The Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic
1907–1914
“Of unknown authorship, the anthem has been traced back to the twelfth century. It was in Franciscan use, after Compline, in the first half of the following century.”
A prayer of the Church · its history
Regina Caeli — Queen of Heaven
The Eastertide antiphon of Our Lady — 'Queen of heaven, rejoice' — of unknown twelfth-century origin, which takes the place of the Angelus through the fifty days of Easter, sung standing in joy of the Resurrection.
From the early Church Fathers to now.
The prayer
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia: For he whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia, Hath risen as he said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. R. For the Lord hath risen indeed, alleluia.
Patristic
before A.D. 750
600
Event
The legend of St. Gregory and the angels
By pious legend, St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) heard the first three lines chanted by angels one Easter morning in Rome, as he walked barefoot in a great religious procession, and added the fourth line himself: "Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia." The Catholic Encyclopedia records this as legend; the true authorship is unknown.
1,000 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Reformation
c. 1500 – 1650
1600
Event
The anthem of Eastertide
Through the fifty days of Eastertide — from Compline of Holy Saturday until the Saturday after Pentecost — the Regina Caeli takes the place of the Angelus; in choir it is sung standing, in joy of the Resurrection.
313 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Modern
1900 – 1953
1913
A.D.
Modern · 1953 →
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.