The Angelus is derived from it's incipit : Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ (The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary). Herbert Thurston writes that the Angelus began in the 11th century, with the monastic custom of reciting three Hail Marys (Ave Marias) at the evening bell. Saint Bonaventure urged parishioners to follow with the Franciscans in saying Hail Marys when the bell rang and Franciscan writings from Italy refer to the use in both 1263 and 1295, with the current form found in a Catechism from Venice in 1560.
Pope John XXIII spoke of the Angelus as:
"a summary of 'the Christian epic' in three books: the divine invitation and initiative; the human response of obedience, fiat; and the result of this obedience, the Word made flesh."
Traditionally, the Angelus is prayed three times a day - at 9 AM , Noon and 6PM daily.
Below is the prayer in Latin followed by English (The leader will typically speak aloud the V lines and the group responding with the R lines.
℣. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ, ℟. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. * Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.
℣. Ecce ancilla Domini. ℟. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. * Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.
℣. Et Verbum caro factum est. ℟. Et habitavit in nobis.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. * Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.
℣. Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genetrix. ℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
Oremus. Gratiam tuam, quæsumus, 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.
℣. The Angel of the LORD declared unto Mary, ℟. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
℣. Behold the handmaid of the LORD. ℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
℣. And the Word was made flesh. ℟. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
℣. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. ℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. ℟. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.