Approved for public recitation

The whole Church, living and dead, called by name.

This is the oldest of the litanies and the most solemn. It is sung at the Easter Vigil, at ordinations, at the consecration of virgins, at the dedication of a church, and in times of public calamity. The candidate for ordination lies face down on the floor while the whole company of heaven is summoned over him, name by name.

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 us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Saint Michael,
Holy Angels of God,
Saint John the Baptist,
Saint Joseph,
Saint Peter and Saint Paul,
Saint Andrew,
Saint John,
Saint Mary Magdalene,
Saint Stephen,
Saint Ignatius of Antioch,
Saint Lawrence,
Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity,
Saint Agnes,
Saint Gregory,
Saint Augustine,
Saint Athanasius,
Saint Basil,
Saint Martin,
Saint Benedict,
Saint Francis and Saint Dominic,
Saint Francis Xavier,
Saint John Vianney,
Saint Catherine of Siena,
Saint Teresa of Jesus,
All holy men and women, Saints of God.

To each of the following, respond: Lord, deliver us, we pray.

From all evil,
From every sin,
From everlasting death,
By Your Incarnation,
By Your Death and Resurrection,
By the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

To each of the following, respond: Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.

Guide and protect your holy Church,
Keep the Pope and all the clergy in faithful service to your Church,
Bring all peoples together in trust and peace,
Strengthen us in your service,
Jesus, Son of the living God.

The Closing Prayer

God of our fathers,
who set the hearts of Your saints on fire
with love of You and love of their neighbour:
grant that we, helped by their prayers,
may walk the road they walked
and come at last where they have come.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

About This Litany

The form above is the shorter one used at the Easter Vigil; the full litany runs to well over a hundred names and may be extended with the patrons of a place, a parish or the person being ordained or baptised. Local saints are added freely — that is the point. The Litany of the Saints is the Church’s family roll call, and every family adds its own.

It is also prayed in procession in times of disaster, plague and war. There is something steadying in hearing the names of people who faced the same darkness and came through it.