The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Marian litany originally approved in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V. It is also known as the Litany of Loreto (Latin: Litaniae lauretanae), after its first-known place of origin, the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto in Italy, where its usage was recorded as early as 1558.
The litany contains many of the titles used formally and informally for the Virgin Mary, and would often be recited as a call and response chant in a group setting. They are used to recite or sing at the end of the Rosary, and as a separate act of Marian devotion. In the latter case, for example, they can form the main element of a celebration of prayer to the Virgin Mary, be a processional song, or form part of a celebration of the Word of God. (at n°. 203)
A partial indulgence is granted to those who recite this litany.Joseph Cardinal Ferretto, Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, The Enchiridion of Indulgences, No. 29, Liberia Editrice Vatican, 1968
Background According to Directory on Popular Piety:
Litanies are to be found among the prayers to the Blessed Virgin recommended by the Magisterium. These consist in a long series of invocations of Our Lady, which follow in a uniform rhythm, thereby creating a stream of prayer characterized by insistent praise and supplication. The invocations, generally very short, have two parts: the first of praise (Virgo clemens), the other of supplication (Ora pro nobis). The liturgical books contain two Marian litanies: The Litany of Loreto, repeatedly recommended by the Roman Pontiffs; and the Litany for the Coronation of Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which can be an appropriate substitute for the other litany on certain occasions. ...The Litanies are independent acts of worship. They are important acts of homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or as processional elements, or form part of a celebration of the Word of God or of other acts of worship.Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Directory on Popular Piety, §203, December 2001
Form In form, the Litany of Loreto is based on a fixed plan common to several Marian litanies already in existence during the second half of the 15th century, which in turn are connected to a notable series of Marian litanies that began to appear in the 12th century that multiplied in the 13th and 14th. The Loreto text was adopted in the shrine, and thus become known more than any other, to the many pilgrims who flocked there during the 16th century. The text was spread across Christendom, and eventually received ecclesiastical sanction.
Twelve invocations refer to Mary as Mother; six extol her as Virgin. Thirteen titles are derived from the Old Testament, followed by four calling on her as helper and advocate. The last thirteen name Mary as Queen. In June 2020, Pope Francis added three new invocations to the litany: "Mother of Mercy" (after Mother of the Church), "Mother of hope" (after Mother of Divine Grace), and "Solace of Migrants" (after Refuge of Sinners). This makes fourteen invocations referring to Mary as mother and five as advocate.
A litany is prayed like this: first an invocation is said by the prayer leader followed by the response, "Pray for us".
The Litany The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary was translated in the English form as:
Latin textLiteral English translationKyrie, eleison. ℟. Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison. ℟. Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison. ℟. Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, audi nos. ℟. Christe, audi nos.
Christe, exaudi nos. ℟. Christe, exaudi nos.
Pater de caelis, Deus, ℟. miserere nobis.
Fili, Redemptor mundi, Deus, ℟. miserere nobis.
Spiritus Sancte, Deus, ℟. miserere nobis.
Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, ℟. miserere nobis.
Sancta Maria, ℟, ora pro nobis.
Sancta Dei Genitrix, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Sancta Virgo virginum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater Christi, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater Ecclesiae, ℟ ora pro nobis
Mater misericordiae, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater divinae gratiae, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater spei, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater purissima, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater castissima, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater inviolata, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater intemerata, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater amabilis, ℟ ora pro nobis
Mater admirabilis, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater boni consilii, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater Creatoris, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Mater Salvatoris, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Virgo prudentissima, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Virgo veneranda, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Virgo praedicanda, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Virgo potens, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Virgo clemens, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Virgo fidelis, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Speculum iustitiae, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Sedes sapientiae, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Causa nostrae laetitiae, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Vas spirituale, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Vas honorabile, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Vas insigne devotionis, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Rosa mystica, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Turris Davidica, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Turris eburnea, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Domus aurea, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Foederis arca, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Ianua coeli, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Stella matutina, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Salus infirmorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Refugium peccatorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Solacium migrantium, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Consolatrix afflictorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Auxilium Christianorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Angelorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Patriarcharum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Prophetarum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Apostolorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Martyrum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Confessorum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Virginum, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina Sanctorum omnium, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina sine labe originali concepta, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina in caelum assumpta, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina sacratissimi Rosarii, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina familiae, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Regina pacis, ℟ ora pro nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, ℟ parce nobis, Domine.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, ℟ exaudi nos, Domine.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, ℟ miserere nobis.Lord, have mercy on us. ℟ Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. ℟ Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. ℟ Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. ℟ Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously 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 Ghost, ℟ 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.
