Prayed at the bedside

The whole Church called to one bedside.

When someone is close to death, the Church prays the Litany of the Saints in a shortened form at the bedside, calling on the saints by name to come and meet the person who is leaving. It is prayed aloud, slowly, by whoever is present.

The Litany

Lord, have mercy. — Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. — Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. — Lord, have mercy.

To each name, respond: pray for him (her).

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Holy angels of God,
Saint Joseph,
Saint John the Baptist,
Saint Peter and Saint Paul,
All holy patriarchs and prophets,
All holy apostles and evangelists,
All holy martyrs,
All holy bishops and confessors,
All holy virgins and widows,
All saints of God,
[the patron saint of the dying person].

To each of the following, respond: Lord, deliver him (her).

From all evil,
From the power of the devil,
From everlasting death,
By Your coming among us,
By Your cross and Passion,
By Your death and burial,
By Your rising to new life,
By Your return in glory to the Father.

The Commendation

Go forth, Christian soul, from this world
in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you,
in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you.

May you live in peace this day,
may your home be with God in Zion,
with Mary, the virgin Mother of God,
with Joseph, and all the angels and saints. Amen.

About This Litany

Call a priest first, for the Anointing of the Sick, Viaticum and the Apostolic Pardon. Then this. Hearing is believed to be the last sense to fade, so pray aloud and use the person’s name — they may still be able to follow the familiar words long after they can no longer answer.