View source for Litany

{{short description|Form of prayer used in services and processions.}}
{{other}}
{{For|litanies used in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantine]] [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Catholic]] churches|Ectenia}}
'''Litany''', in [[Christian worship]] and some forms of [[Jewish worship]], is a form of [[prayer]] used in services and [[procession]]s, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes through [[Latin]] ''[[wikt:litania|litania]]'' from [[Ancient Greek]] [[wikt:λιτανεία|λιτανεία]] (''litaneía''), which in turn comes from [[wikt:λιτή|λιτή]] (''litḗ''), meaning "[[prayer]], [[supplication]]".
==Christianity==
===Western Christianity===
This form of prayer finds its model in Psalm 136: "Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever. Praise ye the God of gods . . . the Lord of lords . . . Who alone doth great wonders . . . Who made the heavens", etc., with the concluding words in each verse, "for his mercy endures for ever."<ref name=Mershman/>
The Litany originated in Antioch in the fourth century and from there was taken to Constantinople and through it to the rest of the East...From Constantinople the Litany was taken to Rome and the West.<ref name=Dayton>[https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/l/litany-of-loreto-in-context.php "Litany of Loreto in Context", Marian Library, University of Dayton]</ref> [[Josef Andreas Jungmann]] explains how the ''Kyrie'' in the Roman Mass is best seen as a vestige of a [[Ektenia|litany]] at the beginning of the Mass, like that of some Eastern churches.<ref>Jungmann, Josef. ''The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development'', New York, Benzinger Brothers, 1951, p.335</ref>
Public Christian devotions became common by the fifth century and processions were frequently held. These processions were called "litanies", and in them pictures and other religious emblems were carried. In Rome, pope and people would go in procession each day, especially in [[Lent]], to a different church, to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries. Thus originated the Roman "Stations", and what was called the "Litania Maior",  "[[Rogation Days#Major Rogation|Major Rogation]]", was held on 25 April. The word ''rogation'' comes from the [[Latin]] verb ''rogare'', meaning "to ask", which reflects the beseeching of God for the appeasement of his anger and for protection from calamities.<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13110b.htm Mershman, Francis. "Rogation Days." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 4 February 2021 {{PD-notice}}</ref>
In 590, when an [[epidemic]] caused by an overflow of the [[Tiber]] was ravaging Rome, [[Gregory the Great]] commanded a litany; on the preceding day he exhorted the people to fervent prayer, and arranged the order to be observed in the procession, during which the [[Litany of the Saints]] was prayed. <ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09291a.htm Mershman, Francis. "Litany of the Saints." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 4 February 2021 {{PD-notice}}</ref>
The "Litania Minor", also called [[Rogation days|Minor Rogations]] or "Gallicana", the [[Rogation Day]]s before [[Ascension of Jesus Christ|Ascension]],<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=x9rgtwhqJLsC&q=Robigalia&pg=PA100 Reff, Daniel T., ''Plagues, Priests, and Demons: Sacred Narratives and the Rise of Christianity in the Old World and the New'', Cambridge University Press, 2005, p.100] {{isbn|9781139442787}}</ref> was introduced (477) by [[St. Mamertus]], [[Bishop of Vienne]], on account of the earthquakes and other calamities then prevalent. It was prescribed for the whole of [[Frankish Gaul]], in 511, by the [[First Council of Orléans]]. For Rome it was ordered by [[Pope Leo III|Leo III]], in 799. In the [[Ambrosian Rite]] this litany was celebrated on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after Ascension. In Spain, a similar litany is prayed from Thursday to Saturday after [[Pentecost]]. In England the Litany of [[Rogation Days]] was known in the earliest periods. In Germany it was ordered by a Synod of Mainz in 813.
Because the Mass Litany became popular through its use in processions, numberless varieties were soon made, especially in the Middle Ages. Litanies appeared in honour of God the Father, of God the Son, of God the Holy Spirit, of the Precious Blood, of the Blessed Virgin, of the Immaculate Conception, of each of the saints honoured in different countries, for the souls in Purgatory, etc. In 1601 [[Baronius]] wrote that about eighty forms were in circulation. To prevent abuse, [[Pope Clement VIII]], by decree of 6 September 1601, forbade the publication of any litany, except that of the saints as found in the [[liturgical book]]s and that of [[Litany of Loreto|Loreto]].<ref name=Mershman>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09286a.htm Mershman, Francis. "Litany." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 4 February 2021 {{PD-notice}}</ref>
====Anglican litanies====
[[File:The Litany.png|thumb|Illuminated title of "The Litany" from the [[Book of Common Prayer (1845 illuminated version)|1845 illustrated ''Book of Common Prayer'']], designed by [[Owen Jones (architect)|Owen Jones]].]]
