Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus
Traditional prayer of the Church. · USCCB
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Lord, have mercy
Leader: Lord, have mercy
All: Lord, have mercy
Leader: Christ, have mercy
All: Christ, have mercy
Leader: Lord, have mercy
All: Lord, have mercy
Invocations
Leader: God our Father in heaven
All: have mercy on us
Leader: God the Son,
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Redeemer of the world
All: have mercy on us
Leader: God the Holy Spirit
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Holy Trinity, one God
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, Son of the living God
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, splendor of the Father
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, brightness of everlasting light
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, king of glory
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, dawn of justice
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, worthy of our love
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, worthy of our wonder
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, mighty God
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, father of the world to come
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, prince of peace
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, all-powerful
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, pattern of patience
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, model of obedience
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, gentle and humble of heart
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, lover of chastity
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, lover of us all
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, God of peace
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, author of life
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, model of goodness
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, seeker of souls
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, our God
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, our refuge
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, father of the poor
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, treasure of the faithful
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, Good Shepherd
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, the true light
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, eternal wisdom
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, infinite goodness
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, our way and our life
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, joy of angels
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, king of patriarchs
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, teacher of apostles
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, master of evangelists
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, courage of martyrs
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, light of confessors
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, purity of virgins
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Jesus, crown of all saints
All: have mercy on us
Petitions
Leader: Lord, be merciful
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From all evil
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From every sin
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From the snares of the devil
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From your anger
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From the spirit of infidelity
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From everlasting death
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: From neglect of your Holy Spirit
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By the mystery of your incarnation
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your birth
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your childhood
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your hidden life
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your public ministry
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your agony and crucifixion
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your abandonment
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your grief and sorrow
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your death and burial
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your rising to new life
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your return in glory to the Father
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your gift of the holy Eucharist
All: Jesus, save your people
Leader: By your joy and glory
All: Jesus, save your-people
Christ, hear us
Leader: Christ, hear us
All: Christ, hear us
Leader: Lord Jesus, hear our prayer
All: Lord Jesus, hear our prayer
Lamb of God
Leader: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
All: have mercy on us
Leader: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
All: have mercy on us
Concluding prayer
Let us pray.
As we venerate the most holy Name of Jesus,
mercifully grant us, Lord,
that, savoring its sweetness in this life,
we may be filled with everlasting joy
in our heavenly homeland.
Through Christ our Lord.
All: R/. Amen.
Latin text
Kyrie
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Iesu audi nos. Iesu exaudi nos.
Invokasi
Pater de caelis Deus, miserere nobis.
Fili redemptor mundi Deus, miserere nobis.
Spiritus Sancte Deus, miserere nobis.
Sancta Trinitas unus Deus, miserere nobis.
Iesu fili Dei vivi, miserere nobis.
Iesu splendor Patris, miserere nobis.
Iesu candor lucis aeternae, miserere nobis.
Iesu rex gloriae, miserere nobis.
Iesu sol iustitiae, miserere nobis.
Iesu fili Mariae Virginis, miserere nobis.
Iesu amabilis, miserere nobis.
Iesu admirabilis, miserere nobis.
Iesu Deus fortis, miserere nobis.
Iesu pater futuri saeculi, miserere nobis.
Iesu magni consilii angele, miserere nobis.
Iesu potentissime, miserere nobis.
Iesu patientissime, miserere nobis.
Iesu oboedientissime, miserere nobis.
Iesu mitis et humilis corde, miserere nobis.
Iesu amator castitatis, miserere nobis.
Iesu amator noster, miserere nobis.
Iesu Deus pacis, miserere nobis.
Iesu auctor vitae, miserere nobis.
Iesu exemplar virtutum, miserere nobis.
Iesu zelator animarum, miserere nobis.
Iesu Deus noster, miserere nobis.
Iesu refugium nostrum, miserere nobis.
Iesu pater pauperum, miserere nobis.
Iesu thesaure fidelium, miserere nobis.
Iesu bone pastor, miserere nobis.
Iesu lux vera, miserere nobis.
Iesu sapientia aeterna, miserere nobis.
Iesu bonitas infinita, miserere nobis.
Iesu via et vita nostra, miserere nobis.
Iesu gaudium angelorum, miserere nobis.
Iesu rex patriarcharum, miserere nobis.
Iesu magister apostolorum, miserere nobis.
Iesu doctor evangelistarum, miserere nobis.
Iesu fortitudo martyrum, miserere nobis.
