The Hail Mary- in the Anglican Tradition (?)

In Roman Catholic tradition, the Hail Mary would feature hugely on any blog about the rosary- as indeed it does in many other aspects of Roman Catholic prayer.   It’s place in Anglican worship is more complicated, but, as our intercessions at St Mary’s this morning included the words, I thought I’d look into it a bit.

Certainly, the opening two lines are directly taken from Scripture:

• Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee is based on the Angel Gabriel, as reported in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel: (in the KJV it was “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”- verse 28)
• Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Mary’s cousin Elisabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaims this in verse 42 of Luke’s first chapter- almost word for word in the KJV as it appears in the traditional prayer (“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb…”
• Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.   According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, this is not taken from scripture but is added later: “The second part of the prayer… is of later origin and came into general use in the later Middle Ages.” The Roman Catholic catechism backs this up “the second part of the Hail Mary was added during the course of the Middle Ages.”

Mary is, of course, a hugely important figure in understanding Christian life, whatever the denomination, but Anglicans (especially those from the more clearly Protestant traditions) are more cautious about it.

During the Reformation, figures like Thomas Cranmer were cautious about prayers addressed to saints, including Mary. The concern wasn’t so much about honouring Mary, but about keeping prayer directed primarily to God through Christ. The Hail Mary doesn’t appear in the original Book of Common Prayer- probably for that reason.

In the “high church” or “Anglo-Catholic” traditions, it is often used similarly to Roman Catholic practice- In devotional prayers, private prayer and rosaries, and especially Marian feasts.

The broader Anglican tradition, I am informed, is generally more likely to use the opening lines- and this is especially common in choral settings. Mary is honoured but less commonly used for direct intercession.  When the Angelus is used in services, it quotes the Biblical lines, but not the final “petition” lines.

The Evangelical tradition in the Anglican Church is unlikely to use the Hail Mary- with the focus being on prayer directed to God and God alone.  However the Magnificat (as taken directly from Luke chapter 1)  is often a feature- especially sung- in Anglican churches from the evangelical tradition- especially in evening services.

Most Anglicans would agree that Mary is honoured as the mother of Christ- affirming Christ’s human incarnation- and that she is a biblical model of faith and service.   Any devotion to Mary (or anyone else!) should ultimately point toward Christ, not away from him   Where Anglicans differ seems  mainly over whether it is appropriate to ask for her prayers as intercessor.

So- how would you pray a Hail Mary on an Anglican Rosary, in line with Anglican traditions?  Well I suggest the below.  The sevens are all (very much as a standard RC Marian rosary would be) focused on repeating the Hail Mary... I've confined it to the first (Scriptural) verses, but if you were minded to add the line of petition (Holy mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death...) you could do so without changing the rhythm or structure. Up to you!

An Anglican Hail Mary

The Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We come to hear again the message of the angel,
and to receive Christ in faith and humility.

The Invitatory Bead  

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us: 

O come, let us adore him.

The Cruciform Beads- each is followed by seven repetitions of the Weeks' prayer: 

Cruciform Bead 1:The Annunciation (Luke 1: 28 and 35) 

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
and she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

followed by seven repetitions of the Weeks' Beads Prayer:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. 
Blessed are you among women  

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. 

Cruciform Bead 2: Mary’s Response (Luke 1:38)

Behold the servant of the Lord;
be it unto me according to your word.

followed by seven repetitions of the Weeks' Beads Prayer

Cruciform Bead 3: The Visitation (Luke 1:42)

Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

followed by seven repetitions of the Weeks' Beads Prayer

Cruciform Bead 4: The Incarnation (John 1:14)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

followed by seven repetitions of the Weeks' Beads Prayer 

Return to the Invitational Bead:

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us:
Come, let us receive him anew in faith and love.

Return to the Cross:

Pour forth your grace into our hearts, O Lord,
that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ
by the message of an angel,
may by his cross and passion
be brought to the glory of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.