A
litany, in
Christian worshipIn Christianity, worship is considered the central act of Christian identity, the purpose of which is to give honor or worth to God.-Overview:...
, is a form of
prayerPrayer is the act of addressing a god or spirit for the purpose of worship or petition. Specific forms of this may include praise, requesting guidance or assistance, confessing sins, as an act of reparation or an expression of one's thoughts and emotions...
used in
church serviceIn Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
s and
processionA procession is, in general, an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner....
s, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes from the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
litania, from the
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
λιτή (
litê), meaning "prayer" or "supplication".
For the "Litany" as used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, see
EkteniaEktenia , often called simply Litany, is a prayerful petition in the Eastern Orthodox/Eastern Catholic liturgy...
.
History in Western Christianity
The frequent repetition of the KyrieKýrie is from the Greek word κύριε , the vocative case of κύριος , meaning O Lord. It is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, also called Kýrie, eléison which is Greek for Lord, have mercy....
was probably the original form of the Litany, and was in use in Asia and in Rome at a very early date. The
Council of VaisonThe Council of Vaison may refer to several events held at Vaison.* A council held circa 350.* A council held in 442.* The Third Council of Vaison held in 529....
in 529 passed the decree: "Let that beautiful custom of all the provinces of the East and of Italy be kept up, viz., that of singing with great effect and compunction the 'Kyrie Eleison' at Mass, Matins, and Vespers, because so sweet and pleasing a chant, even though continued day and night without interruption, could never produce disgust or weariness".
The number of repetitions depended upon the celebrant. This litany is prescribed in the Roman
BreviaryA breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by, bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
at the "Preces Feriales" and in the Monastic Breviary for every "Hora" (Rule of St. Benedict, ix, 17). The continuous repetition of the "Kyrie" is used to-day at the
consecrationConsecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups.A synonym for consecration is to...
of a church, while the
relicA relic is an object or a personal item of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial. Relics are an important aspect of some forms of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Shamanism, and many other religions....
s to be placed in the altar are carried in procession around the church. Because the "Kyrie" and other petitions were said once or oftener, litanies were called planæ, ternæ, quinæ, septenæ.
Public Christian devotions became common by the fifth century and processions were frequently held, with preference for days which the
pagansPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
had held sacred. These processions were called
litanies, and in them pictures and other religious emblems were carried. In Rome, pope and people would go in procession each day, especially in
LentLent, in Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter.The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus,...
, to a different church, to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries. Thus originated the Roman "Stations", and what was called the "Litania Major", "Romana", or "Major Rogation". It was held on 25 April, on which day the heathens had celebrated the festival of
RobigaliaIn Roman mythology, Robiga along with her brother, Robigus, were the fertility gods of the Romans. Her festival is the Robigalia and is on April 25....
, the principal feature of which was a procession.
The Christian litany which replaced it set out from the church of
San Lorenzo in LucinaSan Lorenzo in Lucina is a basilica of Rome, dating back to the 4th century, and dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Roman deacon and martyr.The name Lucina comes from the Roman matron owner of the house on which the church was built....
, held a station at San Valentino fuori le mura, and then at the Milvian Bridge. From thence, instead of proceeding on the Claudian Way, as the pagans had done, it turned to the left towards the
Vatican HillVatican Hill is the name given, long before the founding of Christianity, to one of the hills on the side of the Tiber opposite the traditional seven hills of Rome...
, stopped at a cross, of which the site is not given, and again in the
paradiseParadise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
or
atriumIn modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within an office building and usually located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
of
St. Peter'sThe Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as the ' and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is the symbolic "Mother church" of...
, and finally in the basilica itself, where the station was held.
