The definitive version of the Roman Catholic Litany of the Saints is a Latin text published in the
Roman Gradual. The current edition was published in 1974, and contains a statement of approval from the
Congregation for Divine Worship issued 24 June 1972. The current edition of the Roman Gradual was updated in 1979 to include
Neums from Ancient Manuscripts. The litany is published in five sections. The first contains a short series of invocations of God, beginning with a threefold
Kyrie, followed by invocations of
God the Father of Heaven, the
Son who redeemed the world, the
Holy Spirit, and the
Holy Trinity. The second section lists the
saints who are to be included, given in the following order. Within each category, men are listed in chronological order, followed by women, also in chronological order. Additional saints, such as the patron of a place or the founder of a religious order, may be inserted in the appropriate place. The official list of recognized saints can be found in the
Roman Martyrology. • The
Virgin Mary and the
Angels: Mary is invoked three times, as Holy Mary, as Holy
Mother of God and as Holy Virgin of Virgins; the following invocations are: Saints
Michael,
Gabriel and
Raphael; all holy angels. •
Patriarchs and
Prophets:
Abraham;
Moses;
Elijah;
John the Baptist;
Joseph; all holy prophets. •
Apostles and disciples:
Peter and
Paul;
Andrew;
John and
James;
Thomas;
Matthew; all holy apostles;
Luke;
Mark;
Barnabas;
Mary Magdalen; all holy disciples of the Lord. •
Martyrs:
Stephen;
Ignatius (of Antioch);
Polycarp;
Justin;
Laurence;
Cyprian;
Boniface;
Stanislaus;
Thomas (Becket);
John (Fisher) and
Thomas (More);
Paul (Miki);
John (de Brebeuf) and
Isaac (Jogues);
Peter (Chanel);
Charles (Lwanga);
Perpetua and Felicity;
Agnes;
Maria (Goretti); all holy martyrs. •
Bishops and
Doctors of the Church (popes are not listed distinctly from other non-martyr bishops):
Leo and
Gregory;
Ambrose;
Jerome;
Augustine;
Athanasius;
Basil and
Gregory (Nazianzen);
John Chrysostom;
Martin;
Patrick;
Cyril and Methodius;
Charles (Borromeo);
Francis (de Sales);
Pius (X). •
Priests and
Religious [without further distinction between priests, deacons, and lay religious]:
Anthony;
Benedict;
Bernard;
Francis and
Dominic;
Thomas (Aquinas);
Ignatius (Loyola);
Francis (Xavier);
Vincent (de Paul);
John-Mary (Vianney);
John (Bosco);
Catherine (of Siena);
Teresa (of Avila);
Rose (of Lima) • Laity:
Louis;
Monica;
Elisabeth (of Hungary); and all saints of God. Certain names are grouped together by the litany itself (e.g. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael; Francis and Dominic); in the list above, a semi-colon always indicates the next line of the litany. Some priests and religious who are also Doctors of the Church (Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, Bernard of Clairvaux and Thomas Aquinas) are grouped with the "Priests and Religious", rather than with the "Bishops and Doctors". Strict chronological order is not followed in the case of the Jesuit, Francis Xavier (died 1552), who is placed after the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola, who died in 1556. Part three of the litany is a series of petitions to Christ, the first 15 having the response, "free us O Lord", with a further 10 petitions ending "have mercy on us." The fourth section includes a list of petitions ending ("we beseech you to hear us") from which the appropriate prayers can be chosen for a particular occasion, but always ending with petitions for the whole church, for the ministers of the church, for the lay faithful and for all humanity. The rubrics printed before the litany indicate that other petitions "suitable to the occasion" and in the form proper to the Litany may be added "at the proper place". The final part of the litany consists of a brief invocation calling on Christ to hear the prayers, and a closing
collect.
At the Easter Vigil The Litany of the Saints is used prominently at the
Easter Vigil, the Mass celebrated on the night before
Easter Day. At this Mass, adults who have chosen to become Catholic receive the Sacraments of Initiation in the form of
Baptism, or simple Reception, with
Confirmation and
Holy Communion. Following the readings from Scripture and just before the actual rite of baptism or confirmation, the Litany of the Saints is sung. Even if there is no-one to be baptized, the Litany may be sung for the blessing of
holy water in the font. However, if the font is not blessed (
i.e. holy water is blessed in a simple container on the sanctuary), the Litany is not used. The Litany given for the Easter Vigil in the
Roman Missal contains a shortened list of saints: • Holy Mary,
Mother of God; Saint
Michael; all holy angels;
John the Baptist;
Joseph;
Peter and
Paul;
Andrew;
John;
Mary Magdalene;
Stephen;
Ignatius (of Antioch);
Laurence;
Perpetua and Felicity;
Agnes;
Gregory;
Augustine;
Athanasius;
Basil;
Martin;
Benedict;
Francis and
Dominic;
Ignatius of Loyola;
Francis Xavier;
John Vianney;
Catherine of Siena;
Teresa of Jesus (i.e. of Avila); and all holy men and women, Saints of God.
At infant baptisms A severely abbreviated form of the litany is given in the official text for the Rite of
Baptism of Children. This consists only of the invocations of Mary Mother of God, St John the Baptist, St Joseph, St Peter and St Paul, and all holy men and women, with the addition of saints relevant to the circumstances of the baptism. In the rite the litany is immediately preceded by suggested or
ad hoc prayers for the child or children being baptized and family members present, and immediately followed by a prayer of
minor exorcism. An extended form of the litany is also permitted for baptisms, beginning with a Kyrie, and followed by the same selection of saints used for the Easter Vigil (as listed above). The saints are followed by brief invocations of Christ and then petitions which include "Give new life to these chosen ones by the grace of baptism".
At the election of a pope An expanded list is also specified in the ritual for use during the
conclave for the election of a new pope. The additional saints are, in italics: • Among apostles, following Thomas: ; ; Matthew; • Among martyrs, following Cyprian: , Stanislaus, , Thomas (Becket); John (Fisher) and Thomas (More); , Paul Miki...; Agnes; , Maria (Goretti). • Among bishops and doctors, following John Chrysostom: ; ; Martin... • Among priests and religious, following Bernard: ; Francis; Dominic...
In other ceremonies The Litany of the Saints is also prescribed In the
Latin version of the Litany, the names of one or more saints are chanted by a
cantor or
choir, and the congregants reply with either, (if one saint is addressed) or (using the plural imperative form of the verb, if more than one saint is addressed). Both responses translate to "Pray for us." However, it is permissible to personalize the Litany of the Saints for a funeral rite or other Mass for the dead. When this was done during the funerals of Popes
John Paul II,
Benedict XVI, and
Francis the response was , or "Pray for him." A Vatican recommendation issued in 1988 proposes that the Litany can be appropriately used for the beginning of the Mass of the First Sunday of Lent, to offer a distinguishing mark for the beginning of Lent. The iBreviary website offers a text in English of the full Litany of the Saints expanded with many additional saints, drawn in part from the bespoke litanies for particular liturgical occasions. It includes a note that in ceremonies involving the pope, the canonized popes are moved from their usual place to form part of an expanded list of popes prior to other bishops and doctors. ==Pre-Vatican II practice==