Prayer of the Church

The Angelus

At six, at noon and at six in the evening; in Eastertide, the Regina Caeli

LatinEnglish

℣. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
℟. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
Ave Maria…

℣. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
℟. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary…

℣. Ecce ancilla Domini.
℟. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Ave Maria…

℣. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary…

℣. Et Verbum caro factum est.
℟. Et habitavit in nobis.
Ave Maria…

℣. And the Word was made flesh.
℟. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary…

℣. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix.
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

℣. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Oremus. Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde, ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem eius et crucem ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

SourcePrayer of the Church · At six, at noon and at six in the evening; in Eastertide, the Regina Caeli

The history of this prayer

The Angelus grew out of the evening bell. In the thirteenth century the Franciscans — St Bonaventure among them — urged the faithful to say Hail Marys when the bell rang at day's end; a morning bell followed. In 1456 Pope Callixtus III asked for a noon bell to pray for the defence of Christendom against the Turks.

So the custom grew of stopping three times a day — at 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. — to recall the Incarnation. In Eastertide the Regina Caeli is prayed in its place. The Pope prays the Angelus with the faithful in St Peter's Square every Sunday at noon.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the Angelus prayed?

At 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. Those who cannot keep all three usually pray it at noon.

What replaces the Angelus at Easter?

The Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven), from Easter Sunday to Pentecost.

How do I pray the Angelus on my own?

Say each versicle and response, a Hail Mary after each pair, and finish with the prayer “Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace”.

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