Sacred Devotions · The Litanies

Ancient prayers
of the Church.

Litanies are among the oldest forms of Catholic prayer — call and response intercession prayed since the earliest centuries of the Church. Each invocation draws the soul deeper into prayer.

"The Litany of Loreto is the greatest compendium of praise ever written to Our Lady."
St. Alphonsus Liguori
✦︎ ✝︎ ✦︎

Four Litanies

Choose a litany
to begin.

Respond to each invocation: pray for us. Begin with: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Holy Mary pray for us
Holy Mother of God pray for us
Mother of Christ pray for us
Mother of the Church pray for us
Mother of divine grace pray for us
Mother most pure pray for us
Mother most chaste pray for us
Mother inviolate pray for us
Mother most amiable pray for us
Mother of good counsel pray for us
Mother of our Creator pray for us
Mother of our Savior pray for us
Virgin most prudent pray for us
Virgin most venerable pray for us
Virgin most powerful pray for us
Mirror of justice pray for us
Seat of wisdom pray for us
Cause of our joy pray for us
Spiritual vessel pray for us
Mystical rose pray for us
Tower of David pray for us
Tower of ivory pray for us
House of gold pray for us
Ark of the covenant pray for us
Gate of Heaven pray for us
Morning star pray for us
Health of the sick pray for us
Queen of Heaven pray for us

Respond to each invocation: have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father have mercy
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit have mercy
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty have mercy
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God have mercy
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High have mercy
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of Heaven have mercy
Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity have mercy
Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love have mercy
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love have mercy
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues have mercy
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise have mercy
Heart of Jesus, King of all hearts have mercy
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures have mercy
Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful have mercy
Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee have mercy
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness have mercy
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins have mercy
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation have mercy
Heart of Jesus, victim of our sins have mercy
Heart of Jesus, our hope and refuge have mercy

Respond to each invocation: pray for us.

St. Joseph pray for us
Noble son of David pray for us
Light of patriarchs pray for us
Spouse of the Mother of God pray for us
Chaste guardian of the Virgin pray for us
Foster father of the Son of God pray for us
Head of the Holy Family pray for us
Joseph most just pray for us
Joseph most chaste pray for us
Joseph most prudent pray for us
Joseph most strong pray for us
Joseph most obedient pray for us
Joseph most faithful pray for us
Mirror of patience pray for us
Lover of poverty pray for us
Model of artisans pray for us
Glory of home life pray for us
Guardian of virgins pray for us
Pillar of families pray for us
Patron of the dying pray for us

Attributed to Cardinal Merry del Val (1865–1930). Respond: deliver me, O Jesus · then: grant me the grace, O Jesus.

From the desire of being esteemed…

From the desire of being esteemed deliver me
From the desire of being loved deliver me
From the desire of being extolled deliver me
From the desire of being honored deliver me
From the desire of being praised deliver me
From the desire of being preferred to others deliver me
From the desire of being consulted deliver me
From the desire of being approved deliver me
From the fear of being humiliated deliver me
From the fear of being despised deliver me
From the fear of suffering rebukes deliver me
From the fear of being calumniated deliver me
From the fear of being forgotten deliver me
From the fear of being ridiculed deliver me
From the fear of being wronged deliver me
From the fear of being suspected deliver me

That others may be loved more than I…

That others may be loved more than I grant me grace
That others may be esteemed more than I grant me grace
That others may increase and I decrease grant me grace
That others may be chosen and I set aside grant me grace
That others may be praised and I unnoticed grant me grace
That others may be preferred to me in everything grant me grace
That others may become holier than I, provided I become as holy as I should grant me grace

"Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues; hence in the soul where this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance." — St. Augustine

Respond to each invocation: pray for us. This litany invokes the great defender of the Church, commander of the heavenly armies, and guardian of souls.

Holy Michael the Archangel pray for us
Most glorious champion of God's honor pray for us
Terror of the rebellious angels pray for us
Standard bearer of God's armies pray for us
Defender of divine glory pray for us
First defender of the Kingship of Christ pray for us
Strength of those under the standard of the Cross pray for us
Guardian of popes and peoples pray for us
Patron of the Church Militant pray for us
Patron of the souls in Purgatory pray for us
Terror of the evil spirits pray for us
Victorious over Satan pray for us
Trusty guardian of our souls pray for us
Guardian of those in their agony pray for us
Whom God has charged to receive souls after death pray for us

From all dangers…

From all evil defend us
From the snares of the devil defend us
From all that is opposed to our salvation defend us
From the tyranny of the infernal powers defend us

"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the divine power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

Pope Leo XIII · 1886