Ave Maria

The most beloved Marian prayer in the Catholic tradition.

The Hail Mary is the most cherished Marian prayer in the Catholic tradition. Its first half draws directly from Sacred Scripture — the Angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth’s words at the Visitation (Luke 1:42).

The Prayer

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

About This Prayer

The Hail Mary developed over centuries, with the scriptural portion known from the early Church and the petition ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God’ added by the 15th century. It is prayed ten times in each decade of the Rosary and is central to Catholic Marian devotion.

What does the Hail Mary mean?

The first part recalls Gabriel’s greeting and Elizabeth’s blessing in Luke 1:28 and 1:42. At its centre is Jesus. In the second part, we ask Mary to pray for us. Catholics worship God alone; asking Mary for her prayers does not make her a replacement for Jesus.

“Mother of God” tells us who her Son is: Jesus is truly God and truly man. It does not mean that Mary existed before God or created his divinity. “Now and at the hour of our death” places both our daily needs and our final journey in God’s care through her intercession.

A simple way to begin

Think of a worried child asking a trusted family member to pray with them. Bring one person or difficulty to mind, then say the Hail Mary slowly. Pause at the name of Jesus. You can pray it on its own or as part of the Rosary.

Church teaching: Catechism, 2674–2677. Pray the Our Father or visit our prayer guide.