In 590, when an
epidemicDefining an epidemic can be subjective, depending in part on what is "expected". An epidemic may be restricted to one locale , more general or even global...
caused by an overflow of the
TiberThe Tiber is the third-longest river in Italy, rising in the Apennine mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Umbria and Lazio to the Tyrrhenian Sea. It drains a basin estimated at...
was ravaging Rome, Gregory the Great commanded a litany which is called "Septiformis"; on the preceding day he exhorted the people to fervent prayer, and arranged the order to be observed in the procession, viz, that the clergy from S. Giovanni Battista, the men from
San MarcelloSan Marcello al Corso is a church in Rome, devoted to Pope Marcellus I. It is located in via del Corso, the ancient via Lata, connecting Piazza Venezia to Piazza del Popolo....
, the monks from
Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Rome)Santi Giovanni e Paolo is an ancient basilica church in Rome, located on the Celian Hill. It is also called Santi Giovanni e Paolo al Celio or referred to as SS Giovanni e Paolo....
, the unmarried women from
Santi Cosma e DamianoThe basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano is one of the ancient churches of Rome called tituli, of which cardinals are patrons as deacons: the Cardinal Deacon of the Titulus Ss. Cosmae et Damiani is Giovanni Cheli...
, the married women from
Santo Stefano RotondoThe Basilica of St. Stephen in the Round on the Celian Hill is an ancient basilica in Rome, Italy. Commonly named Santo Stefano Rotondo, the church is the National church in Rome of Hungary dedicated to Saint Stephen and Saint Stephen of Hungary...
, the widows from San Vitale, the poor and the children from
Santa CeciliaSanta Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th century church of Rome, located in the Trastevere rione and devoted to Saint Cecilia.-History:The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pope Urban I; it was devoted to the Roman martyr Cecilia, martyred it is said under Marcus...
, were all to meet at
Basilica di Santa Maria MaggioreThe Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , is an ancient Roman Catholic Marian basilica of Rome. It is one of the four major or four papal basilicas, which, together with St. Lawrence outside the Walls, were formerly referred to as the five "patriarchal basilicas" of Rome , associated with the five...
.
The "Litania Minor", or "Gallicana", or
Minor RogationsRogation days are, in the calendar of the Western Church, four days traditionally set apart for solemn processions to invoke God's mercy. They are April 25, the Major Rogation, coinciding with St...
(the Rogation Days before Ascension), was introduced (477) by St. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienne, on account of the earthquakes and other calamities then prevalent. It was prescribed for the whole of Frankish Gaul, in 511, by the
Council of OrleansThe Council of Orléans may refer to any of several events held in Orléans:*The First Council of Orléans held in 511.*The Second Council of Orléans held in 533.*The Third Council of Orléans held in 538.*The Fourth Council of Orléans held in 541....
. For Rome it was ordered by
Leo IIIPope Saint Leo III was Pope from 795 to his death in 816. Protected by Charlemagne from his enemies in Rome, he subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position by crowning him as Roman Emperor....
, in 799. In the
Ambrosian RiteAmbrosian Rite, also called the Milanese Rite, is a Catholic liturgical Western Rite. The rite is named after Saint Ambrose, a bishop of Milan in the fourth century...
this litany was celebrated on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after Ascension. In Spain we find a similar litany from Thursday to Saturday after
PentecostPentecost is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year. The feast is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, Whit Sunday, and Whitsuntide, especially in the United Kingdom. Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks after Easter Sunday, hence its name...
, another from the first to third of November, ordered by the Council of Gerunda in 517, and still another for December, commanded by the synod of Toledo in 638.
In England the Litany of
Rogation DaysRogation days are, in the calendar of the Western Church, four days traditionally set apart for solemn processions to invoke God's mercy. They are April 25, the Major Rogation, coinciding with St...
(Gang-Days) was known in the earliest periods. In Germany it was ordered by a Synod of Mainz in 813. Because the Mass Litany became popular through its use in processions, numberless varieties were soon made, especially in the Middle Ages. Litanies appeared in honour of God the Father, of God the Son, of God the Holy Ghost, of the Precious Blood, of the Blessed Virgin, of the Immaculate Conception, of each of the saints honoured in different countries, for the souls in Purgatory, etc.
