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Litaniae Sanctissimi Nominis Iesu

The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus

15th century; composed by Bernardine of Siena and John Capistrano; confirmed by Pope Sixtus V in 1585

The Catholic litany on the Holy Name of Jesus — composed by Bernardine of Siena and John Capistrano in the 15th century and confirmed by Pope Sixtus V in 1585.

The Prayer
English · Original
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, 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.

Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, splendour of the Father, have mercy on us.
Jesus, brightness of eternal light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, king of glory, have mercy on us.
Jesus, sun of justice, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
Jesus most amiable, have mercy on us.
Jesus most admirable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the mighty God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us.
Jesus, angel of great counsel, have mercy on us.
Jesus most powerful, have mercy on us.
Jesus most patient, have mercy on us.
Jesus most obedient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lover of chastity, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lover of us all, have mercy on us.
Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us.
Jesus, author of life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, model of virtues, have mercy on us.
Jesus, zealous for souls, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our refuge, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the poor, have mercy on us.
Jesus, treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, good Shepherd, have mercy on us.
Jesus, true light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, eternal wisdom, have mercy on us.
Jesus, infinite goodness, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our way and our life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, joy of angels, have mercy on us.
Jesus, king of patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Jesus, master of apostles, have mercy on us.
Jesus, teacher of evangelists, have mercy on us.
Jesus, strength of martyrs, have mercy on us.
Jesus, light of confessors, have mercy on us.
Jesus, purity of virgins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, crown of all saints, have mercy on us.

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

On the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); through January (traditionally the month of the Holy Name); on Fridays; and as a private devotion against temptation and at hours of moral crisis.

History & Background

The Litany of the Holy Name was composed in the early 15th century by the Italian Observant Franciscan preachers Bernardine of Siena (see his entry in the 15th-c. catalogue) and his contemporary John Capistrano — the great apostles of the IHS Holy Name devotion across Italy.

The litany invokes Christ under approximately 50 titles drawn from the Old and New Testaments — Son of the living God, Splendour of the Father, Brightness of eternal light, King of glory, Sun of justice, Son of the Virgin Mary, Most amiable, Most admirable, the strong God, Father of the world to come, Angel of great counsel — culminating in invocations for protection from spiritual and temporal evils.

It was confirmed for public liturgical use across the Catholic Church by Pope Sixtus V (a Franciscan himself) on February 5, 1585 — and remains in current liturgical use.

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