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Ave Maria: The Mystery of a Most Beloved Prayer
"At the beginning of the re-creation of the world, there is a dialogue between God and a single woman," notes Pope Francis in Ave Maria. That woman was Mary, the mother of Jesus, the central role model of faith and service in the Catholic Church. In this follow up to Our Father, Pope Francis explores and unpacks line by line the meaning of the Ave Maria prayer, while celebrating women and all they do as mothers, sisters, friends, and leaders. Teaming up again with theologian Marco Pozza, Francis demonstrates Mary's complex nature and how her example challenges all of us to lead lives of faith, hope and perseverance. In the end she is an icon not just for the religious, but for all who look to grow more deeply in their purpose in life.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2018
27 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Pope Francis
1,322 books1,000 followersPope Francis (Latin: Franciscus; Italian: Francesco; Spanish: Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) was the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, a title he held ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and Sovereign of the Vatican City. He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European pope since the Syrian Gregory III, who died in 741.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technologist and nightclub bouncer before beginning seminary studies. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969 and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He was accused of handing two priests to the National Reorganization Process during the Dirty War, but the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He led the Argentine Church during the December 2001 riots in Argentina, and the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner considered him a political rival. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March.
Throughout his public life, Pope Francis had been noted for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, concern for the poor, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. He was credited with having a humble, less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors, for instance choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors. In addition, due to both his Jesuit and Ignatian aesthetic, he was known for favoring simpler vestments void of ornamentation, including refusing the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, and keeping the same pectoral cross he had as Cardinal. He maintained that the church should be more open and welcoming. He did not support unbridled capitalism, Marxism, or Marxist versions of liberation theology. Francis maintained the traditional views of the church regarding abortion, euthanasia, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, and priestly celibacy. He opposed consumerism, irresponsible development, and supported taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato si'. In international diplomacy, he helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technologist and nightclub bouncer before beginning seminary studies. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969 and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He was accused of handing two priests to the National Reorganization Process during the Dirty War, but the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He led the Argentine Church during the December 2001 riots in Argentina, and the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner considered him a political rival. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March.
Throughout his public life, Pope Francis had been noted for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, concern for the poor, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. He was credited with having a humble, less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors, for instance choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors. In addition, due to both his Jesuit and Ignatian aesthetic, he was known for favoring simpler vestments void of ornamentation, including refusing the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, and keeping the same pectoral cross he had as Cardinal. He maintained that the church should be more open and welcoming. He did not support unbridled capitalism, Marxism, or Marxist versions of liberation theology. Francis maintained the traditional views of the church regarding abortion, euthanasia, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, and priestly celibacy. He opposed consumerism, irresponsible development, and supported taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato si'. In international diplomacy, he helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 16, 2021
This short, yet empowering book, records the dialogue between Pope Francis and the prominent theologian Marco Pozza. Their subject, of course, is the Blessed Mother Mary, and Pozza engages Francis by posing lengthy, detailed questions to the Pope about the meaning of each line of the Hail Mary and also about Mary’s enduring influence within the Catholic Church and among people of diverse cultures and religions throughout the world.
I found their conversation fascinating and enlightening. In particular, Pozza’s extremely insightful questions and commentary came off as even more profound than Francis’s equally steady and thoughtful answers. Their open-mindedness about history, scripture, faith, and their compassion for humanity resonated with genuine sincerity in discussing Mary’s lasting and vital significance both to the Church and to humankind as the epitome of a mother’s courage, strength, fortitude, humility, sacrifice, suffering, and hope. The reverence they express towards Mary and towards women overall as vital to our communities and faiths is quite refreshing and inspiring.
One instance I found misleading was when Pozza mentioned how Islam does not believe in Jesus. This is inaccurate. Islam reveres Jesus and embraces his teachings as a great prophet who can lead us to God, just as Abraham, Moses, and Mary herself can. Muslims regard Jesus as divinely guided by God and strengthened with the Holy Spirit, making him capable of performing miracles through God. They, however, do not acknowledge the trinity in placing Jesus as equal to God. Muslims follow Jesus as the Messiah on Earth, but not as a divine man. Islam sees Jesus as the son of Mary, and for Muslims, Mary is loved and revered among all women as the saint that she is. Pozza does point out the fact of Mary’s importance to Islam when he mentions how the Qur’an honors Mary more times than the Gospels.
Apart from this minor discrepancy, I liked and agreed with most everything Pope Francis and Pozza discussed regarding the patience and humility required of us who embrace the journey of faith as a lifelong quest of seeking and searching to believe and understand more. Through devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary, we can gain grace and strive towards better and fuller lives by embracing the example Mary sets for us as an ideal, loyal, caring, humble, and loving mother who yearns for us to follow the path of her Son.
I found their conversation fascinating and enlightening. In particular, Pozza’s extremely insightful questions and commentary came off as even more profound than Francis’s equally steady and thoughtful answers. Their open-mindedness about history, scripture, faith, and their compassion for humanity resonated with genuine sincerity in discussing Mary’s lasting and vital significance both to the Church and to humankind as the epitome of a mother’s courage, strength, fortitude, humility, sacrifice, suffering, and hope. The reverence they express towards Mary and towards women overall as vital to our communities and faiths is quite refreshing and inspiring.
One instance I found misleading was when Pozza mentioned how Islam does not believe in Jesus. This is inaccurate. Islam reveres Jesus and embraces his teachings as a great prophet who can lead us to God, just as Abraham, Moses, and Mary herself can. Muslims regard Jesus as divinely guided by God and strengthened with the Holy Spirit, making him capable of performing miracles through God. They, however, do not acknowledge the trinity in placing Jesus as equal to God. Muslims follow Jesus as the Messiah on Earth, but not as a divine man. Islam sees Jesus as the son of Mary, and for Muslims, Mary is loved and revered among all women as the saint that she is. Pozza does point out the fact of Mary’s importance to Islam when he mentions how the Qur’an honors Mary more times than the Gospels.
Apart from this minor discrepancy, I liked and agreed with most everything Pope Francis and Pozza discussed regarding the patience and humility required of us who embrace the journey of faith as a lifelong quest of seeking and searching to believe and understand more. Through devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary, we can gain grace and strive towards better and fuller lives by embracing the example Mary sets for us as an ideal, loyal, caring, humble, and loving mother who yearns for us to follow the path of her Son.
April 29, 2022
This is a line-by-line discussion with Pope Francis regarding the prayer Ave Mary or the Hail Maria. The interviewer gets the pontiff to relay his views not only regarding each line of the prayer but his opinions on the position of Mary in the Christian Church. That she was representative of Mother Church. That God not only gave his son but someone who could stand in for the eternal loving, supportive mother. But despite the focus on Mary, she, in turn, would shift the focus to Jesus and to God. Look at some of the older artwork - her attention is on her son or God's representative. Never really noticed that but will have to take a look with that idea in mind.
The book ends with a tale of a son in prison who recognizes he is reborn in Christ. Tale of his childhood and youth - of drugs, alcohol, violence and murder - and how his mother was always there. Always loving her son.
Although I did flinch when Pope Francis kept calling Mary "mom". . . but that's just a personal thing.
2022-088
The book ends with a tale of a son in prison who recognizes he is reborn in Christ. Tale of his childhood and youth - of drugs, alcohol, violence and murder - and how his mother was always there. Always loving her son.
Although I did flinch when Pope Francis kept calling Mary "mom". . . but that's just a personal thing.
2022-088
February 14, 2022
Note: I listened to an audiobook version of this book.
