art: Visitation by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1491. Public Domain
The Magnificat (Latin for “[My soul] magnifies [the Lord]”) is Mary’s beautiful song of praise, prayed during her visit to Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation. It glorifies God for His endless mercy, strength, and faithfulness, especially to the lowly and humble. For Catholics, this prayer is a cherished expression of devotion to Our Lady and a wonderful reminder of how deeply God loves a humble heart.
The Magnificat is the centerpiece of Vespers (Evening Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours. When Catholics pray it daily, they aren’t just praying individually; they are joining the official public prayer of the Church. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2619), Mary’s song is the song of both the Mother of God and of the Church, making it a powerful daily connection to the entire Body of Christ. The Magnificat boldly proclaims that God scatters the proud, lifts up the lowly, and fills the hungry with good things. In times of personal struggle or cultural turmoil, praying this daily serves as a reassuring promise that God remains in control and faithful to His covenant.
The following is an excerpt from Pope John Paul II’s 1987 encyclical letter Redemptoris Mater: “The words used by Mary on the threshold of Elizabeth’s house are an inspired profession of her faith, in which her response to the revealed word is expressed with the religious and poetical exultation of her whole being towards God. In these sublime words, which are simultaneously very simple and wholly inspired by the sacred texts of the people of Israel, Mary’s personal experience, the ecstasy of her heart, shines forth.”
The full Magnificat can be found below:
“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 to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.”
