AVE MARIA

Singing the “Ave Maria” precipitated one of the most profound spiritual healings I have ever experienced. I am told by many people that when they hear this song they feel as if they are being wrapped in a blanket of love. Indeed, that was my experience as I was recording it. I felt as if my heart was breaking open and I was being bathed in oceans of golden light.

The text of the Ave Maria is one of the most well-loved and recited prayers in both the Western Catholic and Anglican churches, and the Eastern Orthodox church. A prayer of intercession to the Blessed Mother Mary, the “Ave Maria” originated sometime in the middle ages, possibly as early as the 7th century. Based upon biblical texts, it is also known as the “Angelic Salutation” or the “Hail Mary.” The original text was in Greek which was later translated into Latin in the 11th century for the Roman Catholic church.

The Latin translation is as follows (the accent marks are for pronunciation only):

Ave María, grátia plena, dóminus tecum.
Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Sancta María, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatóribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. 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.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.