Hail Mary Prayer
The Hail Mary is one of the oldest and most-prayed prayers in the Catholic tradition. Its two halves come from very different places: the first half is Scripture — the angel Gabriel's greeting at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28) joined with Elizabeth's blessing at the Visitation (Luke 1:42).
The second half is a petition the Church added over the centuries, asking Mary to pray for us "now and at the hour of our death." On this page you'll find the full traditional English text, the Latin Ave Maria, an explanation of what each line means, why Catholics ask Mary to intercede, and original prayers that use the Hail Mary as a starting point. Whether you pray it once a day, decade by decade in the Rosary, or with a rosary in hand at a hospital bedside, these words carry the memory of two thousand years of praying Christians.
The Hail Mary — Traditional English
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.
Ave Maria — Latin
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
A Short Prayer Before Praying the Hail Mary
Lord Jesus, You gave us Your mother as our own from the cross. As I say these words the angel first spoke, join my prayer to hers, and let me draw closer to You. Amen.
A Prayer for the Hour of My Death
Holy Mary, Mother of God, you who kept vigil at the cross and did not turn away, pray for me when my own hour comes. Ask your Son to receive me with mercy, to forgive what I have left undone, and to bring me safely home. Until then, teach me to live each day so that the last one, when it arrives, finds me ready. Amen.
A Longer Marian Prayer of Trust
Mother of our Lord, at the Annunciation you answered, "Let it be to me according to your word," and in that yes the whole world was changed. Teach me your fiat. When my own plans are set aside, when what I hoped for does not come, when God asks a harder thing than I expected, help me answer as you did — with trust that His word is good. Stand beside me in the joyful hours, that I may not forget who they came from. Stand beside me in the sorrowful hours, that I may not carry them alone. Ask your Son for the grace I do not know how to ask for myself. And when this life is ending, be the tender presence that walks me to Him. Amen.
Scripture to pray
And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"— Luke 1:28 (RSV)
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!— Luke 1:42 (RSV)
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.— Luke 1:46–49 (RSV)
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"— John 19:26–27 (RSV)
Frequently asked questions
What is a Hail Mary?
A Hail Mary is a short traditional Catholic prayer that greets Mary with the angel Gabriel's words at the Annunciation ("Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee") and Elizabeth's greeting at the Visitation ("Blessed art thou amongst women"), and then asks her to pray for us. It is prayed on its own, as part of the Angelus, and in every decade of the Rosary.
What is the Hail Mary prayer in English?
The traditional English Hail Mary is: "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." The first half is drawn directly from Luke 1:28 and 1:42; the second half was added over the centuries as the Church's petition to Mary.
Why do Catholics pray to Mary?
Catholics do not worship Mary — worship is given to God alone. Catholics ask Mary to pray for them, in the same way you might ask a trusted Christian friend to pray for you. Because Mary said yes to God at the Annunciation and stood by her Son at the cross, and because Jesus gave her to the beloved disciple as his own mother (John 19:27), Catholics honor her as a mother of the whole Church and ask for her intercession. Every Hail Mary ends with a request — "pray for us" — not a worship claim.
Is the Hail Mary in the Bible?
The first half of the Hail Mary is drawn directly from the Bible: the angel Gabriel's greeting in Luke 1:28 ("Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you") and Elizabeth's blessing in Luke 1:42 ("Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb"). The second half — "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners" — is a petition the Church added over the centuries as it grew accustomed to asking for Mary's prayers.
How many Hail Marys are in a Rosary?
A full Rosary of five decades contains 50 Hail Marys — ten per decade. A traditional Dominican Rosary of all four sets of mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous) contains 200 Hail Marys prayed across the whole cycle. See our Rosary page for how the Hail Mary fits inside the full prayer.
When should I pray the Hail Mary?
You can pray a single Hail Mary any time you need a short, familiar prayer — before a hard conversation, in a waiting room, walking to work, at bedtime. It is also prayed at the Angelus (6 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m.), in the Rosary, and as part of many other Catholic devotions. Many Catholics also pray a Hail Mary for someone they see suffering or for a private intention.