Hymn to the Blessed Virgin (This is the Image of our Queen)

This is a hymn of petition to Mary, suitable for use in the month of May.

It is attributed as translated by English Anglican clergyman and later Roman Catholic convert and priest Edward Caswall (1814-1878), but the original source has not been identified.

Tunes it has set to include:

IVER by H F Hemy.
A Slovak tune arranged by the editor in "The St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book" (1920)
An unnamed tune by Fr. J. Roel Lungay, 1996

Downloads

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PowerPoint slides

Examples

Singer with backing - tune by Fr. J. Roel Lungay

Lyrics

This is the image of the Queen
Who reigns in bliss above;
Of her who is the hope of all,
Whom we and angels love!

Chorus:
Most holy Mary, at thy feet
I bend a suppliant knee,
In this thine own sweet month of May
Pray thou to God for me.

The sacred homage that we pay
Of Mary's image here
To Mary's self at once ascends
Beyond the starry sphere.

How fair so-ever be the form
Which here your eyes behold,
Its beauty is by Mary's self
Excell'd a thousandfold.

Sweet are the flow'rets we have culled
This image to adorn;
But sweeter far is Mary's self,
That rose without a thorn!