In Dorfen, in Lower Bavaria, stood an old image of the Mother of God in a field where a poor shepherdess tended her sheep. Before this image of grace, the maiden had promised to pray nine rosaries every day. Meanwhile, a great heat broke out in that region, so that the animals gave her no rest for prayer. In this distress, Our Lady appeared to her on June 20, 1642, and said she would teach her a little prayer that is worth as much as if she prayed nine rosaries every day. However, she should also zealously teach other people this precious greeting.* The shepherdess kept this little prayer with her until her death, which is why she could not immediately become blessed and had to "wander" as a Poor Soul. When questioned about it, she answered that she had neglected to make this heavenly greeting known to others.
(According to a popular tradition)

God greet you, Mary,
Daughter of the Heavenly Father!
God greet you, Mary,
Mother of the Only-Begotten Son!
God greet you, Mary,
Immaculate Bride of the Holy Spirit!

O Mary, I greet you 33 thousand times, as the holy Archangel Gabriel greeted you.
May it gladden your heart and mine that the holy Archangel brought you this heavenly greeting and said to you:
Hail Mary, … (prayed 3 times)

With this special greeting, Our Lady by no means intended to diminish the great promises and importance of the Rosary psalter, but rather to add another precious jewel to our personal treasury of prayer. At the same time, the Mother of God also wanted to open the treasures of grace of the Rosary prayer to those who, like the shepherdess of old, are in real "time need."

A well-prayed AVE MARIA is for the devil an enemy that puts him to flight, a hammer that crushes him, for the soul a means of sanctification, for the angels a joy. It is the hymn of the elect, the Canticle of the New Covenant, the delight of Mary, and the glorification of the Most Holy Trinity.

(St. Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort)