Magnificat (Canticle of Mary)
Also known as: Canticle of Mary Song of Mary Magnificat anima mea Dominum
English Text
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 for ever.
Translation tradition: Liturgy of the Hours (ICEL 1974)
Latin Text
Magnificat anima mea Dominum,
et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo,
quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.
Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies
timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo,
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui;
deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles;
esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum,
recordatus misericordiae suae,
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
Scripture: Luke 1:46–55; 1 Samuel 2:1–10
When to pray: Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Liturgy of the Hours, every day; Marian feast days.
History & Background
The Magnificat is Mary's canticle of praise, sung at the Visitation when she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth (Lk 1:46–55). It draws deeply on the Song of Hannah (1 Sam 2:1–10) and the entire tradition of the Hebrew Psalms. It is the great Marian hymn of the New Testament and one of only three canticles from the New Testament included in the Liturgy of the Hours. The Church has sung the Magnificat at Evening Prayer (Vespers) every day since at least the 4th century — St. Benedict (c. 540) prescribed it in his Rule for daily Vespers (Rule of St. Benedict, ch. 17). It is the climax of the daily Vespers celebration and is accompanied by the incensation of the altar in solemn celebrations.
Related Prayers
Source
https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html verbatim