From the Commendation of the Soul in the Roman Ritual

From the Commendation of the Soul in the Roman Ritual

Litany for the Dying

The prayers the Church says at a deathbed, with the Proficiscere

LatinEnglish

Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.

Lord, have mercy on him.
Christ, have mercy on him.
Lord, have mercy on him.

Sancta Maria, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Angeli et Archangeli, ora pro eo.
Sancte Abel, ora pro eo.
Omnis chorus iustorum, ora pro eo.
Sancte Abraham, ora pro eo.
Sancte Ioannes Baptista, ora pro eo.
Sancte Ioseph, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Patriarchae et Prophetae, ora pro eo.
Sancte Petre, ora pro eo.
Sancte Paule, ora pro eo.
Sancte Andrea, ora pro eo.
Sancte Ioannes, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Apostoli et Evangelistae, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Discipuli Domini, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Innocentes, ora pro eo.
Sancte Stephane, ora pro eo.
Sancte Laurenti, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Martyres, ora pro eo.
Sancte Silvester, ora pro eo.
Sancte Gregori, ora pro eo.
Sancte Augustine, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Pontifices et Confessores, ora pro eo.
Sancte Benedicte, ora pro eo.
Sancte Francisce, ora pro eo.
Sancte Camille, ora pro eo.
Sancte Ioannes de Deo, ora pro eo.
Omnes sancti Monachi et Eremitae, ora pro eo.
Sancta Maria Magdalena, ora pro eo.
Sancta Lucia, ora pro eo.
Omnes sanctae Virgines et Viduae, ora pro eo.
Omnes Sancti et Sanctae Dei, ora pro eo.

Holy Mary, pray for him.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, pray for him.
Saint Abel, pray for him.
All ye choirs of the just, pray for him.
Saint Abraham, pray for him.
Saint John the Baptist, pray for him.
Saint Joseph, pray for him.
All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for him.
Saint Peter, pray for him.
Saint Paul, pray for him.
Saint Andrew, pray for him.
Saint John, pray for him.
All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists, pray for him.
All ye holy Disciples of the Lord, pray for him.
All ye Holy Innocents, pray for him.
Saint Stephen, pray for him.
Saint Lawrence, pray for him.
All ye holy Martyrs, pray for him.
Saint Sylvester, pray for him.
Saint Gregory, pray for him.
Saint Augustine, pray for him.
All ye holy Bishops and Confessors, pray for him.
Saint Benedict, pray for him.
Saint Francis, pray for him.
Saint Camillus, pray for him.
Saint John of God, pray for him.
All ye holy Monks and Hermits, pray for him.
Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for him.
Saint Lucy, pray for him.
All ye holy Virgins and Widows, pray for him.
All ye Saints of God, pray for him.

Propitius esto, parce ei, Domine.
Propitius esto, libera eum, Domine.
Ab ira tua, libera eum, Domine.
A periculo mortis, libera eum, Domine.
A mala morte, libera eum, Domine.
A poenis inferni, libera eum, Domine.
Ab omni malo, libera eum, Domine.
A potestate diaboli, libera eum, Domine.
Per nativitatem tuam, libera eum, Domine.
Per crucem et passionem tuam, libera eum, Domine.
Per mortem et sepulturam tuam, libera eum, Domine.
Per gloriosam resurrectionem tuam, libera eum, Domine.
Per admirabilem ascensionem tuam, libera eum, Domine.
Per gratiam Spiritus Sancti Paracliti, libera eum, Domine.
In die iudicii, libera eum, Domine.

Be merciful, spare him, O Lord.
Be merciful, deliver him, O Lord.
From thy wrath, deliver him, O Lord.
From the danger of death, deliver him, O Lord.
From an evil death, deliver him, O Lord.
From the pains of hell, deliver him, O Lord.
From all evil, deliver him, O Lord.
From the power of the devil, deliver him, O Lord.
By thy nativity, deliver him, O Lord.
By thy cross and passion, deliver him, O Lord.
By thy death and burial, deliver him, O Lord.
By thy glorious resurrection, deliver him, O Lord.
By thy wonderful ascension, deliver him, O Lord.
By the grace of the Holy Spirit the Comforter, deliver him, O Lord.
In the day of judgement, deliver him, O Lord.

Peccatores, te rogamus, audi nos.
Ut ei parcas, te rogamus, audi nos.
Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.

We sinners, we beseech thee, hear us.
That thou wouldst spare him, we beseech thee, hear us.
Lord, have mercy on him.
Christ, have mercy on him.
Lord, have mercy on him.

Oratio

Prayer

Proficiscere, anima christiana, de hoc mundo, in nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis, qui te creavit; in nomine Iesu Christi, Filii Dei vivi, qui pro te passus est; in nomine Spiritus Sancti, qui in te effusus est; in nomine Angelorum et Archangelorum; in nomine Thronorum et Dominationum; in nomine Principatuum et Potestatum; in nomine Cherubim et Seraphim; in nomine Patriarcharum et Prophetarum; in nomine sanctorum Apostolorum et Evangelistarum; in nomine sanctorum Martyrum et Confessorum; in nomine sanctorum Monachorum et Eremitarum; in nomine sanctarum Virginum et omnium Sanctorum et Sanctarum Dei: hodie sit in pace locus tuus, et habitatio tua in sancta Sion. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

Go forth, Christian soul, from this world, in the name of God the Father almighty, who created thee; in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for thee; in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon thee; in the name of the Angels and Archangels; in the name of the Thrones and Dominations; in the name of the Principalities and Powers; in the name of the Cherubim and Seraphim; in the name of the Patriarchs and Prophets; in the name of the holy Apostles and Evangelists; in the name of the holy Martyrs and Confessors; in the name of the holy Monks and Hermits; in the name of the holy Virgins and of all the Saints of God: may thy place be this day in peace, and thy dwelling in holy Sion. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

SourceFrom the Commendation of the Soul in the Roman Ritual · The prayers the Church says at a deathbed, with the Proficiscere

The history of this prayer

When a Christian is dying, the Roman Ritual prescribes the Ordo commendationis animae, the Commendation of the Soul, at the bedside: a short litany of the saints, each invocation answered "pray for him", and the prayer Proficiscere, anima christiana — "Go forth, Christian soul" — which sends the dying person forth in the name of the whole court of heaven. It has been in the Ritual since 1614 and, with few changes, remains in the present rite of the sacraments for the sick.

The saints invoked are those tradition links to a good death: Abel, the first just man to die; St Joseph, patron of a happy death; St Camillus and St John of God, who nursed the dying; St Mary Magdalene, who stood at the foot of the Cross.

It is prayed at the bedside of the dying, or for them from afar, and in November for the holy souls. For a woman, say "her". The English is our own rendering of the Ritual.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Litany for the Dying prayed?

At the bedside of the dying, after the sacraments (confession, anointing, viaticum), or for that person from afar; also in November, for the souls in Purgatory.

What is the Proficiscere?

The prayer "Go forth, Christian soul" from the Roman Ritual, which sends the dying person forth in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the whole court of heaven. St John Henry Newman put it into verse in The Dream of Gerontius.

Can a lay person pray the Litany for the Dying?

Yes. It is a prayer anyone may say beside a sick person; what belongs to the priest are the sacraments (confession, the anointing of the sick and viaticum).

More prayers: Litanies

← All the traditional prayers · Prayers and novenas

Schola Gregoriana · CC BY-SA