Ave Maria

The Hail Mary is a traditional Catholic prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus, based on two biblical passages in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary and Mary's visit to Elisabeth. The prayer is a combination of the Angel Gabriel's words to Mary, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee," and Elisabeth's greeting to Mary, "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." The prayer takes different forms in various traditions and has been set to music, and is used in various Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, and some Western groups. The prayer is a prayer of praise and petition to Mary, regarded as the Theotokos (Mother of God), and includes an appeal for her intercession.learn more on wikipedia