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February 12, 2025 | 5:14pm
Statue of the Virgin Mary
Image by Jacques GAIMARD from Pixabay
MANILA, Philippines — A new Filipino version of the "Hail Mary" prayer has been approved by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), providing an alternative to the commonly used "Aba Ginoong Maria."
Called “Ave Maria,” the alternative follows the title of the Spanish version of the prayer. It was approved by the CBCP during its recent plenary assembly.
According to CBCP Secretary General Bernardo Pantin, the new translation is not intended to replace the existing version but to offer a more accurate rendering of the original Latin.
“[It’s] more contextualized, simple and adaptable to the changing times, as well as enhances our understanding and appreciation of the significance and richness of its biblico-theological foundation,” Pantin said, according to a report by CBCP News.
The CBCP noted that several key principles informed the changes.
“The revisions are guided by: faithfulness to the original Latin text, bible-based, simplicity, prayerfulness, adaptability to the changing times and in the Philippine context, and the spirit of synodality that all may be one,” the CBCP said.
The bishops' action coincides with the Catholic Church's celebration of the 2025 Jubilee Year and the 50th anniversary of the CBCP's 1975 pastoral letter on the Virgin Mary, "Ang Mahal na Birheng Maria."
Below is a comparison of the original prayer and the alternative version issued by the CBCP:
