The Hail Mary is a traditional Christian prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. Its origins come from biblical passages in the Gospel of Luke, with the first part of the prayer quoting the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary (“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee”) and Elizabeth’s words during the Visitation (“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”). The second part, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death,” was added by the Church over time. The prayer is widely used in Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and some Anglican traditions. It is central to the Rosary, a devotion in which the Hail Mary is repeated while meditating on events in the life of Christ and Mary. The prayer is used to honor Mary and seek her intercession, emphasizing her role as the mother of Jesus and a powerful spiritual advocate.