rise again: thou who, while nature marvelled,
didst bring forth thy holy Creator,
Virgin before and after, who from Gabriel’s lips
didst receive that Ave, have mercy on sinners.

In Adventu℣. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
℟. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
Oremus. Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde: ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem eius et crucem ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

In Advent℣. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
℟. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Nativitate usque ad Purificationem℣. Post partum, Virgo, inviolata permansisti.
℟. Dei Genetrix, intercede pro nobis.
Oremus. Deus, qui salutis aeternae, beatae Mariae virginitate fecunda, humano generi praemia praestitisti: tribue, quaesumus, ut ipsam pro nobis intercedere sentiamus, per quam meruimus auctorem vitae suscipere, Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

From Christmas to the Presentation℣. After childbirth, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate.
℟. Mother of God, intercede for us.
Let us pray. O God, who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary hast bestowed upon mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech thee, that we may feel the power of her intercession, through whom we were made worthy to receive the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with thee for ever and ever. Amen.

SourceAttributed to Hermann of Reichenau, 11th century · Antiphon of Our Lady from Advent to the Presentation (2 February)

The history of this prayer

The Alma Redemptoris Mater is one of the four great antiphons of Our Lady with which the Church closes the day at Compline. Tradition attributes it to Hermann of Reichenau (1013–1054), the German monk to whom the Salve Regina is also attributed. It is written in hexameters, the metre of classical Latin poetry.

It is the antiphon of Advent and Christmastide: it is sung from first Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent until the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on 2 February. That is why it has two versicles and two prayers — the Advent one, which is the same as the prayer of the Angelus, and the Christmas one, used from first Vespers of 25 December.

In six lines the text holds the whole mystery of Christmas: the Virgin who bore her own Creator “while nature marvelled”, and who received the Ave from Gabriel’s lips. Geoffrey Chaucer has a small boy singing it in “The Prioress’s Tale”.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Alma Redemptoris Mater sung?

From Advent until 2 February, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, at the end of Compline. Then comes the Ave Regina Caelorum, and in Eastertide the Regina Caeli.

Who wrote the Alma Redemptoris Mater?

It is attributed to Hermann of Reichenau, an eleventh-century Benedictine monk, who is also credited with the Salve Regina.

What are the four Marian antiphons?

Alma Redemptoris Mater (Advent and Christmas), Ave Regina Caelorum (until Holy Week), Regina Caeli (Eastertide) and Salve Regina (the rest of the year).

More prayers: Our Lady

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