Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary
From the moment the Angel Gabriel greeted her with "Hail, full of grace," Mary has held a special place in the hearts of Christians. As the Mother of God and our spiritual mother, she intercedes for us before her Son with a mother's love and concern.
These Marian prayers have been prayed by Catholics for centuries—from simple peasants to great saints, from children to popes. When we pray to Mary, we ask her to pray for us and with us, bringing our needs to Jesus just as she did at the wedding at Cana.
"All generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me." — Luke 1:48-49
🌹 Essential Marian Prayers
The Hail Mary
The most beloved Marian prayer, drawn from Scripture. The foundation of the Rosary and countless devotions.
Pray NowThe Memorare
"Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary..." A powerful prayer of confidence in Mary's intercession.
Pray NowHail Holy Queen (Salve Regina)
The traditional closing prayer of the Rosary. A hymn to Mary as Queen of Heaven and our advocate.
Pray Now📿 Traditional Marian Devotions
The Magnificat
Mary's own song of praise from Luke's Gospel. Prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours.
Pray NowThe Angelus
The traditional prayer marking morning, noon, and evening. Commemorates the Incarnation.
Pray NowRegina Caeli
The Easter season replacement for the Angelus. Celebrates Christ's resurrection with Mary.
Pray Now👑 Prayers to Our Lady Under Her Titles
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Patroness of the Americas. Appeared to St. Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531.
Pray NowOur Lady of Lourdes
Appeared to St. Bernadette in France. Associated with healing and the miraculous spring.
Pray NowOur Lady of Fatima
Appeared to three children in Portugal in 1917. Called for prayer and conversion.
Pray NowMiraculous Medal Prayer
Prayer associated with the medal revealed to St. Catherine Labouré in 1830.
Pray NowWhy Do Catholics Pray to Mary?
A common question from non-Catholics is why we pray to Mary when we can pray directly to God. The answer is simple: we can do both! Catholics believe in the communion of saints—that those in heaven are alive in Christ and can intercede for us.
When we ask Mary to pray for us, we're doing what Christians have done since the earliest centuries: asking a holy person to intercede on our behalf. Just as you might ask a friend to pray for you, we ask Mary—the holiest of all human beings—to bring our prayers to her Son.
Mary's intercession is powerful because of her unique relationship with Jesus. She is His mother. At the wedding at Cana, when she told Jesus about the wine shortage, He performed His first miracle. She continues to bring our needs to Him today.
As Jesus was dying on the cross, He gave Mary to us as our mother: "Woman, behold your son... Behold your mother" (John 19:26-27). We honor her not for her own sake, but because of what God did through her—and we trust that she loves us as a mother loves her children.
"Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did."
— St. Maximilian Kolbe