Praying Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

PRAYER SERIES

Holy Spirit: Prayer Series Icon.

Do you ever feel dry in prayer, stopped praying, would like to explore a different way to pray?

Throughout this series I would like to present some different ways to pray.  Many of them you will have heard of before, some of them you have already tried but might like to revisit and others may provide a different way into prayer.

 

In today’s post, I bring to you for your consideration the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

A litany is a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the priest/leader with alternate responses by the congregation (e.g., the Litany of the Saints).  It is most often used as communal prayer in the church but it can also be used for personal use in the family or individually.

The word comes through Latin litania from Ancient Greek λιτανεία, which in turn comes from λιτή, meaning "supplication".

The Litanies are independent acts of worship. They are important acts of homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or as processional elements, or form part of a celebration of the Word of God or of other acts of worship.

Litanies usually have a structure.  The first and fourth stanzas contain six lines, the second: seven, and the third: five. These lines are written in free verse, meaning they are unrhymed and do not conform to a specific metrical pattern.

The litany has been in existence for many years, as it has been mentioned in writings as early as the fifth century.  The litany only gained popularity from then onward, as a council later on in 529 remarked on the beautiful custom of repeating the Kyrie, and encouraged Catholics to practice the devotion not only in the Mass but also while praying the Divine Office.  As years went on and Catholicism spread and developed, more and more forms of the litany came into existence, and many appeared that we now recognize and pray today, like the Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, the Litany of the Immaculate Conception and the Litany of St. Joseph.   

Praying the litany thus becomes a beautiful way in which we can unite ourselves closer to God and His Church, and allow the Catholic faith to more fully permeate our lives.

 

LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

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 Saviour, 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 honour, 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 takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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 eternal happiness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587

SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN FOR THIS WEEK.

1. Pray the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary each day during this week.
2. Select a title of Mary from the Litany that you do not understand or would like to know more.  Do some research on that title from a reputable catholic website.
3. Select a title for the morning/ afternoon and evening and on the hour pray that title to Mary.
4. Gather the family together and recite the Litany of Blessed Virgin Mary during May.
5. Have a family discussion regarding some of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary used in the Litany.