The Magnificat, also known as the Canticle of Mary, is the Virgin Mary’s hymn of praise to God. Recorded in the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55), she proclaims it after the Annunciation upon visiting her cousin Elizabeth. It is a foundational prayer of the Church, central to the Liturgy of the Hours.
The Magnificat's text comes directly from the Gospel of Luke, dating it to the first century. From the earliest centuries, the Church incorporated this canticle into its formal worship. Saint Benedict of Nursia prescribed it for daily Vespers (Evening Prayer) in his 6th-century Rule, a practice formalized in the Liturgy of the Hours. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls it the song of both the Mother of God and of the Church (CCC 2619).
The Magnificat expresses Mary’s profound humility and joy in God's saving plan. It is a prophetic song that celebrates God's mercy, which overturns worldly expectations by exalting the lowly and humbling the proud. It proclaims the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham and Israel, now realized through Christ. In praying it, the Church joins Mary in magnifying the Lord for the great things He has done for all generations.
The Magnificat is prayed every evening throughout the world as the Gospel Canticle of Vespers (Evening Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours. It is especially fitting for Marian feast days, such as the Annunciation (March 25) and the Assumption (August 15). Many also pray it as a personal act of thanksgiving for God's blessings or when reflecting on His mercy and justice in their lives.
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