Hail Virgin Dearest Mary (Our lovely Queen of May)

This hymn was most likely written for the Northern-hemisphere custom of crowning Mary as Queen of the May. Today it is also used for Flores de Mayo celebrations in the Philippines and other countries.

The original author is unclear: it has been attributed to S. M. Venn or S. M. Yenn in various websites, but it seems likely that this person simply composed a new tune for the text. It was published without attribution in the American Catholic Hymnal, published by the Marist Brothers in 1913 (ref), and also in Hymns and Songs for Catholic Children (1870) Based on this, it is almost certainly now in the public domain.

With meter 7 6 7 6, tune it has been set to include

LAMBOLETTE by Louis Lambolette - the most-commonly published tune
An un-named tune by S M Yenn (1919) - ref
An un-named contemporary tune by Fr. J. Roel Lungay.

Downloads

This section may contain affiliate links: I earn from qualifying purchases on these. Free downloads are provided where possible (eg for public domain items).

Sheet music (S M Yenn tune)

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Church choir with organ accompaniment:

Singer and children's choir with piano-led accompaniment:

Contemporary tune written and performed by Fr. J. Roel Lungay, with keyboard accompaniment:

Lyrics

Chorus:
Hail Virgin, dearest Mary!
Our lovely Queen of May!
O spotless, blessed Lady,
Our lovely Queen of May.

Your children, humbly bending,
Surround your shrine so dear;
With heart and voice ascending,
Sweet Mary, hear our pray'r.

Behold earth's blossoms
Springing In beauteous form and hue.
All nature gladly bringing
Her sweetest charms to you.

We'll gather fresh, bright flowers,
To bind our fair Queen's brow;
From pure and verdant bowers,
We haste to crown you now.

And now, our blessed Mother,
Smile on our festal day.
Accept our wreath of flowers,
And be our Queen of May.