The [[Anglican Communion]] also includes a ''Litany'' in the [[Book of Common Prayer (1662)|1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'']]. This is substantially the same as [[Thomas Cranmer|Thomas Cranmer's]] original English vernacular service from 1544, ''[[Exhortation and Litany]]''.<ref name="TC">MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''Thomas Cranmer'' Yale University Press (1996) pp. 328 & 326 respectively.</ref> Cranmer drew on a  variety of sources, chiefly two medieval litanies from the [[Sarum rite]], but also the German Litany of Martin Luther.<ref>Proctor & Frere, ''A New History of the Book of Common Prayer'' (Macmillan, London, 1910), ch. 11., <http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Procter&Frere/ch11.htm>.</ref> He originally retained the invocation of the Saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary in very shortened form, but these were omitted in 1549,<ref name="TC"/> and he made a notable change in the style of the service by expanding and grouping together several of the separate deprecations, intercessions, obsecrations and suffrages said by the priest into groups of several, providing a single response to the whole group.<ref>''Litany, The (BCP)'' in Cross, F. L. & Livingstone, E. A. (eds) ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'' (Oxford University Press, 1974).</ref> An anti-papal deprecation was omitted in 1559. The processional aspect was soon eliminated and the service said or sung kneeling in the church.<ref name="P&F">Procter, Francis & [[Walter Frere|Frere, Walter Howard]], ''A New History of the Book of Common Prayer'' (Macmillan, London, 1902) pp. 422f & 394 respectively.</ref>  The term "Lesser Litany" is sometimes used to refer to the versicles and responses, with the [[Lord's Prayer]], that follow the Apostles' Creed at Morning Prayer (or Mattins) and Evening Prayer (or Evensong).<ref name="P&F"/>
Many other litanies are used in private prayer. A [[Marian litany]] is one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary; only one is authorised for public recitation (mentioned above).
====Catholic litanies====
In the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]], seven litanies are approved for public recitation:
* [[The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus]]
* [[The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus]]
* [[The Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus]]
* [[Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary|The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary]] (also known as the Litany of Loreto)
* [[The Litany of Saint Joseph]]
* [[Litany of the Saints|The Litany of the Saints]]
* The Litany (in [[Divine Worship: The Missal]] Appendix 8)
For all of them the 2004 ''[[Enchiridion Indulgentiarum]]'' grants the partial [[indulgence]] to the faithfuls of Christ who piously pray the Litanies.<ref>''[[Enchiridion Indulgentiarum]].quarto editur'', ''Concessiones'', 22 2°</ref>
Several others, including the [[s:With_God/Litanies#cite_ref-1|Litany of the Blessed Sacrament]], the [[s:With_God/Litanies#cite_ref-private_2-0|Litany of the Passion]], and the [[Litany of humility]]<ref>{{Citation |title=The Litany of Humility w/ Walter Plummer |date=2024-06-16 |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/2W3QrxTPOxUFVjpcZMo6Mo |access-date=2024-07-02 |language=en}}</ref> are approved for private devotion.
====Lutheran litanies====
Much of the historic Litany was retained by the [[Lutheran Church]]. [[Martin Luther|Luther]] hailed it as one of the greatest Christian prayers ever. When faced with the Turkish armies at the gates of [[Vienna]] in 1528/29, Luther exhorted pastors to call their Christian people to repentance and prayer. He recommended the use of the Litany during the Sunday mass or Vespers. In 1529, he, after modifying the traditional [[Litany of the Saints]] (mostly by removing the invocation of saints and prayers for the pope), began using the Litany at Wittenberg in Latin and German. [[Thomas Cranmer]] used Luther's revised Litany as one of his main sources in the preparation of the Litany in the ''Book of Common Prayer''. Today, a form of the Litany continues to be used in the various [[Lutheran Church]]es around the world.<ref>Cf. J. T. Pless, "Daily Prayer", in ''Lutheran Worship and Practice'', ed. F. L. Precht (Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, 1993), 465&ndash;468.</ref>
====Methodist litanies====
The Methodist ''[[Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965)|The Book of Worship for Church and Home]]'' (1965) contains the following litanies:<ref name="BOW1964">{{cite book|title=The Book of Worship for Church and Home: With Orders of Worship, Services for the Administration of the Sacraments and Other Aids to Worship According to the Usages of the Methodist Church|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckw6vgAACAAJ|access-date=25 March 2017|year=1964|publisher=Methodist Publishing House|language=en |pages=207–218}}</ref>
*The Litany of Recollection of Jesus<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany on the [[Will_of_God#Christianity|Will of God]]<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of the Divine Will<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of Self-Examination<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of [[Confession (religion)|Confession]]<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of [[Supplication]]<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of Remembrance<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of Commemoration<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany of [[Intercession#Christianity|Intercession]]<ref name="BOW1964"/>
*The Litany for [[Religion_and_peacebuilding#Christianity_and_Peacebuilding|Peace]]<ref name="BOW1964"/>
===Eastern Christianity===
{{main|Ektenia}}
[[File:Диакон.jpg|thumb|upright| A deacon intoning a petition of an ektenia holding his orarion with the first three fingers of his right hand; after each petition he makes the [[Sign of the Cross]] thus holding his orarion.]]
