The 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.
Where the Hail Mary comes from
The first line echoes the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary at the Annunciation: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28). The second repeats Elizabeth’s words when Mary visited her: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” (Luke 1:42). The name of Jesus was added in the Middle Ages, and the closing petition, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,” became standard in the Roman Breviary of 1568.
How the Hail Mary is prayed
Catholics pray the Hail Mary on its own and as the main prayer of the Rosary, where it is repeated in sets of ten (decades) while reflecting on events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. It is also part of the Angelus, traditionally prayed morning, noon and evening.
Different Christian views
Catholic and Orthodox Christians ask Mary to pray for them, as they might ask a friend, believing the saints in heaven intercede for us. Most Protestant Christians honor Mary as the mother of Jesus and value the Bible words in the prayer’s first half, but pray only to God. Luke 1:48 records Mary’s own words: “all generations shall call me blessed.”
Frequently asked questions
What are the words of the 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.
Is the Hail Mary in the Bible?
Its first half is. The opening comes from Luke 1:28, the angel Gabriel’s greeting, and the second line from Luke 1:42, Elizabeth’s blessing. The closing request for Mary’s prayers was added by the Church later.
How many Hail Marys are in a Rosary?
A standard five-decade Rosary has 53 Hail Marys: ten in each of the five decades, plus three at the beginning.
What does “full of grace” mean?
It translates the angel’s greeting in Luke 1:28, which the KJV renders “highly favoured.” Both express that God had shown Mary special favor by choosing her to be the mother of Jesus.
More prayers
- Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina) The Salve Regina, prayed at the end of the Rosary.
- How to Pray a Novena What a novena is, how to pray one, and a simple nine-day novena from Scripture.
- Morning Prayer Short prayers to start the day, the Lord’s Prayer and the Catholic Morning Offering.
- Prayer for Healing Prayers for your own healing, for someone who is sick, and for healing and strength.
- Prayer for Strength Prayers for strength in hard times, for courage and for guidance.
- Psalm 91 Prayer of Protection A prayer of protection drawn line by line from Psalm 91.