The Ave Maria in a Choralwiki Article

Contents

• Ave Maria intro  
• Latin Text and some translations
  "Ave Maria ... Benedicta tu" (traditional Catholic prayer)  
  
• Variant texts
  • Variant 1 (Aliseda, Des Prez, Guerrero, Palestrina, Victoria)
  • Variant 2 (Mouton)
  • "Ave Maria ... Virgo serena" 1 (Des Prez)
  • "Ave Maria ... Virgo serena" 2 (Mouton)  
     
• Church Slavonic text and translations  
• A listing of Ave Marias available on CPDL  

Ave Maria

Ave Maria (English Hail  Mary) is the salutation given by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28): Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum ("Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee"). To these words many additions have been made, both as prayers addressed to the Blessed Virgin (such as that prayed in The Rosary) and as musical texts. The Church Slavonic equivalent is known as Богородице Дево, радуйся (translit. Bogoroditse Devo, raduisya) which translates as "Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos" ("Theotokos" being Mother of God).

The traditional Catholic prayer continues with Elizabeth's greeting to her cousin Mary (Luke 1:41): Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui ("Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb"); and the name (Jesus) given to Mary's child.

It concludes with words adopted by the Council of Trent: Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen ("Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen").

Other texts which include Elizabeth's greeting alter this formula to varying degrees. Some texts follow the salutation of Gabriel with Virgo serena ("serene Virgin") and depart from there, often referring to the several aspects of Mary's presence in the Bible.

Musical settings at CPDL: on THIS PAGE

Latin Texts and translations

"Ave Maria ... Benedicta tu" (traditional Catholic prayer)

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

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;   blessed art thou among women,   and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus [Christ].   Holy Mary, Mother of God,   pray for us sinners,   now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Variant 1 (Aliseda, Des Prez, Guerrero, Palestrina, Victoria)

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Regina coeli, dulcis et pia, o Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, ut cum electis [te] videamus.

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, Queen of heaven sweet and merciful, O Mother of God, pray for us sinners, that with the elect we may gaze [upon thee].

Variant 2 (Mouton)

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; tecum in corde, tecum in ventre, tecum in utero. O Maria, Genetrix Dei, ora pro nobis.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; with thee in thy heart, with thee in thy womb, with thee in thine uterus. O Mary, Bearer of God, pray for us.

"Ave Maria ... Virgo serena" 1 (Des Prez)

Ave Maria, Gratia plena,   Dominus tecum, Virgo serena.   Ave, cuius Conceptio,   Solemni plena gaudio,   Caelestia, Terrestria,   Nova replet laetitia.   Ave, cuius Nativitas   Nostra fuit solemnitas,   Ut lucifer lux oriens   Verum solem praeveniens.   Ave pia humilitas,   Sine viro fecunditas,   Cuius Annuntiatio   Nostra fuit salvatio.   Ave vera virginitas,   Immaculata castitas,   Cuius Purificatio   Nostra fuit purgatio.   Ave, praeclara omnibus   Angelicis virtutibus,   Cuius Assumptio   Nostra fuit glorificatio.   O Mater Dei,  Memento mei. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,   The Lord is with thee, serene Virgin.   Hail, thou whose Conception,   Full of great joy,   Fills heaven and earth   With new gladness.   Hail, thou whose Nativity   Became our great celebration,   Like Lucifer, the morning star,   Going before the true sun.   Hail, faithful humility,   Fruitful without man,   Whose Annunciation   Was our salvation.   Hail, true virginity,   Immaculate chastity,   Whose Purification   Was our cleansing.   Hail, glorious one   In all angelic virtures,   Whose Assumption   Was our glorification.   O Mother of God,  Remember me. Amen.

"Ave Maria ... Virgo serena" 2 (Mouton)

Ave Maria, gratia plena,   Dominus tecum, Virgo serena,   Tu parvi et magni,   leonis et agni,   Salvatoris Christi,   templum extitisti,   sed virgo intacta.   Tu floris et roris, panis et pastoris,   virginum et regina,   rosa sine spina,   genitrix es facta.   Tu civitas regis justitiae,   Tu mater es misericordiae,   de lacu faecis et miseriae,   Theophilum reformans gratiae.   Te collaudat caelestis curia,   Tu mater es regis et filia.   O Maria dulcissima,   per te reis donatur venia.   O Maria piissima,   per te reis donatur venia.   O Maria mitissima,   per te jusits confertur gratia.   Pro nobis semper Christum exora. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,   the Lord is with you, serene Virgin.   For lowly and great,   lion and lamb,   our saviour Christ:   you have been his temple,   while still a virgin.   For the flower and rose,   the bread and the shepherd:   you queen of virgins,   a rose without a thorn,   you became their mother.   You are the royal seat of justice,   you are the mother of mercy,   from out of the depths of dregs and misery   hast seen Theophilus to grace.   The heavenly court praises you,   you the king’s mother and daughter;   O sweetest Mary,   through you the accused is forgiven.   O most pious Mary,   through you the accused is forgiven.   O most gentle Mary,   through you favor comes to the just.   For us always entreat Christ. Amen.

Church Slavonic text and translations

Богородице Дево, радуйся, Благодатная Марие, Господь с Товою; Благословена Ты в женах и благословен плод чрева Твоего, яко Спаса родила еси душ наших.

Bogoroditse Devo, raduisya Blagodatnaya Marie, Gospod s Tovoyu Blagoslovena Tyi v zhenakh i blagosloven plod chreva Tvoego, yako Spasa rodila esi dush nashikh

Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, for Thou hast borne the Savior of our souls.

Page last modified: July 27, 2013