Angelus is a Roman Catholic prayer. Angelus is the Latin word for angel. It is the first word of the Latin version of the prayer and refers to the angel who, according to the New Testament, announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ. The prayer has three verses, each followed by a response and the Hail Mary prayer. A short concluding prayer follows the third Hail Mary. Traditionally, the Angelus is recited three times daily—in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. Church bells are often rung to signal the times for the prayer.
A prayer similar to the Angelus probably originated in Germany in the 1200’s, when people prayed each evening at the sound of a bell. The present form of the Angelus probably dates from the early 1600’s. Some popes have granted indulgences for the recitation of the prayer. An indulgence is a release from all or part of the temporal (earthly) punishment due for sin, provided that the sin already has been forgiven.
