The Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou amongst 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.
Contexte Historique
The Hail Mary, or Ave Maria in Latin, is a traditional Catholic prayer of praise and petition to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its text is derived from two passages in the Gospel of Saint Luke: the Archangel Gabriel’s salutation to Mary (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth’s greeting to her kinswoman (Luke 1:42). The final petition, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners…”, was added by the Church in the Middle Ages. This prayer forms the central part of the Holy Rosary and is one of the most cherished devotions in the Catholic tradition.