Saint Mechtilde (1241 – 1298) is one of the great women of the Church.

Saint Mechtilde was a Benedictine nun known for being a musical talent with a beautiful voice, of great piety, and a renowned mystic.

Throughout her life, Mechtilde was gifted by God with the grace of many mystical visions of Jesus and Mary.

Pious tradition tells of one time she was praying with great fervor for the most sublime salutation possible to greet Mary with.

Her request was answered, seeing in a vision Our Lady bearing on her heart an angelic salutation written in gold, “Hail Mary, Full of Grace! The Lord Is With Thee!”

She said to Saint Mechtilde:

“My daughter, I want you to know that no one can please me more than by saying the salutation which the Most Adorable Trinity sent to me, and by which raised me to the dignity of Mother of God.

By the word Ave, I have learned that in His power God has preserved me from all sin and its attendant misery which the first women has been subject to.

The name Mary which means ‘Lady of Light’ shows God has filled me with wisdom and light, like a shining star, to light up heaven and earth.

The words full of grace remind me that the Holy Spirit has showered so many graces upon me that I am able to give these graces in abundance to those who ask for them through me a Mediatrix.

When people say The Lord is with thee, they renew the indescribable joy that was mine when the Eternal Word became incarnate in my womb.

When you say Blessed art thou among women, I praise Almighty God’s divine mercy which has lifted me to this exalted plane of happiness.

And at the words Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, the whole of heaven rejoices with me to see my Son Jesus Christ adored and glorified for having saved mankind.”

What follows is known as the “Golden Hail Mary,” gifted to Saint Mechtilde by Mary.

“HAIL, Mary, in union with that reverence wherewith God the Father greeted thee with Ave, and by His omnipotence delivered thee from every woe and sin. Hail, Mary, in union with that love wherewith the Son of God enlightened thee with His wisdom, and made thee a softly-shining star, lighting up Heaven and earth. Hail, Mary, in union with that sweet unction of the Holy Ghost, wherewith He so pervaded thee and made thee so full of grace, that everyone who through thee seeketh grace doth find it. Call to mind now that unspeakable operation wherewith the whole most Blessed Trinity wrought in thee, when human flesh taken from thy substance was so united to the Divine Nature that God was made man and man became God, and thy whole soul was suffused with a sweetness and a gladness which the heart of man cannot conceive. And therefore every creature with rapturous admiration doth acknowledge and confess that thou art blessed and incomparably exalted above all creatures in Heaven or on earth, and blessed the Fruit of thy womb, even Jesus, who quickens, sanctifies, and blesses all things for ever. Amen.”

🙏 Mary, pray for us!

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