General Meaning And Origin
A series of prayers recited in the morning, at midday, and in the evening, commemorating the Annunciation and Incarnation.
The Angelus is a known Catholic prayer that commemorates incarnation of our Lord Jesus into human form. It has a Latin origin which translates to the word Angel.
The Angelus originated with the 11th century monastic custom of reciting three Hail Mary’s during the evenings. It was included in the Venetian catechism in 1950, so Catholics could learn it better.
The Angelus prayer origin was ascribed by some to Pope Urban II and by others to Pope John XXII in 1317.
The triple recitation was ascribed to Louis XI of France who in 1472, ordered it to be recited three times daily.
How To Say The Angelus
The Angelus is a routine prayer that requires a certain degree of mastering. Therefore, to this effect, we shall learn how to say the Angelus in various steps. Taken note of the Verses and Responses respectively.
V. 1 – The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary
R.1 – And She was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Say the Hail Mary – ” Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus”, “Holy Mary, Mother of God pray for us sinners now and the hour of our death”… Amen
V. 2 – Behold the handmaid of the Lord
R.2 – Be it done to me according to your word
Say the Hail Mary again
V. 3 – And the word was made flesh
R.3 – And dwelt among us
Say the Hail Mary Again
V.4 – Pray for us Oh! Holy Mother of God
R.4 – That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray – “Pour forth we beseech you O Lord, your grace into our heart, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ your Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may be brought by His passion and cross to the glory of His resurrection, through Christ Our Lord”… Amen
Bible Verses Associated With The Angelus
A lot of times the Angelus is taken for granted and slid under the rug as a mere recitation instead of a prayer.
Today I intend to show bible extracts that back up and are associated with the Angelus. They are as follows
- In the first verse of the Angelus – “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she was conceived by the holy spirit” was lifted from the gospel of Saint Luke 1: 26 -28;
- The second verse and response – “Behold the handmaid of the lord, be it done to me according to your word” was gotten also from the gospel of St Luke chapter one verse thirty- eight (Luke 1:38).
- The Gospel of St John 1:14 clearly states the third verse and response – “And the word was made flesh, and it dwelt amongst us”.
- As the servants at the wedding in Canaan clearly went to our lady for help to seek for her sons assistance, we also as Catholics recite the fourth verse and response of the Angelus – “Pray for us o holy mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ” to implore her aid in carrying out our Christain vocation.
Significance Of The Angelus Bell
The Angelus is a very renowned prayer in the Catholic Church because of the specific times it’s being said. These selected times in the Roman Catholic church are by six o’clock and twelve o’clock in the mornings and in the evenings. The noontime Angelus bell ringing was originated to commemorate the passion of Jesus Christ that occurred on Good Friday. Given that these times may be easily forgotten as people could be busy, the bell is rung nine times keeping the space of one Pater and Ave between every three tollings. This particular precision and method of which the angelus bell is now rung to and recorded on radios were dictated by the 15th-century constitutors of the Syon monastery.
In regular Catholic churches, the angelus bell is built in a tower called the Belfry with loudspeakers connected to it with the aim of connecting and praying with as many Roman Catholics as possible, pre-announcing the time for early morning masses and in some churches also during the three o’clock hour of mercy prayers said in the afternoon. The Angelus bell is significant because of these and many more uses depending on the parish or monasteries constitutions.
