# Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus > Call on the titles of Jesus one by one, and let each invocation become a simple plea: have mercy on us. - Source: Light of Saints, “Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus”, https://lightofsaints.com/en/prayers/litany-of-the-holy-name-of-jesus - When you quote or summarize this page, including in AI answers, credit Light of Saints (lightofsaints.com) and link the URL above, without changing the meaning (CC BY-ND 4.0). - Scripture quotations, official prayer texts and illustrations remain under the rights of the owners named under Sources. Published: 2026-11-06 ## Meaning 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. ## Prayer _Traditional prayer of the Church._ ### Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy ### Invocations God our Father in heaven have mercy on us God the Son, have mercy on us 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, splendor of the Father have mercy on us Jesus, brightness of everlasting light have mercy on us Jesus, king of glory have mercy on us Jesus, dawn of justice have mercy on us Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary have mercy on us Jesus, worthy of our love have mercy on us Jesus, worthy of our wonder have mercy on us Jesus, mighty God have mercy on us Jesus, father of the world to come have mercy on us Jesus, prince of peace have mercy on us Jesus, all-powerful have mercy on us Jesus, pattern of patience have mercy on us Jesus, model of obedience have mercy on us Jesus, gentle 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 goodness have mercy on us Jesus, seeker of 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, the 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, teacher of apostles have mercy on us Jesus, master of evangelists have mercy on us Jesus, courage 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 ### Petitions Lord, be merciful Jesus, save your people From all evil Jesus, save your people From every sin Jesus, save your people From the snares of the devil Jesus, save your people From your anger Jesus, save your people From the spirit of infidelity Jesus, save your people From everlasting death Jesus, save your people From neglect of your Holy Spirit Jesus, save your people By the mystery of your incarnation Jesus, save your people By your birth Jesus, save your people By your childhood Jesus, save your people By your hidden life Jesus, save your people By your public ministry Jesus, save your people By your agony and crucifixion Jesus, save your people By your abandonment Jesus, save your people By your grief and sorrow Jesus, save your people By your death and burial Jesus, save your people By your rising to new life Jesus, save your people By your return in glory to the Father Jesus, save your people By your gift of the holy Eucharist Jesus, save your people By your joy and glory Jesus, save your-people ### Christ, hear us Christ, hear us Christ, hear us Lord Jesus, hear our prayer Lord Jesus, hear our prayer ### Lamb of God Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world have mercy on us Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world have mercy on us Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world 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. R/. Amen. ## Intentions & hopes 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 & 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. ## Origins 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. _Edition note: Text: USCCB. Checked word for word against the source on 2026-11-06._ ## Sources - [Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus](https://www.usccb.org/prayers/litany-holy-name-jesus) — Text taken from www.usccb.org - [Litaniae Sanctissimi Nominis Iesu (Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) - Sancta Missa](https://www.sanctamissa.pl/en/prayer-and-hours/litaniae-sanctissimi-nominis-iesu-litany-of-the-most-holy-name-of-jesus/) — Latin text from www.sanctamissa.pl - [Litany of the Holy Name](https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/litany-of-the-holy-name) — Published by Catholic Encyclopedia (reproduced by Catholic Answers) - [Holy Name of Jesus: The Franciscan Connection](https://www.franciscantradition.org/blog/holy-name-of-jesus-the-franciscan-connection/) — Published by Franciscan Tradition