I really really wanted to like this… and when Pope Francis was able to focus on Our Lady without interruption, I really did like it. Unfortunately, the book was written in an interview format that I found annoying. I found the interviewer even more annoying. It was almost like he was a Pope Francis fanboy; some of his questions were pandering and had more to do with Pope Francis, rather than Our Lady. It seemed like Pope Francis had to keep redirecting things back to Our Lady. I would have enjoyed this much more if the book had not been an interview and if Pope Francis had been able to address the topic on his own without being interrupted by barely related questions.
I really really wanted to like this… and when Pope Francis was able to focus on Our Lady without interruption, I really did like it. Unfortunately, the book was written in an interview format that I found annoying. I found the interviewer even more annoying. It was almost like he was a Pope Francis fanboy; some of his questions were pandering and had more to do with Pope Francis, rather than Our Lady. It seemed like Pope Francis had to keep redirecting things back to Our Lady. I would have enjoyed this much more if the book had not been an interview and if Pope Francis had been able to address the topic on his own without being interrupted by barely related questions.
December 26, 2024
picked this up at a book sale for $1. short book that unpacks the “Hail Mary” through conversation with Pope Francis.
a good read the sheds light on how we can view Mary as christians; however, I could have done without part 2.
a good read the sheds light on how we can view Mary as christians; however, I could have done without part 2.
March 9, 2025
I wanted to love this book because I love Pope Francis and his attempts to reform the Church. And I love Mary and the story of her remarkable faith and trust at a moment when she could have turned away. However, the idea of two men talking with so reverently about a woman who was so ready to open her life to the uncertainty and wildness of the holy, while those men don't include a woman in their discussion, and are standing within a tradition which has so denigrated women and which to this day can't recognize the strength, wisdom and insight of women, is just too much of a paradox for me to embrace.
We have so many examples of courageous, morally clear and upright women across history and yet the Church will not allow women to be priests and generally seem to recognize the voice of women. They will not step down from their lecterns and see women as their equals. At a certain point, we women need to simply say ENOUGH! And for me, with this book, that time has come. I have to say I've had it. Enough!
Let's be honest, there's never a good time in the future to change the status of women. The time is now. If you love Mary, you should love us all. If you look to Mary for leadership, you should look to us all.
We have so many examples of courageous, morally clear and upright women across history and yet the Church will not allow women to be priests and generally seem to recognize the voice of women. They will not step down from their lecterns and see women as their equals. At a certain point, we women need to simply say ENOUGH! And for me, with this book, that time has come. I have to say I've had it. Enough!
Let's be honest, there's never a good time in the future to change the status of women. The time is now. If you love Mary, you should love us all. If you look to Mary for leadership, you should look to us all.
January 23, 2023
I'm sorry. I'm trying to learn more about catholicism and the fascination with Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. I'm struggling with where the idea that Mary was sinless originated from. I've not seen anything in the Bible to support Mary being sinless or a command (or suggestion) to pray to her.
This book didn't provide the scriptures either.
This book didn't provide the scriptures either.
April 30, 2019
Short and sweet, with just the right amount of insight and reflection to perk a person up.
June 6, 2019
Excellent
I have read this book in a few days. It is wonderful and helps give you a deeper understanding of Mary; and how she leads us to Jesus.
I have read this book in a few days. It is wonderful and helps give you a deeper understanding of Mary; and how she leads us to Jesus.
June 26, 2019
A lovely, short devotional following the Hail Mary prayer.
December 5, 2019
A wonderful, line by line interpretation and meditation on one of the world’s great prayers, The Hail Mary. The power of those lines still thrills this graduate of St. Mary’s and Mater Dei. Amen.
December 24, 2019
this book made me see Mary the mother of God in a different light than I had before. Short book but very in depth in concepts and theories.
May 22, 2020
Uma leitura incrível, um mergulho na vida de Maria através da oração.
January 31, 2021
Beautiful...read before praying my daily rosary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2021
A nice little read about the Hail Mary and a interesting introspective on Mary.
December 31, 2021
Beautiful. The words fill my heart with joy. It’s a book that I can read again and again.
April 25, 2022
Really short and simple and lovely.
