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 The Secret of the Rosary

and this will give us true happiness. For since the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. it is
through the virtue of the fear of God that men avoid sin.

Fifteenth Rose

The Hail Mary

THE ANGELIC SALUTATION is so heavenly and so beyond us in its depth- of meaning that Blessed Alan
de la Roche held that no mere creature could ever possibly understand it, and that only Our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ Who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary can really explain it.
Its enormous value is due first of all to Our Lady to whom
it was addressed, to the purpose of the Incarnation of the Word for which reason this prayer was
brought from heaven. and also to the Archangel Gabriel who was the first ever to say it.
The Angelic Salutation is a most concise summary of all
that Catholic theology teaches about the Blessed Virgin. It is divided into two parts, that of
praise and petition: the first shows all that goes to make up Mary's greatness and the
second all that we need to ask her for and all that we may expect to receive through her goodness.
The Most Blessed Trinity revealed the first part of it to us and the latter part was added by Saint
Elizabeth who was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Holy Mother CHURCH gave us the conclusion in the year
430 when she condemned the Nestorian heresy at the council of Ephesus and defined that the Blessed
Virgin is truly the Mother of God. At this time she ordered us to pray to Our Lady under this
glorious title by saying:
"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and
at the hour of our death."
The greatest event in the whole history of the. world was the
Incarnation of the Eternal Word by Whom the world was
redeemed and peace was restored between God and men. Our
Lady was chosen as His instrument for this tremendous event
and it was put into effect when she was greeted with the
Angelic Salutation. The Archangel Gabriel, one of the leading
princes of the heavenly court, was chosen as ambassador to
bear these glad tidings.'
In the Angelic Salutation can be seen the faith and hope of
the patriarchs. the prophets and the apostles. Furthermore it

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