Within the tradition the Litany is believed to obtain the prayers and intercession of the saints and to present the community's supplications before God; its recitation or singing solicits heavenly advocacy for the faithful and supplicates God to hear their prayers.
The Litany of the Saints (Litaniæ Sanctorum) is a formal communal prayer of the Western Church that addresses the Triune God and petitions the Blessed Virgin Mary, angels, martyrs and other saints to intercede for the worshipping assembly. It is part of the Church's public liturgical repertoire and is most prominently used in the Easter Vigil, on All Saints' Day, and in rites connected to vocation and consecration (for example, the conferring of Holy Orders, the consecration of a virgin, and the reception of perpetual vows or diocesan hermits). The litany is characteristically sung or recited in a call-and-response fashion within the Mass or other liturgical ceremonies and concludes with a series of supplications asking God to hear the prayers of the worshippers. Manuscript and book-of-hours evidence shows that the roster of saints may be adapted regionally, with local saints added in different manuscripts and local liturgical books.
- 01As part of a public liturgical celebration, assemble the celebrant/clergy, choir (if present), and congregation at the designated point in the rite where the Litany is appointed (e.g., during the Easter Vigil, All Saints' Day observance, or the named vocational/consecratory rites).
- 02Begin the Litany in communal mode: the prayer addresses the Triune God and includes invocations directed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, the martyrs, and other saints (the precise sequence and texts follow the authorized liturgical edition in use).
- 03Execute the litany in the customary call-and-response or sung form used by the local community (celebrant or cantor intones petitions; choir or congregation responds according to the local rubric and musical tradition).
- 04Include the roster of saints as provided by the authoritative liturgical book or local rite; where local usages exist, names of regional saints may be inserted according to the edition or manuscript tradition in use (manuscript evidence attests such local additions).
- 05Conclude the Litany with the series of supplications to God that follow the invocations of the saints, asking God to hear the prayers of those present, according to the authorized liturgical text or rite in use.
- ⚠None explicitly stated in the provided sources; performance is governed by the rubrics and liturgical norms appropriate to the celebrating community and rite.
Community Record
- [1]Litany of the Saints - Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 'Litany of the Saints' entry (summarizing identity, purpose, and liturgical uses).wiki
- [2]Wikidata: Litany of the Saints. Wikidata entry classifying the Litany as a formal prayer of the Catholic Church.other
- [3]The Manual of the Holy Catholic Church (contents). "The Litany and the Mass" listed among Holy Saturday ceremonies (table of contents), indicating liturgical placement in Paschal rites.other
- [4]Beinecke MS 577 (Hours) — contains a litany with local saints. Manuscript evidence (Beinecke MS 577) showing local saint inclusions in a litany, indicating regional adaptation in Books of Hours.other
- [5]Body Theology — The Litany of the Saints. Reference noting the Litany as one of the litanies approved for public prayer in the Catholic Church.other
- [6]CanticaNOVA — Liturgical planning for the Easter Vigil. Liturgical planning pages treating the Litany as part of the Easter Vigil liturgy.other