The Greater Litanies, which traditionally are celebrated on the feast of St. Mark commemorate the first entrance of St. Peter into Rome (St. Mark accompanied the great Apostle to Rome, and with St. Peter worked for the conversion of the heathen Romans to the true Faith). The celebration of these litanies is also kept with the hope that through the imploring of God’s mercy upon His people they may be protected from every calamity both spiritual and temporal, and to beg for the Divine blessing on the fruits of the earth. At the same time the Church beseeches the Lord, in His mercy, to remove from her children the chastisement which they may have justly incurred through their sins, and to grant them the grace to avoid committing fresh offences, as well as the grace of persevering in their spiritual resurrection.
The Greater Litanies:
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ 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 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.
St. Michæl, Pray for us.
St. Gabriel, Pray for us.
St. Raphæl, Pray for us.
All ye holy angels and archangels, Pray for us.
All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, Pray for us.
St. John Baptist, Pray for us.
St. Joseph, Pray for us.
All ye holy patriarchs and prophets, Pray for us.
St. Peter, Pray for us.
St. Paul, Pray for us.
St. Andrew, Pray for us.
St. John, Pray for us.
All ye holy apostles and evangelists, Pray for us.
All ye holy disciples of our Lord, Pray for us.
St. Stephen, Pray for us.
St. Lawrence, Pray for us.
St. Vincent, Pray for us.
All ye holy martyrs,Pray for us.
St. Sylvester,Pray for us.
St. Gregory, Pray for us.
St. Augustine,Pray for us.
All ye holy bishops and confessors, Pray for us.
All ye holy doctors, Pray for us.
St. Anthony, Pray for us.
St. Benedict, Pray for us.
St. Dominic, Pray for us.
St. Francis, Pray for us.
All ye holy priests and levites, Pray for us.
All ye holy monks and hermits, Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, Pray for us.
St. Agnes, Pray for us.
St. Cecilia, Pray for us.
St. Agatha, Pray for us.
St. Anastasia, Pray for us.
All ye holy virgins and widows, Pray for us.
All ye holy men and women, saints of God, Intercede for us. Be merciful to us, Pray for us.
Spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful to us,
Hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, O Lord, deliver us.
From all sin, O Lord, deliver us.
From everlasting death, O Lord, deliver us.
Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, O Lord, deliver us.
Through Thy coming, 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 Ghost the Comforter, O Lord, deliver us.
In the day of judgment, O Lord, deliver us.
We sinners, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou spare us, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou vouchsafe to rule and preserve Thy holy Church, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou vouchsafe to preserve our apostolic prelate and all ecclesiastical orders in holy religion. We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou vouchsafe to humble the enemies of Thy holy Church, That Thou vouchsafe to grant peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service. We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou render eternal good things to all our benefactors, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, That Thou vouchsafe to give eternal rest to all the faithful departed. We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou vouchsafe graciously to hear us. 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.
Let us pray:
Graciously hear, O Lord, the prayers of Thy Church that, having overcome all adversity and every error, she may serve Thee in security and freedom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever.
Amen.