Litanies to Our Lady

LITANY OF LORETO

This litany to the Blessed Virgin Mary was composed during the Middle Ages. The place of honor it now holds in the life of the Church is due to its faithful use at the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto. It was definitely approved by Sixtus V in 1587, and all other Marian litanies were suppressed, at least for public use. Its titles and invocations set before us Mary's exalted privileges, her holiness of life, her amiability and power, her motherly spirit and queenly majesty.

The principle that has been followed in their interpretation is the one enunciated by the same Pius IX: "God enriched her so wonderfully from the treasury of His divinity, far beyond all angels and saints with the abundance of all heavenly gifts, that she . . .should show forth such fullness of innocence and holiness, than which a greater under God is unthinkable and which, beside God, no one can even conceive in thought. Hence, whatever virtue and holiness is found in angels and saints must be present in Mary in an immeasurably higher degree.

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 Ghost, 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. .
Mother of Christ, 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 undefiled, Pray for us.
Mother most amiable, Pray for us.
Mother most admirable, Pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, Pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, Pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, Pray for us.
Mother of the Church, Pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, Pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, Pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, Pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, Pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, Pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, 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.
Vessel of honor, Pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, 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.
Refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Help of Christians, Pray for us.
Queen of angels, Pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, Pray for us.
Queen of prophets, Pray for us.
Queen of apostles, Pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, Pray for us.
Queen of confessors, Pray for us.
Queen of virgins, Pray for us.
Queen of all saints, Pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, Pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, Pray for us.
Queen of the most Holy Rosary, Pray for us.
Queen of peace, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

From Trinity Sunday to Advent:
Let us pray:
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enjoy everlasting happiness. Through Christ Our Lord.
R. Amen

During Advent:
Let us pray:
O God, Thou didst will that, at the message of an angel, Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant to Thy suppliant people, that we, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord.
R. Amen.

From Christmas to the Purification:
Let us pray:
O God, by the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary, Thou didst bestow upon the human race the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beg Thee, that we may feel the power of her intercession, through whom we have been made worthy to receive the Author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee, forever and ever.
R. Amen.

During Paschaltime:
Let us pray:
O God, Who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, didst grant joy to the whole world, grant, we beg Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may attain the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ Our Lord.
R. Amen.

LITANY IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP
(for private devotion only)

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 me.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for me.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for me.
Mother of Christ, Pray for me.
Queen conceived without the stain of original sin, Pray for me.
Queen assumed into Heaven, Pray for me.
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Pray for me.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Pray for me.

O Mother of Perpetual Help, whose very name inspires confidence, Pray for me.
That I may love God with all my heart, Pray for me.
That I may in all things conform my will to that of thy Divine Son, Pray for me.
That I may always shun sin, the only real evil, Pray for me.
That I may always remember my last end, Pray for me.
That I may often and devoutly receive the sacraments, Pray for me.
That I may avoid every proximate occasion of sin, Pray for me.
That I may never neglect prayer, Pray for me.
That I may ever remember to invoke thee, particularly in time of temptation, Pray for me.
That I may always be victorious in the hour of temptation, Pray for me.
That I may generously pardon my enemies, Pray for me.
That I may arise quickly, should I have the misfortune of falling into mortal sin, Pray for me.
That I may courageously resist the seductions of evil companions, Pray for me.
That I may be strong against my own inconstancy, Pray for me.
That I may not delay my conversion from day to day, Pray for me.
That I may labor zealously to eradicate my evil habits, Pray for me.
That I may ever love and serve thee, Pray for me.
That I may lead others to love and serve thee, Pray for me.
That I may live and die in the friendship of God, Pray for me.

In sickness and pain, Pray for me.
In poverty and distress, Pray for me.
In persecution and abandonment, in grief and dereliction of mind, Pray for me.
In time of war, famine and contagion, in every danger of sin, Pray for me.