Iesu lumen confessorum, miserere nobis.
Iesu puritas virginum, miserere nobis.
Iesu corona sanctorum omnium, miserere nobis.
Permohonan
Propitius esto, parce nobis Iesu.
Propitius esto, exaudi nos Iesu.
Ab omni malo, libera nos Iesu.
Ab omni peccato, libera nos Iesu.
Ab ira tua, libera nos Iesu.
Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos Iesu.
A spiritu fornicationis, libera nos Iesu.
A morte perpetua, libera nos Iesu.
A neglectu inspirationum tuarum, libera nos Iesu.
Per mysterium sanctae incarnationis tuae, libera nos Iesu.
Per nativitatem tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per infantiam tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per divinissimam vitam tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per labores tuos, libera nos Iesu.
Per agoniam et passionem tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per crucem et derelictionem tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per languores tuos, libera nos Iesu.
Per mortem et sepulturam tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per resurrectionem tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per ascensionem tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per sanctissimae eucharistiae institutionem tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Per gaudia tua, libera nos Iesu.
Per gloriam tuam, libera nos Iesu.
Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, parce nobis Iesu.
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, exaudi nos Iesu.
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis Iesu.
Iesu audi nos. Iesu exaudi nos.
Oratio
Oremus.
Domine Iesu Christe qui dixisti: “Petite et accipietis, quaerite et invenietis, pulsate et aperietur vobis”, quaesumus da nobis petentibus divinissimi tui amoris affectum, ut te toto corde ore et opere diligamus, et a tua nunquam laude cessemus.
Sancti nominis tui Domine timorem pariter et amorem fac nos habere perpetuum: quia nunquam tua gubernatione destituis quos in soliditate tuae dilectionis instituis.
Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.
Meaning in brief
This litany addresses Jesus by many titles drawn from Sacred Scripture, such as the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life and the Light of the World, and asks for his mercy after each invocation. The prayer echoes Philippians 2:10, which says that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend.
Intentions and hope
The faithful pray this litany to glorify the name of Jesus, to ask for his mercy and to draw closer to him. One may hope to be strengthened in faith and to come to know Jesus better, while entrusting all one's needs to the will of God.
When and how to pray
- Begin with the Sign of the Cross and quiet your heart for a moment.
- When prayed together, a leader reads each invocation and the people respond, for example with "have mercy on us."
- The litany can also be prayed alone, slowly, while reflecting on each title of Jesus.
- Close with the Lamb of God invocations, "Jesus, hear us," and the concluding prayer.
- The litany is well suited to evening or night prayer, and especially around the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Where it comes from
History
Tradition · This litany probably dates from the early fifteenth century. According to tradition, it was composed by two Franciscan preachers, Saint Bernardine of Siena and Saint John of Capistrano. However, the Catholic Encyclopedia calls this attribution only "probable," and no dated document names its author. [3]
Saint Bernardine of Siena, a Franciscan, spread devotion to the Name of Jesus in the fifteenth century. On his preaching journeys he carried a large wooden monogram displaying the Name of Jesus. [4]
Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590), at the request of the Carmelites, granted an indulgence of 300 days to those who pray this litany. The Catholic Encyclopedia describes this as an indirect recognition of the litany. Meanwhile, requests for official approval in 1640, 1642 and 1662 were refused. [3]
In 1862, Pope Pius IX approved one of the several versions of the litany then in circulation, with an indulgence of 300 days for the faithful in dioceses whose bishops requested it. On January 16, 1886, Pope Leo XIII extended this privilege to the whole Church, so that the litany could be prayed publicly everywhere. [3]
This litany is one of the litanies approved for public prayer. Its form follows the pattern of the Litany of Loreto, and it ends with the Lamb of God invocations, "Jesus, hear us," and a concluding prayer. [3]
Sources & version
Text: USCCB. Checked word for word against the source on 2026-11-06.
- Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus
Text taken from www.usccb.org
Prayer text © USCCB; quoted with attribution and a link (owner decision K2, ADR 0067).
- Litaniae Sanctissimi Nominis Iesu (Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) - Sancta Missa
Latin text from www.sanctamissa.pl
Latin text quoted with attribution and a link.
- Litany of the Holy Name
Published by Catholic Encyclopedia (reproduced by Catholic Answers)
Cited as a factual source; the source text remains its publisher's.
- Holy Name of Jesus: The Franciscan Connection
Published by Franciscan Tradition
Cited as a factual source; the source text remains its publisher's.
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