The Litany of the Holy Face grew out of the Tours devotion in the second half of the nineteenth century and circulated widely in Archconfraternity manuals and holy-card leaflets.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, shining with the light of glory upon the mountain, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, bathed in tears at the grave of Lazarus, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, bowed to the ground in the Garden of Olives, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, covered with a sweat of blood, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, betrayed by the kiss of a friend, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, struck by the servant of the high priest, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, dishonored by the spittle of sinners, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, veiled and mocked by Thine enemies, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, crowned with thorns, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, shown to the people by Pilate, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, streaming with blood upon the road to Calvary, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, wiped by the veil of Veronica, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, lifted up upon the Cross, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, pale in death and laid in the tomb, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, radiant on the morning of the Resurrection, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, reigning now in the splendor of Heaven, have mercy on us.
Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From all blasphemy against Thy holy Name, deliver us, O Jesus.
From the profanation of Thy holy day, deliver us, O Jesus.
From hardness of heart and contempt of Thy grace, deliver us, O Jesus.
From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy sorrowful Face in Gethsemane, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy wounded Face on the Cross, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy glorious Face in Heaven, deliver us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. O Lord, show us Thy Face.
R. And we shall be saved.
Let us pray.
O almighty and eternal God, look upon the Face of Thy Son,
and for the love of Him who with His whole Heart offered Himself for us,
be pleased to grant us Thy pardon and Thy peace;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Archconfraternity of the Holy Face, Tours (traditional manual form)
About the prayer
Its invocations trace the Face of Christ through the Gospels — transfigured on Tabor, weeping at Bethany, sweating blood in Gethsemane, struck and veiled in the house of Caiaphas, imprinted on Veronica's cloth, lifted on the Cross, and finally radiant in the Resurrection — so that the one praying contemplates the whole mystery of the Redemption in a single portrait. Like all private litanies, it is intended for personal and family devotion rather than public liturgy. It is traditionally prayed on Tuesdays, on Shrove Tuesday (the Feast of the Holy Face), and during Lent, and closes with the versicle from Psalm 79, "Show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved."