In 1601 Baronius wrote that about eighty forms were in circulation. To prevent abuse,
Pope Clement VIIIPope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January, 1592 to 3 March, 1605.-Cardinal:...
, by decree of the
InquisitionThe term Inquisition can apply to any one of several institutions charged with trying and convicting heretics within the Catholic Church...
of 6 September 1601, forbade the publication of any litany, except that of the saints as found in the
liturgical bookA liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a church, that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official religious services.-Roman Catholic:...
s and that of Loreto. Later, litanies of the Holy Name of Jesus, the Sacred Heart, the Precious Blood, and St. Joseph were also approved for publication and public recitation.
The Anglican Church also has a Litany in the
Book of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
. This litany is substantially similar to those in use by Roman Catholics, aside from the absence of any invocations to the Saints or the Blessed Virgin Mary. The term "the Lesser Litany" is sometimes used to refer to the versicles and responses, with the
Lord's PrayerThe Lord's Prayer, also known as the Our Father or Pater noster, is perhaps the best-known prayer in Christianity. On Easter Sunday 2007 it was estimated that 2 billion Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christians read, recited, or sang the short prayer in hundreds of languages...
, that follow the Apostles' Creed at Morning Prayer (or Matins) and Evening Prayer (or Evensong).
Much of the historic Litany was retained by the Lutheran Church.
LutherMartin Luther changed the course of Western civilization by initiating the Protestant Reformation. As a priest and theology professor, he confronted indulgence salesmen with his The Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. Luther strongly disputed their claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could...
hailed it as one of the greatest Christian prayers ever. When faced with the Turkish armies at the gates of
ViennaVienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by...
in 1528/29, Luther exhorted pastors to call their Christian people to repentance and prayer. He recommended the use of the Litany during the Sunday mass or Vespers. In 1529, he, after modifying the traditional
Litany of the SaintsThe Litany of the Saints is a sacred prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a prayer of invocation to the Triune God, and prayers for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels and all the martyrs and saints upon whom Christianity was founded...
(mostly by removing the invocation of saints and prayers for the pope), began using the Litany at Wittenberg in Latin and German.
Thomas CranmerThomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from union with the Holy See...
used Luther's revised Litany as one of his main sources in the preparation of the Litany in the Book of Common Prayer. Today, a form of the Litany continues to be used in the various Lutheran Churches around the world.
Roman Catholic litanies
In the
Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
, six litanies are approved for public recitation:
- The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus
- The Litany of the Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus's physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
of Jesus
- The Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
- The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary, sometimes shortened to the Blessed Virgin or the Virgin Mary, is a traditional title used by most Christians and most specifically used by liturgical Christians such as Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics, and some others to...
(also known as the Litany of Loreto)
- The Litany of St. Joseph
The following Prayers to Saint Joseph are Roman Catholic prayers to Saint Joseph.-Litany of St. Joseph:The litany of St. Joseph, one of the more recent Catholic prayers, was sanctioned by Pope Pius X in 1909.-See also:...
- The Litany of the Saints
The Litany of the Saints is a sacred prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a prayer of invocation to the Triune God, and prayers for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels and all the martyrs and saints upon whom Christianity was founded...
Many other litanies are used in private prayer. A
Marian litanyA Marian litany, in Christian worship, is a form of prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary used in church services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions....
is one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary; only one is authorised for public recitation (mentioned above).
See also
- Ektenia
Ektenia , often called simply Litany, is a prayerful petition in the Eastern Orthodox/Eastern Catholic liturgy...
- Exhortation and Litany (1544)
In the Church of England, the "Exhortation and Litany" is chronologically the first officially authorized liturgy in English .-References:**-External links:*...
- Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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, for its first-known place of origin, the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto , where its usage was recorded as early as 1558.The litany contains many of the...
- Presente litany
- Litany against fear
- Litany of humility
The following Litany of Humility is a Catholic prayer for Humility.This prayer was composed by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val ,Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See under Pope Saint Pius X.-Litany of Humility:
...