Recently someone asked me where do we get the idea or title of Queen of Heaven. The Encyclical by the Venerable Pope Pius XII gave me the answer. Below is a summary of those titles from the encyclical.
St. Ephrem: “. . . Majestic and Heavenly Maid, Lady, Queen, protect and keep me under your wing lest Satan the sower of destruction glory over me, lest my wicked foe be victorious against me.” Idem, Oratio ad Ssmam Dei Matrem; Opera omnia, Ed. Assemani, t. III (graece), Romae, 1747, pag. 546.
St. Gregory Nazianzen: “the Mother of the King of the universe,” and the “Virgin Mother who brought forth the King of the whole world,” S. Gregorius Naz., Poemata dogmatica, XVIII, v. 58; PG XXXVII, 485.
Prudentius: Mary “has brought forth God as man, and even as Supreme King.” Prudentius, Dittochaeum, XXVII: PL LX, 102 A.
Origen, “Elizabeth calls Mary ‘the Mother of my Lord.’ and even addresses her as ‘Thou, my Lady.'” Hom. in S. Lucam, hom. VII; ed. Rauer, Origenes’ Werke, T. IX, p. 48 (ex catena Marcarii Chrysocephali). Cf. PG XIII, 1902 D.
St. Jerome: “We should realize that Mary means Lady in the Syrian Language.” S. Hieronymus, Liber de nominibus hebraeis: PL XXIII, 886.
St. Chrysologus: “The Hebrew word ‘Mary’ means ‘Domina.’ The Angel therefore addresses her as ‘Lady’ to preclude all servile fear in the Lord’s Mother, who was born and was called ‘Lady’ by the authority and command of her own Son.” S. Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo 142, De Annuntiatione B.M.V.: PL LII, 579 C; cf. etiam 582 B; 584 A: “Regina totius exstitit castitatis.”
Epiphanius: “says that we should pray that the unity of the Church may be preserved ‘by the grace of the holy and consubstantial Trinity and by the prayers of Mary, Our Lady, the holy and glorious Virgin and Mother of God.'” Relatio Epiphanii Ep. Constantin.: PL LXII, 498 D.
St. Andrew of Crete:”Today He transports from her earthly dwelling, as Queen of the human race, His ever-Virgin Mother, from whose womb He, the living God, took on human form.” S. Andreas Cretensis, Homilia II in Dormitionem Ssmae Deiparae: PG XCVII, 1079 B.
St. Andrew of Crete: “the Queen of the entire human race faithful to the exact meaning of her name, who is exalted above all things save only God himself.” Id., Homilia III in Dormitionem Ssmae Deiparae: PG XCVII, 1099 A.
St. Germanus: “Be enthroned, Lady, for it is fitting that you should sit in an exalted place since you are a Queen and glorious above all kings.”S. Germanus, In Praesentationem Ssmae Deiparae, I: PG XCVIII, 303 A.
St. Germanus: Mary is “Queen of all of those who dwell on earth.” Id., In Praesentationem Ssmae Deiparae, n PG XCVIII, 315 C.
St. John Damascene: “Queen, ruler, and lady,” S. Ioannes Damascenus, Homilia I in Dormitionem B.M.V.: P.G. XCVI, 719 A.
St. John Damascene: “the Queen of every creature.” Id., De fide orthodoxa, I, IV, c. 14: PG XLIV, 1158 B.
St. Ildephonsus of Toledo: “O my Lady, my Sovereign, You who rule over me, Mother of my Lord . . . Lady among handmaids, Queen among sisters.” Ildefonsus Toletanus, De virginitate perpetua B.M.V.: PL XCVI, 58 A D.
Original source:
Venerable Pope Pius XII
Ad Caeli Reginam (On the Queenship of Mary), 10-21