When assailed by the evil spirits, Pray for me.
When tempted by the allurements of a deceitful world, pray for me
When struggling against the inclinations of my corrupt nature, Pray for me.
When tempted against the holy virtue of purity, pray for me
When death is nigh, Pray for me.
When the loss of my senses will warn me that my earthly career is at an end, Pray for me.
When the thought of my approaching dissolution will fill me with fear and terror, Pray for me.
When at the decisive hour of my death, the evil spirit will endeavor to plunge my soul into despair, Pray for me.
When the minister of God will give me his last absolution and his last blessing, Pray for me.
When my friends and relations, surrounding my bed, moved with compassion, will invoke thy clemency in my behalf, Pray for me.
When the world will vanish from my sight, and my heart will cease to beat, Pray for me.
When I shall yield my soul into the hands of its Creator, Pray for me.
When my soul will appear before its Sovereign Judge, Pray for me.
When the irrevocable sentence will be pronounced, Pray for me.
When I will be suffering in Purgatory, and sighing for the vision of God, Pray for me.

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, O Lord.

V. Pray for us, O Mother of Perpetual Help.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
O Almighty and merciful God, Who, in order to assist the human race, has willed the Blessed Virgin Mary to become the Mother of Thine only begotten Son, grant we beseech Thee, that by her intercession we may avoid the contagion of sin and serve Thee with a pure heart through the same Christ, our Lord.
R. Amen.

ANCIENT IRISH LITANY TO OUR LADY
(Translated from the Irish of the Eighth Century)

O great Mary, Pray for us.
Mary, greatest of Marys, Pray for us.
Most great of women, Pray for us.
Queen of the angels, Pray for us.
Mistress of the heavens, Pray for us.
Woman full and replete with the grace of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
Blessed and most blessed, Pray for us.
Mother of eternal glory, Pray for us.
Mother of the heavenly and earthly Church, Pray for us.
Mother of love and indulgence, Pray for us.
Mother of the golden light, Pray for us.
Honor of the sky, Pray for us.
Harbinger of peace, Pray for us.
Gate of heaven, Pray for us.
Golden casket, Pray for us.
Couch of love and mercy, Pray for us.
Temple of the Divinity, Pray for us.
Beauty of virgins, Pray for us.
Mistress of the tribes, Pray for us.
Fountain of the gardens, Pray for us.
Cleansing of sins, Pray for us.
Washing of souls, Pray for us.
Mother of orphans, Pray for us.
Breast of the infants,Pray for us.
Refuge of the wretched, Pray for us.
Star of the sea, Pray for us.
Handmaid of God, Pray for us.
Mother of Christ, Pray for us.
Abode of the Godhead, Pray for us.
Graceful as the dove, Pray for us.
Serene like the moon, Pray for us.
Resplendent like the sun, Pray for us.
Destruction of Eve s disgrace, Pray for us.
Regeneration of life, Pray for us.
Perfection of women, Pray for us.
Chief of the virgins, Pray for us.
Garden enclosed, Pray for us.
Fountain sealed, Pray for us.
Mother of God, Pray for us.
Perpetual Virgin, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin, Pray for us.
Prudent Virgin, Pray for us.
Serene Virgin, Pray for us.
Chaste Virgin, Pray for us.
Temple of the Living God, Pray for us.
Throne of the Eternal King, Pray for us.
Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, Pray for us.
Virgin of the root of Jesse, Pray for us.
Cedar of Mount Lebanon, Pray for us.
Cypress of Mount Sion, Pray for us.
Crimson rose in the land of Jacob, Pray for us.
Fruitful like the olive, Pray for us.
Blooming like the palm, Pray for us.
Glorious son-bearer, Pray for us.
Light of Nazareth, Pray for us.
Glory of Jerusalem, Pray for us.
Beauty of the world, Pray for us.
Noblest born of the Christian people, Pray for us.
Queen of life, Pray for us.
Ladder of Heaven, Pray for us.

