Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus
The Most Holy Name of Jesus
Approved by: Pope Sixtus V (1585) initially; approved for universal use by Pope Pius IX (1862)
When to pray: Especially in January (Month dedicated to the Holy Name); on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); whenever blasphemy or the misuse of God's name is heard, as an act of reparation.
A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who devoutly recite this litany.
About this litany
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, drawn from St. Paul's words that ‘at the name of Jesus every knee should bow’ (Philippians 2:10), was preached fervently by St. Bernardine of Siena in the fifteenth century, whose famous IHS emblem became the symbol of the devotion. The Litany of the Holy Name was composed in part by St. Bernardine and St. John of Capistrano and was approved for public recitation by Pope Sixtus V in 1585. Pope Pius IX extended its use to the universal Church in 1862.
Opening Kyrie and Trinitarian invocations → 49 invocations of Jesus under various titles with response ‘have mercy on us’ → petitions for deliverance → petitions through the mysteries of Christ → three-fold Agnus Dei → versicle/response → collect.
Opening
- V. Lord, have mercy.
- R. Lord, have mercy.
- V. Jesus, hear us.
- R. Jesus, graciously hear us.
- V. God the Father of Heaven,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. God the Holy Spirit,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Holy Trinity, one God,
- R. have mercy on us.
Invocations
- V. Jesus, Son of the living God,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, splendour of the Father,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, brightness of eternal light,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, King of glory,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, sun of justice,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, most amiable,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, most admirable,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, the mighty God,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, Father of the world to come,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, angel of great counsel,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, most powerful,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, most patient,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, most obedient,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, lover of chastity,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, lover of us,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, God of peace,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, author of life,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, model of virtues,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, zealous lover of souls,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, our God,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, our refuge,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, Father of the poor,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, treasure of the faithful,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, good Shepherd,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, true Light,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, eternal Wisdom,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, infinite goodness,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, our Way and our Life,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, joy of Angels,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, King of Patriarchs,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, Master of Apostles,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, strength of Martyrs,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, light of Confessors,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, purity of Virgins,
- R. have mercy on us.
- V. Jesus, crown of all Saints,
- R. have mercy on us.
Concluding Invocations
- V. Be merciful to us,
- R. spare us, O Jesus.
- V. Be merciful to us,
- R. graciously hear us, O Jesus.
- V. From all evil,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. From all sin,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. From Thy wrath,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. From the snares of the devil,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. From the spirit of fornication,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. From everlasting death,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. From the neglect of Thy inspirations,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy Nativity,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy Infancy,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy most divine Life,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy labours,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy agony and Passion,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy Cross and dereliction,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy sufferings,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy Death and burial,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy Resurrection,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy Ascension,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy institution of the most Holy Eucharist,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy joys,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Through Thy glory,
- R. deliver us, O Jesus.
- V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
- R. spare us, O Jesus.
- V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
- R. graciously hear us, O Jesus.
- V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
- R. have mercy on us, O Jesus.
- V. Jesus, hear us.
- R. Jesus, graciously hear us.
Closing Prayer
V. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said: ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you; grant, we beseech Thee, to us who ask the gift of Thy most divine love, that we may ever love Thee with all our heart, in word and deed, and never cease to praise Thee. Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy Name: for Thou never failest to govern those whom Thou foundest steadfast in Thy love. Who livest and reignest world without end.
R. Amen.
Primary sources