Litany of Loreto

Devotions

A litany of biblical and traditional titles for Mary, prayed call-and-response, associated with the Marian shrine of Loreto, Italy.

The Litany of Loreto is a call-and-response prayer made up of a long series of honorific titles for Mary — Mother of Christ, Mystical Rose, Gate of Heaven, Queen of Angels among them — each answered with ‘pray for us.’ It takes its name from the shrine of Loreto in Italy, where its use became especially associated, and has been approved for public use since the sixteenth century. New titles have occasionally been added since, most recently in 2020.

Quick Facts

Category: Marian Devotions — Traditional Marian Prayers and Practices
Origin: developed within Marian pilgrimage and prayer tradition; standardized and approved for public use in the Latin Church
Associated shrine: the Basilica of the Holy House at Loreto, Italy
When commonly prayed: often after the Rosary, especially in May and October
Church status: an established Marian devotion/pious exercise
Private revelation: not dependent on private revelation

What Is This Devotion?

The Litany of Loreto is a litany in honor of Mary — a fixed, formal list of titles addressed to her, each one answered by the person or congregation praying with ‘pray for us’ (or, for the opening invocations to the Trinity, ‘have mercy on us’ or ‘graciously hear us’). The titles draw on Scripture and centuries of theological reflection: some are biblical images applied to Mary (Ark of the Covenant, Gate of Heaven), some are honorific (Virgin Most Prudent, Mirror of Justice), and some name her under particular aspects of queenship (Queen of Angels, Queen of Peace). It is one of a small number of litanies formally approved by the Holy See for public liturgical and devotional use, alongside litanies such as the Litany of the Saints and the Litany of the Sacred Heart.

Origin and History

The documented history of the litany’s approval is comparatively clear: it was formally approved for public recitation by Pope Sixtus V in 1587, and it takes its common name from its strong association with the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, where it was prayed and from which its use spread widely. Titles have been added to the litany at various points since, most recently in 2020, when Pope Francis approved three additional invocations — Mother of Mercy, Mother of Hope, and Comfort of Migrants. A pious legend, distinct from the litany’s own documented history, surrounds the shrine itself: tradition holds that the ‘Holy House’ enshrined at Loreto, venerated as the actual house of the Holy Family at Nazareth, was miraculously carried there by angels in the late thirteenth century. This is a cherished tradition connected with the shrine, not a claim treated as established history, and it is worth keeping distinct from the litany, which does not depend on it.

Catholic Theology

Litanies work by accumulation: no single title in the Litany of Loreto is meant to say everything about Mary, but the list as a whole builds up a picture of her role in salvation history — Mother of the Redeemer, model of the Church, and intercessor for those who invoke her. As with any Marian devotion, the titles honor rather than worship her; ‘pray for us’ asks for her intercession before God, not favors granted by her own independent power. The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy treats approved litanies of this kind as a legitimate and valued form of popular piety when kept in harmony with the liturgy.

How to Practice It

Pray it call-and-response, alone or in a group, using the approved text — see our Litany of Loreto prayer page for the full wording.
It is commonly prayed after the Rosary, particularly during May and October, the traditional Marian months.
Many confraternities and parish groups pray it together as part of Marian devotions or processions.
It can also be prayed privately as a form of sustained meditation on Mary’s role in salvation history.

Associated Prayers

When It’s Observed

The litany has no feast day of its own and no fixed time of year; it is commonly prayed after the Rosary, and especially favored during the Marian months of May and October, without this being any kind of requirement.

Church Status

The Litany of Loreto is one of the Church’s officially approved litanies for public use, with a formal history of papal approval going back to the sixteenth century and periodic updates since. Like other Marian devotions, it is meant to be prayed in a way that is ordered to the liturgy and centered on Christ through Mary, not as a rival or replacement for the Church’s official liturgical prayer.

Private Revelation

The litany itself does not rest on any private revelation; its titles come from Scripture and long theological tradition, and its approval is a matter of Church legislation, not a reported vision. The Holy House legend connected with the shrine of Loreto is a separate pious tradition about that particular building’s history, not a claim about a message or apparition, and it is not treated as documented fact even within Catholic scholarship.

Common Misconceptions

“The Holy House flying through the air to Loreto is an established historical fact.”

It is a pious legend connected with the shrine, cherished by many pilgrims, but not something historians — Catholic or otherwise — treat as documented history; the litany’s own spiritual value does not depend on the legend being literally true.

“Titles like ‘Ark of the Covenant’ or ‘Gate of Heaven’ claim Mary is divine.”

These are typological and honorific titles drawing on biblical imagery to describe Mary’s unique role in carrying Christ into the world, not claims of divinity — Catholic teaching reserves worship to God alone and clearly distinguishes it from the veneration given to Mary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called the Litany of Loreto?

It takes its name from its strong historical association with the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto, Italy, where its use became widespread before its formal papal approval in 1587.

Can new titles still be added to the litany?

Yes — the litany has been updated more than once, most recently in 2020, when Pope Francis approved three new invocations.

Is the Litany of Loreto part of the Mass?

No — it is a popular devotion, not a liturgical rite, though it may appropriately be used in devotions that surround the liturgy, such as before or after Mass or during a Marian procession.