Hear the petition of the poor ; spurn not the wounds and the groans of the miserable. Let our devotion and our sighs becarried through thee to the presence of the Creator, for we are not ourselves worthy of being heard because of our evil deserts.O powerful Mistress of Heaven and earth, wipe out our trespasses and our sins.

Destroy our wickedness and depravity. Raise the fallen, the debilitated, and the fettered. Loose the Condemned. Repair through thyself the transgressions of our immorality and our vices. Bestow upon us through thyself the blossoms and ornaments of good actions and virtues. Appease for us the Judge by thy prayers and thy supplications.

Allow us not, for mercy s sake, to be carried off from thee among the spoils of our enemies. Allow not our souls to be condemned, but take us to thyself forever under thy protection. We, moreover, beseech and pray thee, holy Mary, to obtain, through thy potent supplication, before thy only Son, that is, Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, that God may defend us from all straits and temptations. Obtain also for us from the God of Creation the forgiveness and remission of all our sins and trespasses, and that we may receive from Him further, through thy intercession, the everlasting habitation of the heavenly kingdom, through all eternity, in the presence of the saints and the saintly virgins of the world; which may we deserve, may we enjoy, in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
The First of Three Litanies
(for private devotion only)

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 Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Heart of Mary, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, like unto the Heart of God, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, instrument of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the Divine Trinity, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, tabernacle of God Incarnate, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, immaculate from thy creation, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, full of grace, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, blessed among all hearts, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, throne of glory, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, most humble, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, holocaust of Divine Love, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, fastened to the Cross with Jesus Crucified, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, hope of the agonizing, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for 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.

V. Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart,
R. Make our hearts like unto the Heart of Jesus.

Let Us Pray:
O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Most Pure Heart of Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, grant that we, who commemorate this sweet and loving Heart, by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin, may merit to be found like unto the Heart of Jesus, through the same Christ Our Lord.
R. Amen.

This litany was composed by John Henry (Cardinal) Newman shortly after he converted to Catholicism in 1845.

LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
The Second of Three Litanies
(for private devotion only)

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 Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, favorite Daughter of God the Father, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of God the Son, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, redeemed in a sublime manner by the merits of thy Son, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, excellent exemplar in faith and charity, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, who conceived the Word of God in thy heart before thou didst in thy womb, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, who gave precious Blood to the Son of God in His human nature, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, conceived free of Original Sin, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, who embraced God’s saving will with a full heart, impeded by no sin, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, whose sweet soul a sword pierced beneath the Cross, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, given to us as Mother by Jesus as He hung dying on the Cross, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, who accepted us as sons, as thou stood beneath the Cross, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, all pure and holy, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, exalted by Divine grace above all Angels and men, Pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mediatrix of grace, Pray for 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.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, filled with love for all thy children upon earth, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Show to our Heavenly Father the wound in the Heart of Thy Son and, at the same time, offer again the sword that pierced thy Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, as thou suffered by compassion with thy Divine Son for the redemption of the world. By thy intercession, through the merits of Jesus Christ, bring us to salvation.
R. Amen.

LITANY OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
The Third of Three Litanies
(for private devotion only)

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 Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for our dear country.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sanctify our clergy.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Make our Catholics more fervent.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Guide and inspire those who govern us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cure the sick who confide in thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Console the sorrowful who trust in thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Help those who invoke thine aid.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Deliver us from all dangers.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Help us to resist temptations.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Obtain for us all we lovingly ask of thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Make our family life holy.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Help those who are dear to us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Bring back to the right road our erring brothers.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Give us back our ancient fervor.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Obtain for us pardon for our manifold sins and offenses.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Bring all men to the feet of thy Divine Child.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Obtain peace for the world.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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.

Let us pray:
O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in our Most Holy Mother, whom we invoke under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and grant us by her most powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ Our Lord.
R. Amen.