Hail Mary (Ave Maria)

The Hail Mary is a short Christian prayer used most commonly by Catholics. It gets its name from the first words of the prayer and is also known as the Ave Maria—the first words of the prayer in Latin. The prayer is also less frequently known as the Angelic Salutation because its initial words are attributed to the Archangel Gabriel when he appeared before Mary at the annunciation. The majority of the prayer’s words are drawn from passages in the Christian Bible that address the role Mary played as the mother of Jesus. It is a key part of the Christian devotion known as the rosary.

There is little evidence that the prayer itself existed before the 11th century, though portions of it are thought to have been used earlier as a greeting between Christians. The present form of the prayer dates to about the 15th century, with local or regional variations developing in different parts of the world. The prayer has also been the subject of criticism among some Christians who think that it gives too much importance to Mary and that only God and Jesus are deserving of such worship.

Background

In Christian theology, Mary is referred to as the mother of God, or the “Blessed Mother.” She is also sometimes known as the Theotokos, a Greek phrase that means “God-bearer.” These titles reflect the Christian belief that God chose Mary to become pregnant with a child who would be the human incarnation of the divine God. This child was Jesus Christ. Christians believe Jesus was the promised Messiah who was to restore the relationship between God and humans that was disrupted by human disobedience of God’s rules.

The belief that Mary is the mother of God or God-bearer is based on the words of the Gospel of Luke in the Christian New Testament of the Bible. According to the Gospel, Mary, who was a young Jewish woman at the time, was visited by God’s messenger, the archangel Gabriel. Gabriel greets Mary and tells her that God has chosen her to bear a child through the workings of the Holy Spirit. The child she bears will be God himself.

As evidence that this mysterious and apparently miraculous event is possible, Gabriel tells Mary that her relative, Elizabeth, is pregnant. Elizabeth is an older woman thought to be beyond childbearing years. Mary agrees to be part of God’s plan and travels to see Elizabeth. When she arrives, Luke’s Gospel states that Elizabeth immediately recognizes that Mary is pregnant with God’s child because her own child “leaps” in her womb. She greets Mary with words acknowledging her role in God’s plan.

Mary and Elizabeth lived in Roman-occupied areas of the modern-day Middle East. The word “ave” was used as a salutation and greeting by the Romans, especially to their leaders. It would have seemed both familiar and appropriate for someone who was to fulfill such an important role to be greeted this way. There is some indication that the earliest Christians used “ave” as a greeting to each other as well.

Overview

The Hail Mary is a prayer to honor Mary and encourage people to draw closer to Jesus by loving him and praying as his mother did. Mary is honored by Christians because they believe that her act of faith and obedience in accepting Gabriel’s message was essential to God’s plan to restore the relationship between God and humankind. Christians believe that Mary’s acceptance of her role in God’s plan was essential to overcoming the barriers to eternal life that were created when humans disobeyed God.

The contemporary Hail Mary can be divided into three parts. The first part includes the words the Archangel Gabriel used to greet Mary. The second part includes the words used by Elizabeth when she and Mary greet each other after Gabriel’s visit to Mary. The final part is a petition asking Mary to pray for sinners. This portion appears to have been added about the 16th century by Roman Catholic Church officials. Each part consists of just one sentence.

There is little evidence, however, to indicate exactly when or how the biblical words of Gabriel and Elizabeth became combined into a single prayer. The earliest indications of these words being used as a specific prayer occurred between 590–604 CE, when Pope Gregory the Great instructed Christians to include it during prayers in the season of Advent before Christmas.

One early story associated with the prayer claims that the Spanish St. Ildephonsus of Toledo had a vision of Mary surrounded by angels. He approached, repeating the words used by Gabriel and Elizabeth and making a small bow known as a genuflection. Mary appeared to approve of his gestures. Reportedly, when Ildephonsus shared this experience, others began to imitate his praise of Mary. As a result, a practice developed in the Middle Ages where people prayed the Hail Mary as many as one hundred and fifty times while genuflecting repeatedly.

About 1030 to 1050 CE, the prayer began to appear in several breviaries, a special type of prayer book used in monasteries and convents. Throughout these earliest centuries of its existence, the words of the prayer changed slightly because of differences in translation. Its usage also began to expand among the Christian population. Repeating the prayer a number of times was a common form of penance assigned to Christians after confessing their sins. It also became a key part of the rosary. This is primarily a Catholic devotion where the Hail Mary and other prayers are said while touching a succession of beads and reflecting on events from the life of Jesus and Mary.

While all Christians believe that Mary is the human mother of Jesus, not all Christians pray the Hail Mary. It became the subject of controversy during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, when many Christians split away from the Roman Catholic Church. At that time, some people felt that the Hail Mary was not a real prayer because it did not include a petition, or request made to God. This led to the addition of the third portion of the prayer asking Mary to pray for sinners. Some denominations object to the prayer because they feel it elevates Mary to an honor that belongs only to God. This objection continues into contemporary times. As a result, the prayer is primarily used by Catholics, with limited use by other Christian denominations.

Bibliography

Aaron, Shirley. “Biblical Explanations of the ‘Hail Mary’ Prayer.” Catholics Online, 2 Jan. 2018, francismary.org/biblical-explanations-of-the-hail-mary-prayer/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

“Hail Mary.” New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, 2017, www.newadvent.org/cathen/07110b.htm. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

“The Hail Mary Prayer Explained.” Lay Cistercians of South Florida, 30 May 2021, laycistercians.com/hail-mary-explained/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Hertzenberg, Stephanie. “6 Little Known Facts about the Hail Mary Prayer.” Belief Net, www.beliefnet.com/faiths/prayer/6-little-known-facts-about-the-hail-mary-prayer.aspx?p=3. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Jeffrey, David Lyle. “Hail Mary.” Christianity Today, 2004, www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-83/hail-mary.html. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Kasten, Patricia Ann. Linking Your Beads: The Rosary’s History, Mystery, and Prayers. Our Sunday Visitor, 2010, pp. 48-53.

Langr, Chloe. “11 Historical Facts You Probably Didn’t Know about the Hail Mary, but Should.” Epic Pew,14 July 2016, epicpew.com/facts-you-didnt-know-about-the-hail-mary/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Moyer, Ginny Kubitz. “Who Wrote the Hail Mary Prayer?” Busted Halo,7 Feb. 2011, bustedhalo.com/questionbox/who-wrote-the-hail-mary-prayer. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.