Latin prayers have been used in the Catholic Church from the earliest times. Their beauty and spiritual strength is undeniable. Today they are becoming more popular due to the importance assigned to the Latin language by the Pope. While Catholic prayer life consists of thousands of prayers, the selection below features only the most famous ones.
Signum Crucis
In nomine Patris
et Filii
et Spiritus Sancti.
Amen
The Sign of the Cross
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Pater Noster
Pater Noster
qui es in caelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos
dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem:
sed libera nos a malo.
Our Father
Our Father
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Ave Maria
Ave Maria gratia plena,
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus
fructus ventris tui, Iesus
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae
Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen.
Gloria Patri
Gloria Patri
et filii
et spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio
et nunc
et semper
et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Glory be to the Father
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning
is now
and ever shall be
world without end. Amen.
Symbolum Apostolorum
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem;
Creatorem caeli et terrae.
Et in Jesum Christum,
Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum;
qui conceptus est
de Spiritu Sancto,
natus ex Maria virgine;
passus sub Pontio Pilato,
crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus;
descendit ad inferos;
tertia die resurrexit a mortuis;
ascendit ad caelos;
sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis;
inde venturus est
iudicare vivos et mortuos.
in Spiritum Sanctum;
sanctam ecclesiam catholicam;
sanctorum communionem;
remissionem peccatorum;
carnis resurrectionem;
vitam aeternam. Amen.
The Apostles
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary,
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
he will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
Actus contritionis
Deus meus,
ex toto corde paenitet me
omnium meorum peccatorum,
eaque detestor, quia peccando,
non solum poenas a Te iuste
statutas promeritus sum,
sed praesertim quia offendi Te,
summum bonum,
ac dignum qui super omnia diligaris.
Ideo firmiter propono,
adiuvante gratia Tua,
de cetero me non peccaturum peccandique
occasiones proximas fugiturum. Amen.
Act of contrition
O, my God,
I am heartily sorry
for having offended you.
I detest all my sins
because of your just punishment,
but most of all
because they offend you,
my God, who are all-good
and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of Your grace,
to sin no more
and to avoid the near occasions of sin.
Actus spei
Deus meus,
cum sis omnipotens,
infinite misericors et fidelis,
spero Te mihi daturum,
ob merita Iesu Christi,
vitam aeternam et gratias
necessarias ad eam consequendam,
quam Tu promisisti iis qui bona opera facient,
quemadmodum, Te adiuvante, facere constituo.
Act of hope
O my God,
relying on Your almighty power
and infinite mercy and promises,
I hope to obtain
pardon for my sins,
the help of Your grace,
and life everlasting,
through the merits of Jesus Christ,
my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
Actus caritatis
Domine Deus,
amo te super omnia
et proximum meum propter te,
quia tu es summum, infinitum,
et perfectissimum bonum,
omni dilectione dignum.
In hac caritate
vivere et mori statuo.
Amen.
Act of love
O Lord God,
I love you above all things
and I love my neighbor for your sake
because you are the highest,
infinite and perfect
good, worthy of all my love.
In this love
I intend to live and die.
Amen.
Ad S. Michaëlem Archangelum Precatio
Sancte Michael Archangele,
defende nos in proelio,
contra nequitiam
et insidias diaboli esto praesidium.
Imperet illi Deus,
supplices deprecamur:
tuque,
Princeps militiae caelestis,
Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos,
qui ad perditionem animarum
pervagantur in mundo,
divina virtute,
in infernum detrude. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our defense against the wickedness
and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him,
we humbly pray.
And do thou,
O prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God
thrust into hell
Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world
for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Oratio ad angelum custodem
Angele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
me, tibi commissum pietate superna,
illumina, custodi,
rege et guberna.
Amen.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.
Benedictio mensae
Benedic Domine,
nos et haec tua dona
quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi
per Christum Dominum Nostrum. Amen.
Ante prandium: Mensae caelestis participes faciat nos, Rex aeternae gloriae. Amen.
Ante cenam: Ad cenam vitae aeternae perducat nos, Rex aeternae gloriae. Amen.
Blessing before meals
Bless us O Lord,
and these Thy gifts
which we are about to receive from Thy bounty.
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen
midday:
May the King of everlasting glory make us partakers of the
heavenly table. Amen
Add for evening:
May the King of ever-lasting glory lead us to the banquet of
life eternal. Amen.
Benedictio post mensae
Agimus tibi gratias,
omnipotens Deus,
pro universis beneficiis tuis,
qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum.
Fidelium animae,
per misericordiam Dei,
requiescant in pace. Amen.
Blessing after meals
We give Thee thanks
for all Thy benefits,
O Almighty God,
Who livest and reignest forever.
And may the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace. Amen.
Laudes Divinae
Benedictus Deus. Benedictum Nomen Sanctum eius.
Benedictus Iesus Christus, verus Deus et verus homo.
Benedictum Nomen Iesu.
Benedictum Cor eius sacratissimum.
Benedictus Sanguis eius pretiosissimus.
Benedictus Iesus in sanctissimo altaris Sacramento
Benedictus Sanctus Spiritus, Paraclitus.
Benedicta excelsa Mater Christi, Maria sanctissima.
Benedicta sancta eius et immaculata Conceptio.
Benedicta eius gloriosa Assumptio.
Benedictum nomen Mariae, Virginis et Matris.
Benedictus sanctus Ioseph, eius castissimus Sponsus.
Benedictus Deus in Angelis suis, et in Sanctis suis. Amen.
The Divine Praise
Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of Christ, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph,
her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. Amen.