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Questions / Prayer and the Church year

What is the Hail Mary?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Ascension Presents

Video: Why Catholics Repeat the Hail Mary, Ascension Presents, published Sep 8, 2026. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: The angel Gabriel’s greeting, plus Elizabeth’s, plus a request: pray for us now and at the hour of our death. CCC 2676 CCC 2677

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

The Hail Mary opens with the angel Gabriel’s greeting: it is God Himself who greets Mary through His angel. CCC 2676

Because she gives us Jesus, Mary is Mother of God and our mother, and we can entrust our cares to her. CCC 2677

Our words

It’s mostly Bible verses, then one simple ask: pray for us, now and when we die.

A second teacher on this · Fr. Josh Johnson · 8 min

Video: Is the Hail Mary in the Bible? #AskFrJosh, Ascension Presents. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play.

Next step: Try Evening Prayer

Honestly? The best answers come from people, not websites. Take the next step: find a parish near you

Related questions

Why do my prayers seem unanswered? Ascension Presents · 8 minDo Catholics also pray for the dead? Ascension Presents · 7 minWhat is the Rosary? Bishop Robert Barron · 4 minWhat is the Liturgy of the Hours? Fr. Mike Schmitz · 11 min

Sources on this page

How we know · 2 Catechism paragraphs
  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2676, 2677 (official text on vatican.va).

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.