Hail Mary

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.

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A Prayer of Royal Honor, Grace, and Intercession

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The Hail Mary is one of the most cherished prayers in the Catholic tradition. It is a prayer of love, veneration, and humble petition—a reflection of the Church’s deep reverence for the Blessed Virgin Mary and her singular role in salvation history. While its words are simple, their meaning is rich with biblical, theological, and historical significance. Rooted in Scripture and tradition, the Hail Mary is not only a devotion to Mary, but a proclamation of Christ, who is the “fruit of her womb.”

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The prayer begins:

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“Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.”

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This line is drawn from the Gospel of Luke (1:28), when the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary at the Annunciation. The word “Hail”—in Greek, Chaire (χαῖρε)—is no ordinary greeting. It is a word reserved in ancient Greek usage for royalty and dignitaries, a salutation of honor and reverence. Gabriel's use of Chaire is striking—it signifies not only the joy of the message he brings but also acknowledges Mary as a queen. The early Church Fathers saw this as no accident: this angelic greeting announces the beginning of a new kingdom, and Mary is hailed as its Queen Mother.

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Early Christian art and tradition often depict Gabriel kneeling before Mary, a sign of profound respect. Angels, pure spiritual beings who serve directly in the presence of God, do not kneel before humans. Yet in this moment, Heaven bows before a humble young woman from Nazareth—because she has been chosen to bear the King of Kings. The one whom even angels serve is now to be formed in her womb. By kneeling and addressing her with royal honor, Gabriel reveals her true identity: the Theotokos, the “God-bearer,” the Mother of God.

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The prayer continues:

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“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

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These words come from Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, who, filled with the Holy Spirit, cries out in awe when Mary visits her (Luke 1:42). Elizabeth recognizes not only Mary’s holiness, but the divine identity of her child. In saying Mary is “blessed among women,” the Church acknowledges her unique role in human history. No other woman, no other person, has ever been so closely united with God’s plan of salvation. And in affirming that Jesus is the blessed “fruit of her womb,” the prayer shifts our focus to its ultimate center: Christ.

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The second half of the Hail Mary moves from proclamation to petition:

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“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

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Calling Mary the “Mother of God” (Greek: Theotokos) affirms one of the most central truths of Christianity—that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. This title, formally defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., is not about glorifying Mary for her own sake, but about protecting the truth of the Incarnation. If Mary is the mother of Jesus, and Jesus is God, then Mary is truly the Mother of God. In honoring her, we affirm the reality of God made flesh.

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Asking Mary to “pray for us sinners” reflects the Church’s belief in the Communion of Saints: that those in heaven, especially Mary, can intercede for us. Her role as a spiritual mother does not end with her earthly life; it continues as she brings the needs of her children to her Son. And the most profound moment we ask her to be with us is “at the hour of our death.” That hour, the threshold between this life and eternity, is when we need grace the most. We entrust ourselves to Mary’s care, asking her to accompany us to the gates of Heaven, as she once did with Jesus from Bethlehem to Calvary.

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The prayer concludes with a simple yet powerful “Amen”—an affirmation of faith, trust, and surrender to God’s will.

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Essentially, the Hail Mary is more than a devotional phrase—it is a miniature gospel. It encapsulates the Incarnation, honors Mary’s pivotal role, and draws us into prayerful dependence on her intercession. The angel’s royal greeting reminds us that Mary reigns as Queen—not in power for herself, but in service to the King of Mercy. She is the humble handmaid who became the crowned mother of Heaven and earth, and through this prayer, the faithful are drawn ever closer to her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

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See O My Jesus or My Jesus, Mercy