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Litaniae Sancti Ioseph

The Litany of St. Joseph

Approved for public liturgical use by Pope St. Pius X, March 18, 1909; expanded by Pope Francis with seven new invocations on May 1, 2021

The Catholic litany to St. Joseph — approved by Pope St. Pius X in 1909 and expanded by Pope Francis in 2021 with seven new invocations.

The Prayer
English · Original
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster-father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most valiant, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workers, pray for us.
Glory of domestic life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.

[2021 additions:]
Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Servant of Christ, pray for us.
Minister of salvation, pray for us.
Support in difficulties, pray for us.
Patron of exiles, pray for us.
Patron of the afflicted, pray for us.
Patron of the poor, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
  spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
  graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
  have mercy on us.
When the Prayer is Said

Daily during the month of March (the month of St. Joseph); on Wednesdays (the day of St. Joseph); at the feast of St. Joseph (March 19) and St. Joseph the Worker (May 1); and as a private devotion.

History & Background

The Litany of St. Joseph existed in various private devotional forms across the late medieval and early modern periods. Pope St. Pius X — himself a Josephite devotee — formally approved the litany for universal liturgical use on March 18, 1909 (the eve of the feast of St. Joseph).

On May 1, 2021 (feast of St. Joseph the Worker), in the year of St. Joseph he had declared in his apostolic letter Patris Corde (December 8, 2020 — the 150th anniversary of Pius IX's declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church), Pope Francis added seven new invocations to the litany: Guardian of the Redeemer, Servant of Christ, Minister of salvation, Support in difficulties, Patron of exiles, Patron of the afflicted, and Patron of the poor.

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