The Hail Mary: The Text, the Two Parts, and Its Meaning

The Hail Mary is, after the Our Father, the most prayed prayer of the Catholic Church. It is the heart of the Rosary and unites, in a single voice, the words of Scripture and the faith of the Church. This guide explains its two parts, its origin, and its meaning.

The Text 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.”

The Two Parts

The prayer is divided into two moments:

• Biblical part—it joins the greeting of the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation (“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,” Lk 1:28) with Elizabeth’s greeting at the Visitation (“blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,” Lk 1:42). The name “Jesus” was added to make explicit who this fruit is.
• Ecclesial part—the petition “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death,” fixed in the tradition and generalized from the sixteenth century onward. The title “Mother of God” confesses the dogma of Theotokos.

Its Meaning

In the Hail Mary we praise the work of God in Mary and entrust ourselves to her maternal intercession at the two decisive moments: “now” (the present of every life) and “at the hour of our death.” It is the prayer that best sums up the Marian faith of the Church.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Hail Mary come from?

The first part is biblical (Lk 1:28 and 1:42); the second was formulated by the tradition of the Church.

Why do we say “Mother of God”?

Because Jesus, the son of Mary, is God: the title was defined at the Council of Ephesus (431).

See also

• How to Pray the Rosary
• Theotokos, Mother of God