Litanies - Prayers for comfort and strength
Come and discover these particular prayers, whether you already incorporated them in your worship routine, or you still wonder what they are!
A litany is an ancient form of prayer - with the Litany of the Saints going back to the third century- which consists in a series of varied invocations followed by repetitions of the same response. These petitions may be addressed to the Holy Trinity, to one Person of the Trinity, or to the saints. The subject of the invocation can be a petition, a praise, or to make amend.
There are countless litanies prayed in the Christian world. Although the Church lists only six official litanies for public recitation, many others are used in private devotion.
Litanies are typically long prayers. But these prayers, far from being boring, are a wonderful opportunity for meditation: the power of repetition creates a prayerful atmosphere which helps us concentrate on the prayer.
Litanies are infused with imagery, doctrinal knowledge and devotional themes, which will become apparent to you as you start reading through them.
Every Monday, you are invited to discover a litany, and the story behind it. If you have a favorite litany you wish to share with us, please post it in the comments section, and we will feature it. We are confident that litanies will become an important part of your worship routine!