Ave Maria (Latin Ave Maria - [ˈavɛ mɐˈrʲiɪ̯ə] [1] - “Hail Mary!”) Is a Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary. This prayer is also called angelic greeting (Latin Angelica salutatio), since its first phrase is the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel, said by him to Mary at the time of the Annunciation.