A private devotion of very old standing in the Latin Church, taken up in the home, the workplace and the parish rather than in the liturgy itself, and traditionally announced by the ringing of a bell at morning, midday and evening. The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy commends it as a simple and biblical exercise of piety that sanctifies the hours of the day, and the Popes recite it publicly with the faithful at midday.

Pray it at about six in the morning, at noon, and at about six in the evening. Take the three versicles in turn — the angel of the Lord declared unto Mary; behold the handmaid of the Lord; and the Word was made flesh — answering each with its response and praying a Hail Mary after each. Then say the versicle 'Pray for us, O holy Mother of God' with its response, and close with the collect asking that we who have known the incarnation of Christ by the message of an angel may be brought by his Passion and Cross to the glory of his resurrection. It takes about two minutes; where a bell is rung, let the bell rather than the clock call you to it.

About 3 minutes

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