The Sub Tuum is the oldest known prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, dating to at least the 3rd century. A Greek papyrus fragment from Egypt contains this ancient appeal to Mary as Theotokos (God-bearer).
English
We fly to thy protection,
O holy Mother of God.
Despise not our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Amen.
Latin (Sub Tuum Praesidium)
Sub tuum praesidium confugimus,
sancta Dei Genetrix.
Nostras deprecationes ne despicias
in necessitatibus,
sed a periculis cunctis
libera nos semper,
Virgo gloriosa et benedicta.
Amen.
Ancient Greek
Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν καταφεύγομεν, Θεοτόκε·
τὰς ἡμῶν ἱκεσίας μὴ παρίδῃς ἐν περιστάσει,
ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ κινδύνων λύτρωσαι ἡμᾶς,
μόνη Ἁγνή, μόνη εὐλογημένη.
Origin: A Greek papyrus from Egypt (3rd-4th century) contains this prayer, making it one of the earliest Marian prayers on record. Its use of "Theotokos" predates the Council of Ephesus (431), showing early Christian devotion to Mary as Mother of God.