Revised for All Saints Day 2009
November 1 is the Solemnity of All Saints and this year it falls on this coming Sunday. As has been the custom in my parish for some time, we will sing the Litany of the Saints on this day. The musical setting we use is the composition of John Becker. Unfortunately, the video above is poor on the visual. The audio, however, is quite clear.
Below are the words for this litany. Praying this ahead of time might be helpful in preparing for this feast even if your parish won't be singing the litany. (Note: singing this litany is an addition to, not a required element of the All Saints Day liturgy.)
LITANY OF THE SAINTS
John D. Becker
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
1.
Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Michael and all angels, pray for us.
Anna, Joachim, Elizabeth, pray for us.
Elijah, Moses, John the Baptist, pray for us.
Isaac, Sarah, Abraham, pray for us.
Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, pray for us.
Ruth, David and Solomon, pray for us.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.
2.
Peter, Paul, Andrew, pray for us.
James, John, and all apostles, pray for us.
Mary Magdalene, Veronica, pray for us.
Barnabas, Matthias, pray for us.
Stephen, Philip, and Cornelius, pray for us.
Prisca and Aquila, pray for us.
Timothy and Titus, pray for us.
Linus, Cletus, and Clement,pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.
3.
Lawrence and Chrysogonus, pray for us.
Innocent, and Boniface, pray for us.
Hippolytus and Origen, pray for us.
Athanasius and Basil, pray for us.
Felicity, Perpetua, pray for us.
Cosmos and Damien, pray for us.
John, Chrysostom, and Justin, pray for us.
Lucy, Agatha, and Agnes, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.
4.
Jerome and Eusebius, pray for us.
Scholastica and Benedict, pray for us.
Ambrose, Monica, Augustine, pray for us.
Martin and Gregory, pray for us.
Clare, Francis, and Dominic, pray for us.
Francis Xavier, Ignatius, pray for us.
Elizabeth and Catherine, pray for us.
Louis and Wenceslaus*, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.
5.
Lord, be merciful, save your people.
From all evil, save your people.
From every sin, save your people.
From everlasting death, save your people.
By your incarnation, save your people.
By your death and resurrection, save your people.
By your gift of the Spirit, save your people.
Have mercy on us sinners, save your people.
Christ, hear us. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.
(The following section is not included in the video.)
6.
Lord, give new life, hear our prayer.
To these chosen, hear our prayer.
By the grace of baptism, hear our prayer.
O Jesus, Son of the living God, our prayer.
Send your Spirit, hear our prayer.
In its fullness, hear our prayer.
On your sons and daughters, hear our prayer.
Who believe and profess you, hear our prayer.
Christ, hear us. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.
*In this recording, Wenceslaus is changed to Matthew.
Copyright © 1987 by OCP Publications, Portland, OR, 97213. All rights reserved.
I so love that particular Litany of the Saints... very much.
ReplyDeleteSo much so, that despite all my own liturgical common sense that dictated otherwise, I did use it as the communion hymn at my wedding 18 months ago.
We did abbreviate it.
Off to see the other litany you provide at the link...
For a number of years I was a member of the festival choir of the Diocese of Manchester. We used this version for the ordination of priests and of deacons. It's a beautiful arrangement, probably my personal favorite.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting it!
.... the most memorable part of my ordination thirty four years ago... and, if my memory is correct, the Concord Pastor sang at that joyous occasion....
ReplyDeleteThat's a real possibility: your memory is better than mine! Welcome aboard here!
ReplyDeleteWill there be a mass this weekend with the sung litany of the saints? I look forward to the opportunities to sing/hear this all year.
ReplyDeleteMeighan
This year All Saints Day falls on a Saturday and is not a day of obligation. The Sunday (and Saturday afternoon/evening) liturgies will be for All Souls Day. In light of how the days on the church calendar align with the weekend, we won't be singing the Litany of the Saints on All Souls Day.
ReplyDeleteNot only was there no sung Litany of the Saints this morning there was no music at all. How different mass is for me without music and without a good homily.
ReplyDeleteThis song is really nice. I am really excited to sing it tommorow (sunday November 2nd) at mass, and as I was practicing I saw this and it was really beautiful.I am really excited to sing it to my congregation,and I would like to thank my church organist for interducing me to this song. Thanks, and God Bless.
ReplyDeleteReally one of the best contemporary liturgical music pieces I know. Thanks for sharing it here.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I introduced this arrangement of the litany to my parish community at the Easter Vigil as we prayed for the RCIA candidates receiving baptism and full communion in the Church. It that particular circumstance also, it is a moving, prayeful moment that, for me, makes the communion of saints come alive.It never ceases to move me.
ReplyDeleteI have found it very difficult to keep a regular conversation with God through prayer but this arrangement of the Litany of the Saints is so touching that I have started using it as my personal prayer when I just can't have a more personal prayer time with God for whatever reason. Sometimes we don't know how to pray so it just seemed right to ask others to pray for me. I figured it can't hurt any more than just letting go of prayer all together.
ReplyDeletecradle catholic: that's an altogether excellent way to pray! what's excellent is that it keeps you faithful to prayer, and to being in touch with God. thanks for sharing as you did!
ReplyDeleteI used to go to mass on All Saints Day just to hear this song. Now I can listen to it any time. I come to this site at least once a week, usually when my day isn't going well, and listen to it over and over until I feel better. Thank you so much for putting this on the web. Thank God that I am Catholic!
ReplyDeleteAustin, I am cantoring the Litany of the Saints for Easter Vigil at St. Francis in KC and decided to search for an online version to practice with when, through Devine intervention, I happily stumbled onto your blog.
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder of how blessed I am to have you in my life. Thanks for the recording.
God Bless and Happy Easter!
John,
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear you came across my blog in your search. All year 'round, this post is one of those on my blog that most often brings new readers as they search for Becker's Litany.
Happy Easter to you and Maria!
I just love John Becker's arrangement of the Litany of the
ReplyDeleteSaints. The first time I heard his arrangement of this was during Pope Benedict XVI's apostolic visit last year, from the youth gathering (wasn't there ... heard it on the radio), and yet again last night at our local Easter Vigil. It's one of those Holy Spirit moments that touches you so deeply, that it brings tears to my eyes.
Thanks so much for posting this on your blog!! God bless you.
I absolutely LOVE that Litany of Saints! Thank you for posting it!
ReplyDeletei love love love this litany of the saints because..i dont know why its just a favorite of mine i sing this every year at my school(im one of the cantors)and some of these saints names are hard but i can figure them out
ReplyDeleteEvery time I hear this I end up crying.
ReplyDeleteBTW, here's a slightly different version...
https://youtu.be/NOxMzNLiEEY