<P> The Hail Mary, also commonly called the Ave Maria (Latin), is a traditional Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus . In Roman Catholicism, the prayer forms the basis of the Rosary and the Angelus prayers . In the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, a similar prayer is used in formal liturgies, both in Greek and in translations . It is also used by many other groups within the catholic tradition of Christianity including Anglicans, Independent Catholics, and Old Catholics . Some Protestant denominations, such as Lutherans, also make use of a form of the prayer . </P> <P> Based on the greeting of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary in the Gospel of Luke, the prayer takes different forms in various traditions . It has often been set to music . </P> <P> The first element of the Hail Mary was the Angelic Salutation of the Angel Gabriel: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1: 28). </P>

Where do the words of the hail mary come from