Litany of Loreto

The Litany of Loreto, also called the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was first approved in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V, is named for Our Lady of Loreto. The Litany originated at the Basilica della Santa Casa (The Basilica of the Holy House), in (wait for it) Loreto, Italy.

The shrine’s called “The Basilica of the Holy House” because it’s built around Jesus’s childhood home (the Holy House, as it were). The Holy House was a pilgrimage site in Nazareth for centuries after Jesus’s death and resurrection, until 1291, when the Holy Land fell to the Mamluks. After that. . . the House seems to have gone on tour. Angels picked it up and carried it to a hill in what is now Rijeka, Croatia. (Our Lady made an appearance in the town and worked some miraculous cures to prove it was Her pad, and apparently the governor sent someone to check in Nazareth and found that there was, in fact, a Holy House-shaped hole where the Holy House used to be – the Church of Saint Anne stands there now.)

The hill in Riejka didn’t turn out to be a great neighborhood – pilgrims kept getting jumped by bandits – and in 1294 the angels moved it again, to the woods outside of Ancona, Italy. In 1295 they moved it again, to Recanati, Italy. It moved around Recanti a few times during 1295 and 1296, until finally the angels put it in it’s present spot, just outside the city. (If all of this seems like a bit much, the numerous popes have given the tradition their support, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich reported having visions of the house being moved by angels, and the house is made out of second-temple-period Israeli materials rather than stuff you’d find in Italy. If that still seems like too much, well, there’s always plenty of secular scholars who’re working hard to tear down every miracle attested to by tradition – maybe look up their work.)

(And thanks, big Brother, my God and King, for the help getting the algorithm to finally spit out a faithful version of this one.)

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
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.
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 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 honour, 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.
Comfort 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 con-ceived 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.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we, your servants, may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body; and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,
may be delivered from present sorrow,
and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord.