The Ave Maria of Ramon Llull
(from Blanquerna, LXI)
by Bl. Ramon Llull
Hail Mary!
Your servant salutes you on the part of the angels,
of the patriarchs, of the prophets, of the martyrs,
of the confessors, of the virginal youths and maids:
and I salute you for all the saints of glory.
Hail Mary!
Salutations I bring you from all Christians, both righteous and sinners;
the righteous salute you because you are worthy of salutation
and because you are the hope of their salvation;
the sinners salute you to beg you for pardon.
Hail Mary!
Salutations I bring you from Saracens, Jews, Greeks, Mongols, Tartars;
all of them, and many other peoples, salute you through me,
who am their channel. For them salutation I bring to you
so that your Son might remember them.
Hail Mary!
You are worthy that, through all people and in all lands,
you might be known, served, loved, and honored. They salute you!
And they beg for your help and grace and blessing through me.
(My translation.) The intercession of Mary is quite important in the theological thought of Ramon Llull, although given the range of his interests it only comes up explicitly on occasion; the importance of it is mostly in terms of the relative significance it has to have in his overall thought. One of his names for the Holy Virgin is "Mother of Many Ends", which I've always thought rather striking.
