litany of saints

The Litanies of the Saints (Latin: litaniae sanctorum), are prayed or sung during certain religious celebrations. They are a very old form of Christian prayer practiced by Catholics and Orthodox. With this supplication prayer to God, we ask the saints to pray to the Lord for us. We can invoke a series of saints (the litanies of the saints), or a particular saint (the litanies of Saint Rita, the litanies of Saint Joseph…).

What are the litanies of the saints?

When and how are the litanies of the saints prayed?

Litanies are prayers said or sung during liturgical celebrations, especially on the Day of All Saints and meanwhile the easter vigilbut also during the sacraments such as baptism and the ordination. It is above all about a common prayer, the members of the earthly church invoke those of the heavenly church. A soloist, often the celebrant, enumerates the saints and the assembly reply “Pray for us”.
They are sometimes sung during processions; is the case especially before the opening of a conclave.

It is also a beautiful prayer to pray as a family.

Construction of the litanies of the saints

The litanies begin with the prayer of Greek origin Kyrie eleison, because it is, in fact, to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to whom one prays.
The first invocations refer to the Virgin Mary, queen of the angels and first before all the saints. Then come the different saints in a specific order:

• The angels (especially the three archangels).

• The holy patriarchs and prophets.

• The holy apostles and disciples of Christ.

• The holy martyrs.

• The holy doctors of the Church.

• Afterwards, all the holy men and women of God.

Finally the prayer ends with the Agnus Dei.

There is a great multitude of saints and therefore the litanies are often adapted according to the celebration, but also according to the place of the celebration. Therefore, after having invoked the main ones, the saints of the diocese, of the parish or even the patron saints of the family (in the case of a baptism, for example), can be added.

Example of litanies of saints

“Lord have mercy. /Lord have mercy.
Oh Christ, have mercy. / Christ, have mercy.
Lord have mercy./ Lord have mercy.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.

Saints Michael, Gabriel and Rafael, pray for us.
Holy angels of God, pray for us.

Saint Abraham, pray for us.
Saint Isaac and Saint Jacob, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Saint Moses, pray for us.
Saint David, pray for us.
Saint Job, pray for us.
Saint Isaiah and Saint Jeremiah, pray for us.
Saint Elijah and Saint Elisha, pray for us.
Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, pray for us.
Holy patriarchs and holy prophets, pray for us.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul, pray for us.
Saint Andrew, pray for us.
Saint John and Saint James, pray for us.
Saint Thomas, pray for us.
Saint Matthew, pray for us.
Holy apostles, pray for us.

Saint Luke and Saint Mark, pray for us.
Saint Barnabas, pray for us.
Holy Mary Magdalene, pray for us.
Holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us.

Saint Stephen, pray for us.
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, pray for us.
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, pray for us.
Saint Justin, pray for us.
Saint Pothinus and Saint Blandina, pray for us.
Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, pray for us.
Saint Perpetua and Saint Felícita, pray for us.
Saint Lawrence, pray for us.
San Cipriano de Cartago, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, pray for us.
Saint Thomas Becket, pray for us.
Saint Thomas More, pray for us.
Saint Maria Goretti, pray for us.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.
Holy martyrs, pray for us.

Saint Leo the Great, pray for us.
Saint Gregory the Great, pray for us.
Saint Ambrose of Milan, pray for us.
Saint Jerome, pray for us.
Saint Augustine, pray for us.
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, pray for us.
Saint Basil the Great, pray for us.
Saint Gregory of Nizancio, pray for us.
Saint John Chrysostom, pray for us.
Saint Hilary of Poitiers, pray for us.
Saint Martin of Tours, pray for us.
Saint Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Saint Pius X, pray for us.
Holy bishops and holy doctors, pray for us.

Saint Anthony of Egypt, pray for us.
Saint Benedict, pray for us.
Saint Bernard, pray for us.
Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us.
Saint Anthony of Padua, pray for us.
Santo Domingo, pray for us.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.
Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for us.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.
Saint Francis Xavier, pray for us.
Saint Teresa of Ávila, pray for us.
Saint John of the Cross, pray for us.
Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us.
Saint Vincent de Paul, pray for us.
Saint John Mary Vianney, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.
Saint John Bosco, pray for us.
Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
Holy priests, men and women religious, pray for us.

Saint Anne, mother of Mary, pray for us.
Santa Monica, pray for us.
Saint Louis of France, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas of Flue, pray for us.
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us.
Saint Joan of Arc, pray for us.
Saints of God, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, forgive us Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, hear us Lord.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us Lord.

Let us pray: Holy Father, You know that without your help we are all poor sinners. However, trusting in the merits of your Son and the saints of him, we pray that today you make us worthy of the heavenly kingdom that you have prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Amen.”

Other litanies

This sentence form is used for more specific sentences:

• To the Virgin Mary with the Litanies to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Litanies of Loreto.

• To Christ, with the litanies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or the litanies of the holy name of Jesus.

• To the Holy Spirit, with the litanies of the Holy Spirit.

• To the angels and archangels, with the litanies of the holy angels of God.

In , you can find several litanies:

Experience the communion of saints with

The saints and angels of God are precious allies in our daily lives. Get to know them better and ask them to guide you and carry your prayers with these communities:

To pray with the saints

To pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary.