The Litany Of The Saints
The Litany of the saints is one of the oldest Catholic prayers still in use. It was prayed in earlier forms in the procession of St. Mamertus, the Bishop of Vienna, in the fifth century, and in St. Gregory the Great’s Litania Septiformis ("sevenfold procession") of the clergy and the faithful, which followed a terrible spate of floods and disease in Rome in 590. Its stature is such that it is one of only six litanies authorized for use in public services by the Holy See.
The Litany of the Saints is often recited or sung in a shorter form than the one given below (which is itself an abridged version!) on All Saints Day (naturally enough!). It is a moving appeal for help from many of our greatest saints, as well as for divine protection.
The Litany of the Saints is also often a special part of both the Easter Vigil (the mass in which those who have received instruction in our faith are baptized) and Ordination Masses for priests, deacons, and bishops, as well.
It can be prayed alone or in a group setting. (As in a church service, the group responds to a leader with the italicized words below. Each response in the Litany of the Saints is repeated after each line until a change appears.)
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. Gabriel, pray for us.
St. Raphael, pray for us.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us.
All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for us.
St. Peter, pray for us.
St. Paul, pray for us.
St. Andrew, pray for us.
St. James, pray for us.
St. John, pray for us.
St. Thomas, pray for us.
St. James, pray for us.
St. Philip, pray for us.
St. Bartholomew, pray for us.
St. Matthew, pray for us.
St. Simon, pray for us.
St. Thaddeus, pray for us.
St. Matthias, pray for us.
St. Barnabas, pray for us.
St. Luke, pray for us.
St. Mark, pray for us.
All ye holy Apostles and evangelists, pray for us.
All ye holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us.
All ye holy innocents, pray for us.
St. Stephen, pray for us.
St. Lawrence, pray for us.
St. Vincent, pray for us.
SS. Fabian and Sebastian, pray for us.
SS. John and Paul, pray for us.
SS. Cosmas and Damian, pray for us.
SS. Gervase and Protase, pray for us.
All Holy Martyrs, pray for us.
St. Sylvester, pray for us.
St. Gregory, pray for us.
St. Ambrose, pray for us.
St. Augustine, pray for us.
St. Jerome, pray for us.
St. Martin, pray for us.
St. Nicholas, pray for us.
All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray for us.
All ye holy Doctors, pray for us.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
St. Benedict, pray for us.
St. Bernard, pray for us.
St. Dominic, pray for us.
St. Francis, pray for us.
All ye holy priests and Levites, pray for us.
All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, pray for us.
St. Agatha, pray for us.
St. Lucy, pray for us.
St. Agnes, pray for us.
St. Cecelia, pray for us.
St. Catherine, pray for us.
St. Anastasia, pray for us.
All ye holy virgins and widows, pray for us.
All ye holy men and women, Saints of God, intercede for us.
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, deliver us, O Lord.
From all sin, deliver us, O Lord.
From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Lord.
From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Lord.
From the deceits of the devil, deliver us, O Lord.
From anger, hatred, and all ill will, deliver us, O Lord.
From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Lord.
From lightning and tempest, deliver us, O Lord.
From the scourge of earthquakes, deliver us, O Lord.
From the plague, famine, and war, deliver us, O Lord.
From everlasting death, deliver us, O Lord.
By the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thy coming, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thy Nativity, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thy Baptism and holy fasting, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thy Cross and Passion, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thy Death and burial, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thy holy Resurrection, deliver us, O Lord.
By Thine admirable Ascension, deliver us, O Lord.
By the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, deliver us, O Lord.
On the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord.
We sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy Holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all ecclesiastical Orders in holy religion, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to all Christian peoples, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring back to the unity of the Church all who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from eternal damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to hear us, Son of God, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Father, etc. (Said Silently)
V. And lead us not into temptation,
R. But deliver us from all evil.