About the Hail Mary

The Hail Mary (in Latin, "Ave Maria") is one of the most beloved prayers of the Catholic tradition. Its opening words draw directly from Scripture: the greeting of the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28) and the words of Elizabeth at the Visitation (Luke 1:42).

The prayer falls into two movements. The first half gathers these scriptural salutations in praise of Mary's unique role in salvation; the second half, "Holy Mary, Mother of God," is the Church's petition, asking for her intercession now and at the hour of our death.

Repeated throughout the Rosary and prayed daily by the faithful across the world, the Hail Mary unites personal devotion with the constant prayer of the whole Church. Learning its structure helps believers pray it more attentively and enter more deeply into its meaning.