Magnificat Prayer
The Magnificat is Mary's song of praise from the Gospel of Luke, sung during the Visitation when she met her cousin Elizabeth. It is one of the oldest and most theologically rich prayers in Christianity and is prayed daily by the Church as part of Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.
About the Magnificat
The Magnificat is found in Luke 1:46-55. When Mary arrives at Elizabeth's home, Elizabeth greets her with Blessed are you among women. In response, Mary breaks into song. The text draws heavily from the Old Testament — particularly the Song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 — and reveals Mary's deep familiarity with Scripture.
The prayer moves in three parts: Mary's personal praise of God for what he has done for her; God's pattern of reversing worldly power by lifting the lowly and bringing down the mighty; and God's faithfulness to his covenant with Abraham and Israel.
The Magnificat is prayed every day at Evening Prayer (Vespers) in the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours — making it one of the most frequently prayed prayers in the entire Church. In Spanish it is known as La Magnífica.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Luke 1:46-55. Traditional English liturgical form. Public domain.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Magnificat?
- The Magnificat is Mary's prayer of praise found in Luke 1:46-55, sung when she visited her cousin Elizabeth. It is prayed daily by the Catholic Church at Evening Prayer (Vespers) in the Liturgy of the Hours.
- What does Magnificat mean?
- Magnificat is the first word of the prayer in Latin, meaning magnifies or proclaims the greatness of. The full first line is Magnificat anima mea Dominum — My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.
- What is La Magnifica?
- La Magnífica is the Spanish name for the Magnificat — Mary's prayer from Luke 1:46-55. It is the same prayer, prayed in Spanish at Evening Prayer and used widely in Spanish-speaking Catholic devotion.
- When is the Magnificat prayed?
- The Magnificat is prayed every day at Evening Prayer (Vespers) in the Liturgy of the Hours, the official daily prayer of the Catholic Church. It is one of the most frequently prayed prayers in all of Catholicism.
- What is the Magnificat in Spanish?
- The Magnificat in Spanish begins Proclama mi alma la grandeza del Señor — Proclaims my soul the greatness of the Lord. Use the EN/ES toggle on this page to switch between English and Spanish.
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