In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantine]] [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Catholic]] churches, a litany is referred to as an ''ektenia''. There are numerous ektenias during the Byzantine divine services: the [[Divine Liturgy]], [[Vespers]], [[Matins]], the Sacraments, and numerous other services.
The petitions of the ektenias are usually chanted by a [[deacon]] (but if there is no deacon the [[priest]] will say the petitions), to each of which the [[choir]] ([[chanter]]s) or congregation will respond. The response is usually ''[[Kyrie eleison]]'' ("Lord, have mercy"), but other responses are used at different ektenias. After the final petition, the [[priest]] makes the [[ekphonesis]] (exclamation) which summarizes the ektenia, and always involves an invocation of the [[Holy Trinity]].
==Judaism==
Although used to a much lesser extent in [[Jewish worship]], litanies do appear in [[Jewish liturgy]]. The most notable examples are the ''[[Hoshanot]]'' recited in the additional (''musaf'') service during all seven days of the [[Sukkot]] festival.  These are mostly alphabetical acrostics to which the refrain at the end of each line is "''[[Hosanna|Hoshanah]]''"!, a contraction of the biblical ''Hoshi'a na'' ([[Psalm]] 118:25), "Save us, please!" These are recited in a procession around the sanctuary, with congregants holding the ''[[lulav]]'' and ''[[etrog]]'' (the biblical "[[Four Species]]" of [[Leviticus]] 23:40). They are essentially prayers for rain.
Litanies are also recited during the [[Ten Days of Repentance]]. The most famous of these "supplicatory" prayers is ''[[Avinu Malkeinu]]'' ("Our Father, Our King"), which is recited during [[Rosh Hashanah]] and [[Yom Kippur]] liturgies. Certain [[Selichot]] prayers also take the form of a litany during the month of [[Elul]], as do some prayers recited on fast days.
==Mandaeism==
{{See also|Qolasta}}
Litanies are often recited in [[Mandaeism]]. The most commonly recited Mandaean litanies are the ''[[Asut Malkia]]'' and ''[[Tabahatan]]''.<ref name="Drower 1937">Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press.</ref><ref name="Buckley2010">{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history|publisher=Gorgias Press|publication-place=Piscataway, N.J|year=2010|isbn=978-1-59333-621-9}}</ref>
==Islam==
{{further|Wazifa}}
==Musical settings==
* [[Marc-Antoine Charpentier]], ''Litany of Loreto, 9 settings,'' H.82 (1680), H.83 (1683–85), H.84 (1690), H.85 (1688–90), H.86 (1690), H.87 (1690), H.88 (1690), H.89 (1690), H.90 (1690).
* [[Henri Dumont|Henry Dumont]], ''Litany of Loreto (1652)''
*František Ignac Tuma, Lytaniae Lauretanae (18. century)
* [[Karol Szymanowski]], ''Litany to the Virgin Mary'' Op.59 (1933)
* [[Francis Poulenc]], ''Litanies de la Vierge noir.'' He wrote in 1936 ''[[Litanies à la Vierge Noire]]'' (Litanies to the Black Virgin) after a pilgrimage to the shrine of [[Rocamadour]], setting a French local pilgrimage litany.
* American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer [[Kanye West]] composed a litany in his song ''[[Water (Kanye West song)|Water]]'' released on October 25, 2019.
* Kolbe Ensemble ([[:hr:Ansambl Kolbe|hr]]) released ''Sung litanies of St. Anthony'' in 2022 in [[Croatian language|Croatian]], inspired by Italian setting of All Saint's Litanies.<ref>{{cite web|lang=hr|url=https://svetiste-sibenik.hr/pjevane-litanije-sv-ante/|title=Pjevane litanije sv. Ante|trans-title=Sung litanies of St. Anthony|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=January 13, 2024|website=svetiste-sibenik.hr|publisher=Croatian national shrine Nikola Tavelić|location=Šibenik}}</ref>
[[File:ViergeNoire.jpg|thumb|upright|The statue of the venerated Black Virgin at [[Rocamadour]]]]
==See also==
*[[Exhortation and Litany (1544)]]
*[[Litany against fear]]
*[[Litany of humility]]
*[[Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary]]
*[[Lorica (prayer)|Lorica]]
<!--
*{{silrbib|short=P&F|}}
*{{silrbib|short=ODCC|editor1-last=Cross|editor1-first=F.L. |editor2-last=Livingstone|editor2-first=E.A.|||The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church||OUP|1974|art=Litany, The (BCP)}}
*{{silrbib|short=E&L|web=http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Litany1544/Exhortation&Litany_1544.htm|||Exhortation and Litany (1544)|editor-first=Whorlers|editor-last=Charles|work=Society of Archbishop Justus: Resources|accessdate=2013 May 26}}-->
==Notes==
{{Wikisource portal}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Catholic|title=Litany}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Litanies]]
[[Category:Lutheran liturgy and worship]]
[[Category:Christian processions]]