Mother of Christ, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of the Church, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of Mercy, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of Hope, ℟ pray for us.
Mother most pure, ℟ pray for us.
Mother most chaste, ℟ pray for us.
Mother inviolate, ℟ pray for us.
Mother undefiled, ℟ pray for us.
Mother most amiable, ℟ pray for us.
Mother most admirable, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, ℟ pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, ℟ pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, ℟ pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, ℟ pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, ℟ pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, ℟ pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, ℟ pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, ℟ pray for us.
Mirror of justice, ℟ pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, ℟ pray for us.
Cause of our joy, ℟ pray for us.
Spiritual vessel, ℟ pray for us.
Vessel of honor, ℟ pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, ℟ pray for us.
Mystical rose, ℟ pray for us.
Tower of David, ℟ pray for us.
Tower of ivory, ℟ pray for us.
House of gold, ℟ pray for us.
Ark of the Covenant, ℟ pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, ℟ pray for us.
Morning star, ℟ pray for us.
Health of the sick, ℟ pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, ℟ pray for us.
Solace of Migrants, ℟ pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, ℟ pray for us.
Help of Christians, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of angels, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of prophets, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of apostles, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of confessors, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of virgins, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of all saints, ℟ pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, ℟ pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of families, ℟ pray for us.
Queen of peace, ℟ pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, ℟ Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, ℟ Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, ℟ Have mercy on us.
The subsequent oration is: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, ℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy Servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enjoy eternal happiness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
History Origins There is a great lack of documentary evidence concerning the origin of the Litany of Loreto, the growth and development of the litany into the forms under which it is known, and as it was for the first time definitely approved by the Catholic Church in 1587. Some writers declare that they know nothing of its origin and history; others trace it back to the translation of the Holy House (1294); others, to Pope Sergius I (687); others, again, to Gregory the Great or to the 5th century; while others go as far back as the Early Church, and even the Apostolic Age. Historical criticism posits it to have been composed during the early 16th century or the end of the 15th. Before that time, there were litanies of Mary - one in Gaelic, probably of the eighth century, and others of later date, in which the invocations were much longer than those in the Litany of Loreto.Sullivan, John F. (1918). The Externals of the Catholic Church. P.J. Kenedy & Sons. pp. 273–79. For others, the first formularies of Marian litanies are documented from the second half of the 12th century and derive from the development of the Marian core of the Litany of the saints, which originated in the early 3rd century.
The oldest formulary from which the litanies that took the name Lauretane from the Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto, where they were sung at the beginning of the 16th century, derive is a manuscript codex in the National Library of France that contains 73 invocations, (). including Flos virginitatis (“Flower of virginity”), Forma sanctitatis (“Model of sanctity”), Hymnus cælorum (“Hymn of Heaven”), Luctus infernorum (“Mourning of Hell”), in addition to the invocations currently in use.
The 66 Marian invocations in the Parisian text cited above already have the structure of the Loreto litanies, and are arranged similarly. It begins with three invocations taken from the Litany of the Saints (Sancta Maria, Sancta Dei Genitrix, Sancta Virgo Virginum), followed by eleven invocations in which Mary is called “Mother” (Latin: Mater), then four invocations of her as “Teacher” (Magistra) which have since disappeared, eight invocations addressing Mary as “Virgin” (Virgo), then twenty-six symbolic titles of basically Biblical origin, and finally thirteen invocations to Mary as “Queen” (Regina). The various titles under which Mary was invoked derive from liturgical texts, contemporary authors, and homilies from the time of Charlemagne, with links to older texts: John Geometres (10th century), Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530-660), the hymn Akathist, Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306-372).