A striking feature of the angel’s greeting is that he does not address Mary with the usual Hebrew salutation shalom – peace be with you – chaíre, which we might well translate with the word “Hail,” as in the Church’s Marian prayer, pieced together from the words of the annunciation narrative (cf. Lk 1:28, 42). Yet at this point it is only right to draw out the true meaning of the word chaíre: rejoice! This exclamation from the angel – we could say – marks the true beginning of the New Testament.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS: What Is The Christian Understanding Of The Human Person? | Pope Leo XIV
In MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS, Pope Leo XIV's first and newest encyclical, the definition of human dignity from a Christian perspective is beautifully explained by Our Holy Father. MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS: Human Dignity "At the heart of the Christian understanding of the human...
