Dio vi salvi Regina
Dio vi salvi Regina (Italian for "God save you Queen") is a folk song in the culture of Corsica. The local nationalists also consider it the national anthem of Corsica. It is customary to sing it at the end of any concert of Corsican folk music.
The anthem was written as a religious song in Italy by Francis de Geronimo (later canonized) about 1675. It was adopted de facto as the national anthem of Corsica when it proclaimed independence from the Republic of Genoa at Orezza, on 30 January 1735.
Traditionally, a shepherd, Salvadore Costa, is credited[1] with converting the hymn not only to a Corsican anthem, but to a rallying symbol for Corsican independence. It was first performed at the Chapel of St. Mark (San Marco) on 25 April 1720.[1]
The anthem requests the protection of the Virgin Mary, heartily concurred in by the independence leaders. There were a few changes, such as in the second stanza from "disperati" (desperate) to "tribolati" (troubled). The commonly used version's last stanza was an original addition, written in the Corsican language, which makes reference to victory against enemies of Corsica, as to highlight the adopted lyrics' intended use.
Lyrics
Original text | Corsican translation | French translation | English translation |
---|---|---|---|
Dio vi salvi, Regina |
Dìu vi salvi, Regina |
Que Dieu vous garde Reine |
God save you Queen
English God save you, Queen And universal Mother By whom we rise To paradise. By whom we rise To paradise. You are the joy and laughter Of all the saddened, Of all the tormented The only hope. Of all the tormented The only hope. Towards you sighs and moans Our distressed heart In a sea of pain And bitterness. In a sea of pain And bitterness. Mary, sea of gentleness, Your pious eyes, Maternal and loving, Turn them towards us. Maternal and loving, Turn them towards us. We, unfortunates, welcome us In your holy veil. Your son in heaven, Show him to us. Your son in heaven, Show him to us. Accept and listen, O Virgin Mary, Sweet, clement and pious, Our marks of affection. Sweet, clement and pious, Our marks of affection. Over our enemies, Give us the victory And the eternal glory In paradise. And the eternal glory In paradise. |
References
External links
- http://www.polyhymnion.org/lieder/images/diuvisalvi.mid Midi file of "Diu vi salvi Regina"
- http://www.polyhymnion.org/lieder/images/diuvisalvi.pdf Score-PDF file of "Diu vi salvi Regina"