Ave Maria: The Mystery of a Most Beloved Prayer

Written by Pope Francis

Narrated by Mark Bramhall and Arthur Morey

This important new work by Pope Francis provides an enlightening new vision of the importance of women in the church and the world, seen through the lens of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

"At the beginning of the re-creation of the world, there is a dialogue between God and a single woman," notes Pope Francis in Ave Maria. That woman was Mary, the mother of Jesus, the central role model of faith and service in the Catholic Church.

In this follow-up to Our Father, Pope Francis explores and unpacks line-by-line the meaning of the Ave Maria prayer, while celebrating women and all they do as mothers, sisters, friends, and leaders. Teaming up again with theologian Marco Pozza, Francis demonstrates Mary's complex nature and how her example challenges all of us to lead lives of faith, hope, and perseverance.

In the end, she is an icon not just for the religious, but for all who look to grow more deeply in their purpose in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
• Release date: Mar 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780593104163

Pope Francis

Pope Francis is the first Latin American to be elected to the chair of St Peter. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was ordained as a priest in 1969. He served as head of the Society of Jesus in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. In 1998 he became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and in 2001 a cardinal. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, Bergoglio was elected as his successor. He chose the papal name Francis in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.