zondag 1 november 2020

Litaniae Sanctorum (Litany of the Saints / Litanie dei Santi)



The Litany of the Saints (Latin: Litaniæ Sanctorum) is a formal prayer of the Catholic Church (especially of the Roman Catholic Church). It is a prayer to the Triune God, which also includes invocations for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels and all the martyrs and saints upon whom Christianity was founded, and those recognised as saints through the subsequent history of the church. Following the invocation of the saints, the Litany concludes with a series of supplications to God to hear the prayers of the worshippers. It is most prominently sung during the Easter Vigil, All Saints' Day, and in the liturgy for conferring Holy Orders.

The Litany of the Saints is one of the oldest prayers in continuous use in the Catholic Church. Forms of it were used in the East as early as the third century, and the litany as we know it today was largely in place by the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604). The exact list of saints has varied over time and geographical area. The form given on video is a long standing traditional form of the Litany.