A Monk at Prayer, J. Ferrer y Palleja (1846-1946)

The Angelus can be traced back to 11th-century Italy, where monks said three Hail Marys during night prayers, at the last bell of the day. Over time, this extended to the lay faithful. In the villages, as in the monasteries, a bell was rung at the close of the day reminding the laity of this time for prayer. The evening devotional practice soon spread to other parts of Christendom.

Around 1318 in Italy, Catholics began saying the Hail Mary upon rising in the morning. It is likely this practice again came from the monks, who included the Hail Mary in the prayers they said before their workday began. The noontime Angelus devotion seems to have derived from the long-standing practice of praying and meditating on Our Lord’s passion at midday each Friday.

In 1456, Pope Calixtus III directed the ringing of church bells every day at noon and that Catholics pray three Hail Marys. The pope ordered Church bells to be rung every day at noon every weekday in thanksgiving of the victory of a coalition of Christian soldiers, under the leadership of János Hunyadi, who staved off the invasion of Turkish forces and the spread of Islam in Hungary and Europe as a whole.

By the end of the 16th century, the Angelus had become the prayer in its current form. It was first published in this form in a catechism around 1560 in Venice. This devotion reminds us of the Angel Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary, Mary’s fiat, and the Incarnation and Our Lord’s passion and resurrection.  Like a heavenly messenger, the Angelus calls us to interrupt our daily, earthly routines and turn to thoughts of God, of the Blessed Mother, and of eternity.

Angel of the Annunciation (Archangel Gabriel),  Guido Reni, c. 1628-1629

The Angelus Prayer

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

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.

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, Jean-Francois Millet, c. 1857-1859

The Angelus Prayer (Latin)

V. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
R. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.

Ave Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

V. Ecce ancilla Domini,
R. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.

Ave Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

V. Et Verbum caro factum est,
R. Et habitavit in nobis.

Ave Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix,
R. 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 eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

The Angelus, Aleksander Gierymski, 1890

Immaculate Queen of Peace, pray for us.