June 6, 2022
Simple. Profound. Hopeful. Mysterious.
December 14, 2022
I thought this was a very interesting book to read!!!
June 9, 2023
Still love Pope Francis. Trying my best to understand Mary.
November 29, 2025
Very good
September 24, 2023
Wonderful book that explains the prayer, sentence by sentence. So you can understand what each part means…
Want to read
August 16, 2020This wonderful little meditation on the "Hail Mary" is a quick read and a great inspiration. Pope Francis remnds us that when we look to Mary she always points us to her son, Jesus, the Lord Our God. Jesus not only gave his life for our sins, he shares his beloved mother with us. And what a gift that is. As a convert to Catholicism, I had no experience with Mary. We were introduced when I went to pray over a friends sorrow at loosing her son. Mary was in the corner of the church. Her presence helped me understand the words that would help sooth my friends tremendous grief. I have found Mary's presence and example a great guide in times of sorrow and joy. The Pope's interview with theologian Marco Pozza helped me understand why.
May 6, 2023
Sticky notes on a lot of pages. Excited to put down in journal some of the thoughts that the Pope had talked about.
Page 20: let’s not forget it God greets a woman who is mother from first moment.
Brought up simple she loved the holy scripture.
Page 34 if we read the gospel through the eyes of Mary there is an extraordinary concentration of the Holy Spirit
Poem look at me I am a sinner but always leave the key within my reach father Emilio Lewis Calori
Jerusalem church of damnation of Mary
Mary did not die she fell asleep
Page 121 our ladies finger always points to Jesus do what he tells you John 2:5
Page 122 Sun the Mountain Beatitudes blessed are the poor in spirit Matthew 5:3 meaning blessed are the human the image of the man he is seen at home
Painting our lady of the pilgrims by Caravaggio clasped hands reverent knees under your protection we seek refuge holy mother of God do not despise our supplications in our distress but deliver us from all danger oh glorious and blessed virgin.
I look at Mary who is there on the threshold and holds her son in her arms he is more than one year old
Page 60-61 I protect you like a mom a mom cannot forget her child and even if she should do so I’ll never could Isaiah 49:15
Page 20: let’s not forget it God greets a woman who is mother from first moment.
Brought up simple she loved the holy scripture.
Page 34 if we read the gospel through the eyes of Mary there is an extraordinary concentration of the Holy Spirit
Poem look at me I am a sinner but always leave the key within my reach father Emilio Lewis Calori
Jerusalem church of damnation of Mary
Mary did not die she fell asleep
Page 121 our ladies finger always points to Jesus do what he tells you John 2:5
Page 122 Sun the Mountain Beatitudes blessed are the poor in spirit Matthew 5:3 meaning blessed are the human the image of the man he is seen at home
Painting our lady of the pilgrims by Caravaggio clasped hands reverent knees under your protection we seek refuge holy mother of God do not despise our supplications in our distress but deliver us from all danger oh glorious and blessed virgin.
I look at Mary who is there on the threshold and holds her son in her arms he is more than one year old
Page 60-61 I protect you like a mom a mom cannot forget her child and even if she should do so I’ll never could Isaiah 49:15
December 15, 2023
I just finished the audio, and was touched by this mediation based on the prayer, the "Hail Mary." Many people outside of the Catholic faith mistakenly believe Catholics worship Mary. This is not so, and the book beautifully lays out why she is venerated, including scriptural basis, and the glorious example her life--one open to and, therefore, full of grace--provides to all. A wonderful spiritual read.
October 2, 2023
Папа Франциск, як завжди, коротко та ясно вміє пояснити складні речі. Так, його коментарі до відомії молитвами Ave Maria, є чудовими поясненнями хто така Марія, і яке місце вона займає в християнстві. Це не просто відповіді на питання інтерв’юера, але дуже глибокі та особисті роздуми Святішого отця над однією з найвеличніших постатей Церкви.
January 26, 2021
"God who chose to be dependent on the freedom of the people. "
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews