Saying the Prayer
Say the prayer: 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. For a more modern version of the Hail Mary: replace "Thee" with "You"; "art Thou" with "are You"; and "thy" with "your". If you would like to honor tradition, feel free to keep saying the "Thees" and "Thous", but consider that the classic version is itself an archaic translation from Latin. Ask yourself which is more important: the specific words, or the meaning behind them.
Say the prayer in Latin: 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.
Consider saying the Three Hail Marys. This is a traditional Roman Catholic practice of reciting three Hail Marys in sequence as a petition for purity and other virtues. Say these Hail Marys after waking in the morning; say them before going to bed at night, after examining your conscience. Say the following prayers in succession—each punctuated by one standard Hail Mary—to honor Mary's power, wisdom, and mercy: Say the following words before the first Hail Mary: Oh, Immaculate Mary, Virgin most Powerful, I beseech you, through that immense Power which you have received from the Eternal Father, obtain for me purity of heart; strength to overcome all the enemies of my soul; and the special favor I implore in my present necessity. (Name the favor). Mother most pure! Forsake me not, despise not my prayer, graciously hear me for God's glory, your honor, and the welfare of my soul. To obtain this favor I honor your Power by reciting: (say the Hail Mary). Say these words to frame the second Hail Mary: Oh Virgin Mary, My Mother, through that ineffable Wisdom bestowed upon you by the Incarnate Word of God, I humbly beseech you, obtain for me meekness and humility of heart; a perfect knowledge of the divine will; and strength to accomplish it always. Oh Mary, Seat of Wisdom; as a tender Mother, lead me in the path of Christian virtue and perfection; enlighten and enable me to do what is most pleasing to your beloved Son; and obtain my petition. To obtain this grace I honor your Wisdom by reciting: (say the Hail Mary). Repeat this phrase to preface the third Hail Mary: Oh, Mother of Mercy, Mother of penitent sinners, I stand before you sinful and sorrowful, beseeching you through the immense love given to you by the Holy Spirit for us poor sinners, obtain for me true and perfect contrition for my sins, which I hate and detest with all my heart, because I love God. Mother most merciful, help me in my present necessity. Turn then those eyes of mercy toward us, oh clement, oh loving, oh sweet Virgin Mary! To obtain this precious gift, I honor Your loving mercy by reciting: (say the Hail Mary).
Preparing to Pray
Find a place to pray. You can say Hail Marys anywhere, but you may be able to reach a deeper level of reflection if you set aside a peaceful, intentional space for the words. Some people like to say the prayer in a quiet, solitary room; some people prefer to recite a Hail Mary in church or other group prayer sessions. Find a place and time that make you feel peaceful, comfortable, and meditative.
Kneel or stand. It is traditional to kneel while reciting a Hail Mary, although you can also say the words while standing. Either way, keep your back straight and your head upright. Face something meaningful: an altar, a picture or statue of Mary, or anything that you feel enhances the power of the words you're about to say. If you kneel, put your knees on a prayer bench, on a pillow, or directly on the floor. If you stand, try to keep your legs straight, in a solid stance. Either way, try not to focus on your legs – focus on the words and the intention behind them.
Consider using rosary beads. The rosary is a Catholic sequence of prayers that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, asked us to remember; it is a meditation on the mysteries of Jesus' life. The prayers are performed on a string of beads used to count each prayer. You can buy a rosary online, at some churches, or at certain Catholic-serving markets. If you can't find a rosary, try making your own.
Say "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." while crossing yourself. This phrase precedes the Hail Mary, and it serves to set an intention for the prayer. By dedicating your words to the Holy Trinity, you acknowledge that you are not praying to Mother Mary, per se, but rather asking her to pray to God with you.
Put your palms together. Hold your pressed hands in front of your chest. Point your fingertips up. This is a classic "prayer pose". By pressing your hands together, you focus your physical and spiritual energy into one spot so that you can make the Hail Mary as meaningful as possible.
Understanding the Hail Mary
Consider which religious groups say the Hail Mary. The Hail Mary prayer—also called the Angelic Salutation—is a traditional Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. In Roman Catholicism, the prayer forms the basis of the Rosary and the Angelus prayers. In the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, a similar prayer is used in formal liturgies, both in Greek and in translations. It is also used by many other groups within the Catholic tradition of Christianity – including Anglicans, Independent Catholics, and Old Catholics. Some Protestant denominations, such as Lutherans, also make use of a form of the prayer.
Understand that the prayer is not meant to worship the Virgin Mary. Catholics believe that although Mary was a godly young woman, and greatly blessed to bear the Savior, she was not divine, even though she was sinless. One should not worship her, but one may venerate or pray to her because devotion to Mary is a way to get closer to God.
Study the Biblical roots of the Hail Mary. The text of the Hail Mary prayer incorporates two Bible passages: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" (Luke 1:28) and “Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Luke 1:42). The third part of the Hail Mary prayer ("Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.) is not directly from the Bible, but it is clearly in agreement with 1 Timothy 2:1-4 ("First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.") The first passage (Luke 1:28) is the Angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary. He said these words when he came to inform her that she had been chosen to bear the Messiah. The second passage (Luke 1:42) cites the greeting that Mary's cousin Elizabeth gave her when Mary came to visit. Elizabeth was also pregnant at the time – with John the Baptist. The third passage (justified by 1 Timothy 2:1-5) is in agreement with St. Paul's request for us to pray for and with each other.
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