Where did the Singing of the Salve at a Deathbed Come From?

In 1264, Blessed Sadoc and 48 of his fellow friars were martyred while praying Compline and Singing the Salve Regina.  The custom of singing the Salve Regina at the deathbed of a Domincan stems from this incident.

Mourning and Weeping

Whoever thinks the Dominican Chant of Salve Regina is beautiful hasn't heard my chapter sing it.  We make it die.  We sound like a funeral procession moaning dreadfully.

The Salve Regina is a prayer sung after Evening prayer.  Legend has it has composed by angels.  Wikipoedia has it composed by a monk, Hermann of Reichenau  but St. Dominic had his nuns singing it in 1206, which is before his time.

People say it's beautiful, but we are struggling with it.  My chapter of Lay Dominicans is practicing for our Profession Day.  Fr. Nic, our spiritual advisor would like us to sing it.  So we need prayers.

Slave Market Prayer

Father Nic told us the most captivating story today. I've tried to verify the information, but google wasn't definitive. Fr. Nic was teaching us to chant Salve Regina. He asked us if we knew the origin of the prayer.

The term "Valley of Tears," can be applied to many situations. In fact, this prayer is my favorite because of this expression, "Valley of Tears." But I always associated the phrase with my personal situation. Fr. Nic told us that the phrase was given to the slave market in Alexandria. So this prayer, was a prayer to Our Lady from the slaves in Alexandria.

I can imagine it being prayed throughout history, whenever mankind felt that he was in a "Valley of Tears."

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

Salve Project

This post is for my brothers and sisters in the Dominican Family.  The Salve Project celebrates the many different ways and voices that Dominicans use in our preaching.  A video is being composed of these ways and voices.  This project will highlight the unity and diversity of the Order of Preachers around the world.

You need to record a video of your community singing the Salve Regina and send it to the International Promoter General of the Internet, Father Scott Steinkerchner, O.P. at internet@curia.op.org

Just 20 seconds is enough.  While you are singing and recording the Salve Regina, move the camera around the group so that different angles, areas, people, and scenes show different places.  Don't worry about mistakes, or the singing, only portions of the video will be shown.  Fr. Scott can edit and work around problems.

How about it?  Sounds like fun.  My "cloistered brothers" would do it, if they weren't so "cloistered."