Ave Maria

The Hail Mary or Ave Maria, also called the Angelic Salutation, is a traditional Catholic prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary and Mary's subsequent visit to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. It is also called the Angelical Salutation due to the prayer's basis on Archangel Gabriel's words to Mary.