Traditional Prayers — Our Lady

From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Angelus

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among 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.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary.

V. And the Word was made flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. 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.

The Angelus is traditionally said three times a day: 6am, 12 noon, 6pm.

The Regina Caeli

Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia!
for he whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia!
has risen as he said, alleluia!
Pray for us to God, alleluia!

Let us pray;
O God, who through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
did vouchsafe to give joy to the world;
grant, we beseech you, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary,
we may obtain the joys of everlasting life.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Regina Caeli replaces the Angelus in the Easter Season and when it is also sung at Night Prayer.

Salve Regina

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears!
Turn, then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this, our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

The Salve Regina is one of the Marian Anthems sung at Night Prayer.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Mother of Christ! hear thou thy people's cry,
Star of teh deep and portal of the sky!
Mother of him who thee from nothing made,
Sinking we strive, and call to thee for aid:
Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin, first and last, let us thy mercy see.

The Alma Redemptoris Mater is sung at the end of Night Prayer in Advent.

Ave Regina Caelorum

Hail, Queen of Heaven, beyond compare,
To whom the angels homage pay;
Hail, Root of Jesse, Gate of Light
That opened for the world's new Day

Rejoice, O Virgin unsurpassed,
In whom our ransom was begun,
Fo all your loving children pray
To Christ, our Saviour, and your Son.

The Ave Regina Caelorum is sung at the end of Night Prayer in Lent. This English version is by Stanbrook Abbey.

Under Your Protection

We fly to thy protection, O holy Mother of God.
Despise not our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers
O glorious and blessed Virgin.

This prayer, first found in a Greek papyrus, c. 300, is the oldest known prayer to the Virgin.

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

A 16th century version of a longer 15th century prayer.

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