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 amongst 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 amongst 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 amongst 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. 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.
Traditional English version. In the Easter season the Regina Caeli replaces it.
Pray the Angelus every day with a reminder.
Start praying with Rosary & MercyKey takeaways
- It remembers the Incarnation: God becoming man in Mary.
- It is prayed three times a day, at 6 am, noon and 6 pm.
- The Pope leads it from St. Peter's Square on Sundays and feasts.
What is the Angelus?
The Angelus is a prayer of versicles, three Hail Marys and a closing collect. It recalls the Annunciation and the Incarnation. It began in the Middle Ages when church bells rang to invite people to pray in the evening, and by the 1300s it had spread to morning and noon.
When to pray it
Traditionally Catholics pray it at 6 am, noon and 6 pm. Many pray it once at noon. In Easter season, from Easter Sunday through Pentecost, Catholics pray the Regina Caeli instead.
Questions people ask
Why is it called the Angelus?
It takes its name from the first word of the Latin text, "Angelus Domini," meaning "The Angel of the Lord."
Why do some churches ring bells at noon?
The bells invite people to stop and pray the Angelus. The practice goes back to medieval times.
What replaces the Angelus at Easter?
The Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven), from Easter Sunday through Pentecost.
Can I pray it alone?
Yes. It can be prayed alone, as a family or in a group, with a leader reading the versicles.
Related prayers
Pray through what you are reading, every day, with a gentle reminder.
Start praying with Rosary & MercySources: Luke 1:26-38 · John 1:14 · Catechism of the Catholic Church 484-511, 2617 · USCCB