The Immaculate Conception explained... kecharitomene

Hail, Mary, full of grace!

"Ave, Maria, Kecharitomene!"  =  "Hail, Mary, she who has been made full of grace!"

For a former protestant's explanation, please see this post on X by Joshua Charles:

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: HOW GOD SAVED MARY

The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was a doctrine that, like most protestants, I deeply misunderstood.

I used to think it was a doctrine focused entirely on elevating Mary at the expense of Christ, as if She was somehow… pic.twitter.com/7vCkX0slm2

— Joshua Charles (@JoshuaTCharles) December 8, 2025

To put it as simply as I can,

1. God is outside time and space. (He created time and space, all things in existence; to try to limit him to our--the creation's--understanding is an act of pride and denial of His majesty.)
2. Because of 1, God can apply any grace at any time He wants. (To deny this is to deny His omnipotence and omniscience and supernatural nature.)
3. Following on the second point, God can apply the grace of Christ's (Mary's savior, her son) salvation prior to her conception.
4. Therefore, Mary could be, and was, made sinless, that is, immaculately (purely) conceived. This is why she is the Immaculate Conception. Only a pure vessel would be worthy of the divinity of the Word of God (see prior points). He didn't randomly select her; He created her for that purpose, and she accepted because she was perfectly obedient, faithful, and perfect in every virtue so that she never considered sinning.

But, if you want more detail, others have already done the work:

She is named Kecharitomene, by the angel Gabriel. Name change means something;

Kecharitomene