Litany of the Saints (ancient version)

The Litany of the Saints is a very ancient Christian prayer in which the Church militant calls upon the Church triumphant for help for themselves and the Church suffering. This prayer is of particular use as our fathers enduring all forms of suffering to bring to us the saving faith we now enjoy. Traditionally this prayer is prayed during a penitential procession on the Greater Rogation Day (April 25) as well as the Lesser Rogation Days (the Monday through Wednesday before Ascension Thursday). This ancient practice has been suppressed in the modern reform and the Litany of Saints, to my knowledge, is only prayed at the Easter Vigil and at an Ordination. Unfortunately, like the other prayers of the Holy Mass, much of this prayer was further edited in the modern reform. For example the petition “against the enemies of Holy Church” is specifically mentioned by Pope St. Paul VI’s translation document Comme le prevoit 24 as being “contrary to Modern Christian ideas.” Thus it was removed as well as the petition to be delivered from the wrath of God, the petition to convert the nations and schismatics and the petition against “the spirit of fornication.” However, the petition to be delivered “from everlasting death” has been retained in the modern version. I have not found an online source which prints the entire prayer so I have printed it here. The translation below is taken from the Daily Roman Missal 1962 by Angelus Press. 

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 Spirit, 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.

Saint Michael, Pray for us.
Saint Gabriel, Pray for us.
Saint Raphael, Pray for us.
All ye holy angels and archangels, Pray for us.
All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, Pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist, Pray for us.
Saint Joseph, Pray for us.
All ye holy patriarchs and prophets. Pray for us.

Saint Peter, Pray for us.
Saint Paul, Pray for us.
Saint Andrew, Pray for us.
Saint James, Pray for us.
Saint John, Pray for us.
Saint Thomas, Pray for us.
Saint James, Pray for us.
Saint Philip, Pray for us.
Saint Bartholomew. Pray for us.
Saint Matthew, Pray for us.
Saint Simon, Pray for us.
Saint Thaddeus, Pray for us.
Saint Matthias, Pray for us.
Saint Barnabas, Pray for us.
Saint Luke, Pray for us.
Saint Mark, Pray for us.
All ye holy apostles and evangelists, Pray for us.
All ye holy disciples of our Lord. Pray for us.

All ye holy Innocents, Pray for us.
Saint Stephen, Pray for us.
Saint Lawrence, Pray for us.
Saint Vincent, Pray for us.
Saints Fabian and Sebastian, Pray for us.
Saints John and Paul, Pray for us.
Saints Cosmas and Damian, Pray for us.
Saints Gervase and Protase, Pray for us.
All ye holy martyrs, Pray for us.

Saint Sylvester, Pray for us.
Saint Gregory, Pray for us.
Saint Ambrose, Pray for us.
Saint Augustine. Pray for us.
Saint Jerome, Pray for us.
Saint Martin, Pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, Pray for us.
All ye holy bishops and confessors, Pray for us.
All ye holy doctors, Pray for us.

Saint Anthony, Pray for us.
Saint Benedict, Pray for us.
Saint Bernard, Pray for us.
Saint Dominic, Pray for us.
Saint Francis, Pray for us.
All ye holy priests and levites, Pray for us.
All ye holy monks and hermits. Pray for us.

Saint Mary Magdalen, Pray for us.
Saint Agatha, Pray for us.
Saint Lucy, Pray for us.
Saint Agnes, Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, Pray for us.
Saint Catherine, Pray for us.
Saint Anastasia, Pray for us.
All ye holy virgins and widows, Pray for us.
All ye holy men and women, Saints of God, Make intercession for us.

Be merciful, Spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

From all evil, O Lord, deliver us.
From all sin, O Lord, deliver us.
From Thy wrath, O Lord, deliver us.
From a sudden and unprovided death, O Lord, deliver us.
From the snares of the devil, O Lord, deliver us.
From anger, and hatred, and all ill will, O Lord, deliver us.
From the spirit of fornication, O Lord, deliver us.
From lightning and tempest, O Lord, deliver us.
From the scourge of earthquake. O Lord, deliver us.
From pestilence, famine and war, O Lord, deliver us.
From everlasting death, O Lord, deliver us.

Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thine advent, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thy nativity, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thy Cross and Passion, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thy death and burial, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thy holy Resurrection, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thine admirable Ascension, O Lord, deliver us.
Through the coming of the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, O Lord, deliver us.
In the day of judgment, O Lord, deliver us.

We sinners, We beseech Thee, hear us,
That Thou wouldst spare us, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst pardon us, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst govern and preserve Thy holy Church, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all ecclesiastical orders in holy religion, We beseech Thee, hear us,
That Thou wouldst humble the enemies of Thy holy Church, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant peace and unity to all Christian people, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst bring back to the unity of the Church all those who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relations and benefactors, from eternal damnation, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst give and preserve the fruit of the earth, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst give eternal rest to all the faithful departed, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst graciously hear us We beseech Thee, hear us.
Son of God, We beseech Thee, hear 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.

Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father.. (silently to…) And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

[Ps. cxix]

O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me.

Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek my soul:

Let them be turned backward, and blush for shame that desire evils to me: Let them be presently turned away blushing for shame that say to me: ’Tis well, ’tis well.

Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee; and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

But I am needy and poor; O God, help me. Thou art my helper and my deliverer: O Lord, make no delay.

Glory be. As it was.

V. Save Thy servants.
R. Who hope in Thee, O my God.

V. Be unto us, O Lord, a tower of strength.
R. From the face of the enemy.

V. Let not the enemy prevail against us.
R. Nor the son of wickedness have power to hurt us.

V. O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.
R. Neither requite us according to our iniquities.

V. Let us pray for our Sovereign Pontiff N.
R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

V. Let us pray for our benefactors.
R. Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy name’s sake, to reward with eternal life all those who do us good. Amen.

V. Let us pray for the faithful departed.
R. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.

V. May they rest in peace.
R. Amen.

V. For our absent brethren.
R. Save Thy servants, who hope in Thee, O my God.

V. Send them help, O Lord, from the holy place.
R. And out of Sion protect them.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer
R. And let my cry come unto Thee

V. The Lord be with you
R. And with thy spirit

Let us pray —O God, Whose property is always to have mercy and to spare, receive our humble petition: that we, and all Thy servants who are bound by the chain of sin, may by the compassion of Thy goodness be mercifully absolved.

Graciously hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayer of Thy suppliants, and forgive the sins of those that confess to Thee: that, in Thy bounty, Thou mayest grant us pardon and peace.

In Thy clemency, O Lord, show Thine unspeakable mercy to us: that Thou mayest both loose us from all our sins, and deliver us from the punishments which we deserve for them.

O God, Who by sin art offended, and by penance appeased, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thine anger, which we deserve for our sins.

Almighty, everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant N., our Sovereign Pontiff, and direct him according to Thy clemency into the way of everlasting salvation, that by Thy grace he may both desire those things that are pleasing to Thee, and perform them with all his strength.

O God, from Whom are all holy desires, right counsels, and just works, give unto Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts, given over to Thy commands, and our times, the fear of our foes removed, may by Thy protection be peaceful.

Inflame, O Lord, our reins and hearts with the fire of the Holy Ghost: that we may serve Thee with a chaste body and please Thee with a clean heart.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins: that through pious supplications they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired.

Go before, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thine inspirations and further them by Thine assistance; that every word and work of ours may begin always from Thee and by Thee be likewise ended.

Almighty, everlasting God, Who hast dominion over the living and the dead and art merciful to all, of whom Thou foreknowest that they will be Thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech Thee, that they for whom we intend to pour forth our prayers, whether this present world still detain them in the flesh, or the world to come hath already received them out of their bodies, may, through the intercession of all Thy Saints, by the clemency of Thy goodness, obtain the remission of all their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.

R. Amen.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

V. May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.
R. Amen.

V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.