Second Part of Hail Mary Prayer

According to tradition, St. Dominic received the Rosary directly from the Virgin Mary in the 13th century to combat the Albigensian heresy, also known as Catharism The heresy asserted a dualistic view of the universe. It claimed that the world consisted of two opposing principles: a good, spiritual realm and an evil, material world. According to this belief, human beings were spirits trapped in physical bodies, and the material world was created by an evil deity. The good deity, on the other hand, was associated with the spiritual realm and sent Jesus Christ to help free human souls from their imprisonment in the material world.

This dualistic belief system led the Albigensians to advocate for ascetic practices, including abstaining from marriage and even suicide, as they sought to escape the material world.

This story has been a significant part of Catholic teaching and has inspired countless devotees to pray the Rosary for centuries. Whether viewed as a historical event or a symbolic tale, it's clear that the Rosary has had a profound impact on the faith and practices of many believers.

From what I can tell, the Catholic Church developed the current version of the Hail Mary prayer over time. The first part of the Hail Mary prayer comes directly from the Gospel of Luke. The line "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" is a combination of the Angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth's greeting when Mary visits her (Luke 1:42). This biblical foundation makes the first part straightforward to trace.

The second part, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death," doesn't seem to originate from the Bible. Scholars believe early prayers and inscriptions requesting Mary's intercession shaped its development and its original comes from Tradition.

Tradition holds many theories about the prayer including the following:

Christian grafitti at the catacombs suggest early christians asked for Mary's intercession. In the catacombs, early Christian graffiti provides evidence of believers asking for Mary's intercession. These inscriptions reflect how early Christians sought the support and prayers of Mary in their lives. The requests for her intercession illustrate the longstanding tradition of invoking Mary’s aid, which deeply influenced the development of Marian prayers like the Hail Mary.

Funerary inscriptions near St. Sabina’s Basilica, dating back to around 300 AD, implore Atticus to "sleep in peace, secure in your safety, and pray anxiously for our sins." Inscriptions in the catacombs also reflect early Christian practices of seeking prayers from the saints, such as an inscription asking to "pray for your parents, Matronata Matrona. She lived one year, fifty-two days."

Early Church Fathers like St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Athanasius wrote about Mary’s intercessory role. For example, St. Cyril referred to Mary as an advocate for Christians. Inscriptions from the early Christian period also reflect this belief. A 4th-century inscription near St. Sabina’s Basilica in Rome implores someone named Atticus to "pray anxiously for our sins."

Methodius of Philippi, at the beginning of the 4th century, wrote: "We pray you, the most excellent among women, who boastest in the confidence of your maternal honors that you would unceasingly keep us in remembrance."

Medieval devotions popularized the petition for Mary's intercession, highlighting her role as an intercessor and protector. During the Black Plague in the 14th century, people sought the Blessed Mother's protection, possibly adding this part of the prayer. The second part of the Hail Mary became part of the Rosary and other Marian devotions, solidifying its place in the prayer.

Marian theology development, especially recognizing Mary as the Mother of God (Theotokos), also influenced this petition. The Council of Ephesus in 431 AD affirmed Mary's title as Theotokos, reinforcing her intercessory role (Saint Joseph Orthodox Church).

The title Theotokos for Mary originates in early Christian tradition and writings of the Church Fathers. Origen (died 254 CE) is often cited as an early user of the title, though the supporting text is uncertain (FaithGiant). Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373 CE) used Theotokos in his writings to emphasize Christ’s divine nature (Academia). Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 CE) strongly advocated for the title and defended it during the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD (Orthodox Christianity 101).

Early references and writings from Church Fathers like Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa show the early and widespread use of the title Theotokos, highlighting Mary's role in the mystery of the Incarnation. The development of the Hail Mary prayer and its petition mirrors the historical and theological journey of Marian devotion.

The Protoevangelium of James (also known as the Infancy Gospel of James), an early non-biblical document about Mary dating to around 150 AD, provides details about Mary’s early life, including her parents Joachim and Ann, her miraculous birth, upbringing in the Temple, and betrothal to Joseph. This text is one of the earliest sources expanding on Mary’s life beyond the canonical Gospels.

While the Protoevangelium of James doesn't directly reference the second part of the Hail Mary, early references to asking for Mary's intercession appear in other sources. The earliest known prayer to Mary, the Sub Tuum Praesidium from the 3rd century, asks for her protection and intercession: "We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin."

These practices show early Christian beliefs in Mary’s intercessory role and her importance in the Church’s liturgical life. The incorporation of Marian prayers into liturgical practices solidified her role as an advocate and protector for believers.

The early Byzantine church emphasized Mary's intercessory role in hymns, homilies, and apocryphal texts, and this belief grew significantly during the Middle Byzantine period. Early Christian inscriptions and writings often included requests for Mary's intercession, like the 4th-century inscription near St. Sabina’s Basilica in Rome, imploring Atticus to "pray anxiously for our sins."

Posted on X.com https://x.com/AdelsteinTom/status/1845868290247102930