Dio vi salvi Regina (Italian for "God save you Queen") is a Corsican folk song. It is considered the de facto "national anthem" of Corsica. It is customarily sung it at the end of concerts of Corsican folk music.
It 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 intercessory 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.
Voi siete gioa è risu Di tutti i scunsulati Di tutti i tribulati Unica speme. À voi sospira è geme Il nostru afflitu core In un mar' di dolore È d'amarezza. Maria, mar' di dolcezza I vostri ochji pietosi Materni ed amorosi À noi volgete. Noi miseri accogliete Nel vostru santu velu Il vostru figliu in celu À noi mostrate. Gradite ed ascultate Ô vergine Maria Dolce è clemente è pia Gli affleti nostri. Voi da i nemici nostri À noi date vitoria E poi l'eterna gloria In paradisu. | boj 'sjete 'ʤoa e rizudi tutti j skũnsu'ladidi dutti i tribu'ladi'uniga 'speme a bboj zospira e ʤemeu 'nostrw af'flittu gorein ũn mar di do'lɔrɛe ðama'rɛttsa Ma'ria mar di ðɔl'ʧɛttsaI 'bɔstrj ɔcci pjɛ'tɔzima'dernj eðamɔrɔzia noj bol'ʤɛdɛ gra'dide ed askul'tadeo 'verʤine mar'ia'dolʧe e kle'mɛnte 'pialjaf'fleti 'nɔstri |