You may remember church bells ringing three times a day: morning, noon and night. In many places in the world, they still do. For centuries, it was to alert Christians to pray the Angelus prayer those three times a day. You should pray this too, and the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (March 25) is the perfect day to begin this beautiful routine enriching your spiritual life. The Annunciation commemorates the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary who announced that she was to be the mother of our Savior. After giving her consent to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit descended upon her, and Jesus was conceived in her womb… “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). The Incarnation of Our Lord resulting from Our Lady’s YES is worthy of your brief meditation thrice daily. This app will help you.

Magnificat Angelus App (Free) Apple | Android

The folks at Magnificat publications have developed this gift of an app for you to participate in this centuries-old traditional prayer.
Developers note: “This prayer is first and foremost a commemoration of the mystery of the Incarnation: God made man to save us all. By reciting it with a faithful heart, it allows you to unite your everyday life, its joys and sorrows, to God who became one of us. Taking precedence over any daily activity at a specific time, it reminds us ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4), and even more so from the Incarnate Word, our Lord Jesus Christ!'”

To help you get into the habit of praying the prayer three times a day, the app offers a way to set up reminders at the hours most convenient for your schedule (it’s set to default 8am, 12pm, and 8pm). No need for church bells. Notice the picture on the app screen shot that shows a man and woman stoping their farm work to pray? It’s a famous 19th century French painting by Jean-Francois Millet. That’s literally what you do when you hear the bell. Stop whatever you’re doing–wherever you are– to pray this prayer.

Through this app you can also watch weekly videos of the Angelus recited by the Pope in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.

Languages: Latin, English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Lithuanian and Slovenian.

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary… 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary…

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.