The Angelus
℣. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
℟. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
_Hail Mary…_
℣. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
_Hail Mary…_
℣. And the Word was made flesh.
℟. And dwelt among us.
_Hail Mary…_
℣. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Text: The Raccolta, translated by Ambrose St John (1880), public domain.
In Latin
℣. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
℟. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
_Ave Maria…_
℣. Ecce ancilla Domini.
℟. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
_Ave Maria…_
℣. Et Verbum caro factum est.
℟. Et habitavit in nobis.
_Ave Maria…_
℣. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix.
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
Oremus.
Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde; ut qui, angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem eius et crucem ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
About this prayer
The Angelus recalls the angel's message to Mary and the Word made flesh (Luke 1; John 1:14). It grew from the medieval custom of praying three Hail Marys at the evening bell, and by the sixteenth century it was prayed morning, noon and evening. Many still pray it at 6 am, noon and 6 pm; from Easter to Pentecost the Regina Caeli takes its place.