The Litany of the 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus


The Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pompeo Batoni, c. 1760

The Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pompeo Batoni, c. 1760


This famous painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is in a Chapel in the Jesuit Church of the Gesù in Rome, and became the official image for the popular devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The painting was inspired by the apparition of Jesus, under the title of the Sacred Heart, to St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). In 1673 on the Feast of St. John the Evangelist Our Lord came to St. Margaret Mary, while she was in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The saint describes His Sacred Heart with the following words: “The Divine Heart was presented to me in a throne of flames, more resplendent than a sun, transparent as crystal, with this adorable wound. And it was surrounded with a crown of thorns, signifying the punctures made in it by our sins, and a cross above signifying that from the first instant of His Incarnation, […] the cross was implanted into it […].”

Batoni represented Christ dressed in a red tunic (which is the colour of blood, of martyrdom and humanity) and a blue mantle (the colour of heaven and of the divine). In the masterpiece, Jesus is young and beautiful with long hair falling down to his shoulders. Christ’s face has a short beard whilst his right hand indicates His inflamed heart which is crowned with thorns with a cross on top.

- Missionaries of Divine Revelation.


The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

History

The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as we have it now is a combination of two other litanies.  The first was composed by Father John Croiset, S.J. (1656-1738), spiritual director to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) and author of the book, Devotion to the Sacred Heart.  The other litany was the combined work of two Visitation Order Sisters, who lived a century apart.  The earlier Sister was Sister Magdalen Joly, likely a novice under St. Margaret Mary, who was very familiar with the revelations and apparitions of the Sacred Heart.  

The litany was recited both privately and publicly, but without official approval, until 1898, when the Sacred Congregation examined it, adding six more invocations, in honour of the 33 years of our Saviour’s earthly life.  Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903), who in 1899 published his encyclical on the consecration of the entire world to the Sacred Heart (Annum Sacrum), at the same time gave official approval of the Litany the Sacred Heart of Jesus for public use in the universal Church.

- Acknowledgement to The Sisters of Carmel and The Eternal Word Television Network.


The Litany in Latin and English

- From preces-latinae.org.


Kyrie, eleison
R. Kyrie, eleison.		Lord, have mercy
R. Lord, have mercy.
Christe, eleison
R. Christe, eleison.		Christ, have mercy
R. Christ, have mercy.
Kyrie, eleison
R. Kyrie, eleison.		Lord, have mercy
R. Lord, have mercy.
Christe, audi nos
R. Christe, audi nos.		Christ, hear us
R. Christ, hear us.
Christe, exaudi nos.
R. Christe, exaudi nos.		Christ, graciously hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.
Pater de caelis, Deus,
R. miserere nobis.		God the Father of Heaven,
R. have mercy on us.
Fili, Redemptor mundi, Deus,
R. miserere nobis.		God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
R. have mercy on us.
Spiritus Sancte, Deus,
R. miserere nobis.		God, the Holy Spirit,
R. have mercy on us.
Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus,
R. miserere nobis.		Holy Trinity, One God,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, Filii Patris aeterni,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, in sinu Virginis Matris a Spiritu Sancto formatum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, Verbo Dei substantialiter unitum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, maiestatis infinitae,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, templum Dei sanctum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, tabernaculum Altissimi,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, domus Dei et porta caeli,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, fornax ardens caritatis,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, iustitiae et amoris receptaculum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, bonitate et amore plenum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, virtutum omnium abyssus,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, omni laude dignissimum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, rex et centrum omnium cordium,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, in quo sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae et scientiae,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, in quo habitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, in whom dwelleth the fullness of divinity,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, in quo Pater sibi bene complacuit,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, de cuius plenitudine omnes nos accepimus,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, desiderium collium aeternorum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, patiens et multae misericordiae,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, dives in omnes qui invocant te,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, fons vitae et sanctitatis,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, propitiatio pro peccatis nostris,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, saturatum opprobriis,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, attritum propter scelera nostra,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, usque ad mortem oboediens factum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, obedient to death,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, lancea perforatum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, fons totius consolationis,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, vita et resurrectio nostra,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, pax et reconciliatio nostra,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, victima peccatorum,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, salus in te sperantium,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, spes in te morientium,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee,
R. have mercy on us.
Cor Iesu, deliciae Sanctorum omnium,
R. miserere nobis.		Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints,
R. have mercy on us.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
R. parce nobis, Domine.		Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
R. spare us, O Lord.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
R. exaudi nos, Domine.		Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
R. graciously hear us, O Lord.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
R. miserere nobis, Domine.		Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
R. have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Iesu, mitis et humilis Corde,
R. Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum.		V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
R. Make our hearts like to Thine.
Oremus;

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, respice in Cor dilectissimi Filii tui et in laudes et satisfactiones, quas in nomine peccatorum tibi persolvit, iisque misericordiam tuam petentibus, tu veniam concede placatus in nomine eiusdem Filii tui Iesu Christi: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.		Let us pray;

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offereth Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee forever and ever. R. Amen.



Painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
Painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Side View

Painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, June 2019


Immaculate Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Immaculata Regina Pacis, ora pro nobis.