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

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

"At the beginning of the re-creation of the world, there is a dialogue between God and a single woman," notes Pope Francis. And today, nine calendar months before Christmas Day, the Church remembers that dialogue. It not only heralded Mary’s world-transforming pregnancy but also brought to birth a prayer which is central to the worshipping life of millions of Christians across the globe.

In Simone Martini’s 1333 painting here, we can just make out a few of the Latin words with which that prayer opens. The angel kneels before Mary, olive branch in hand. Despite this peace offering, she shrinks away from him, pulling her hood protectively around her chin. And crossing the elegant vase of lilies symbolising Mary’s purity, Gabriel’s greeting spills out of his mouth in a golden stream of letters: “AVE GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM” – “Hail (Mary), full of grace! The Lord is with thee.” (Luke 1.28)

But the Ave Maria as it’s known, or Hail Mary, also draws on a later encounter Mary had high in the Judaean hills with her cousin Elizabeth, also pregnant. As the two women greet each other, Luke tells us that the child in Elizabeth’s womb leapt and that, full of the Holy Spirit, she cried out, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (1.42). Elizabeth’s womb and words both leaping with excitement, not only confirmed the identity of Mary’s son but also Mary’s own identity - Theotokos, the God-bearer.