What does the word “kecharitōmenē” mean?

The word “kecharitōmenē” appears in the Bible in Luke 1:28, where the angel greets Mary:

“Greetings, you who are highly favored.”

In the original Greek text, it says:

χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη

(chaire, kecharitōmenē)

“Kecharitōmenē” literally means:

“The one who has been completely and permanently endowed with grace.”

It is a unique word in the Bible—only Mary is called this.

It means: God has completely filled Mary with his grace, not just once, but forever.

That is why the Church believes: Mary was without sin even before the birth of Jesus—completely filled by God.