Latin is the official language of the Roman Catholic Church, and for centuries Catholics everywhere prayed the same prayers in the same words. Learning a few prayers in Latin connects you with that tradition, with the great chants and hymns of the Church, and with Catholics around the world. The Second Vatican Council asked that the faithful “be able to say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 54).
Below are the essential Catholic prayers in Latin, each with a link to its English translation and meaning. The accents mark the stressed syllable and help with pronunciation.
How to pronounce Church Latin
Catholics use “ecclesiastical” (Italian-style) pronunciation:
| Letters | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| c before e, i, æ, œ | “ch” as in church | cælis = CHAY-lees |
| g before e, i | “j” as in gem | Génetrix = JEH-neh-treeks |
| ae, æ, oe, œ | “ay” as in day | ætérnam = ay-TEHR-nahm |
| gn | “ny” as in canyon | regnum = REH-nyoom |
| j / i before a vowel | “y” | Iesus = YAY-soos |
| qu | “kw” | qui = kwee |
| ti before a vowel | “tsee” | grátia = GRAH-tsee-ah |
The Sign of the Cross (Signum Crucis)
In nómine Patris
et Filii
et Spíritus Sancti. Amen
English: The Sign of the Cross.
The Our Father (Pater Noster)
Pater noster, qui es in cælis:
sanctificétur nomen tuum;
advéniat regnum tuum;
fiat volúntas tua,
sicut in cælo et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hódie;
et dimítte nobis débita nostra,
sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris;
et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem;
sed líbera nos a malo. Amen.
English: The Our Father.
The Hail Mary (Ave Maria)
Ave, Maria, grátia plena,
Dóminus tecum.
Benedícta tu in muliéribus,
et benedíctus fructus ventris tui,
Iesus.
Sancta María, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatóribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.
English: The Hail Mary.
The Glory Be (Gloria Patri)
Glória Patri
et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper
et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
English: The Glory Be.
The Apostles’ Creed (Symbolum Apostolorum)
saeculo II
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipoténtem, Creatórem cæli et terræ, et in Iesum Christum, Fílium Eius unicum, Dóminum nostrum, qui concéptus est de Spíritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,
passus sub Póntio Piláto, crucifixus, mórtuus, et sepúltus, descéndit ad ínferos, tértia die resurréxit a mórtuis, ascéndit ad cælos, sedet ad déxteram Dei Patris omnipoténtis, inde ventúrus est iudicáre vivos et mórtuos.
Et in Spíritum Sanctum,
sanctam Ecclésiam cathólicam,
sanctórum communiónem,
remissiónem peccatórum,
carnis resurrectiónem,
vitam ætérnam.
Amen.
English: The Apostles’ Creed. The longer Creed of Mass, in Latin and English, is on our Nicene Creed page.
Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina)
Salve, Regína,
Mater misericórdiæ
vita, dulcédo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamámus,
éxsules filii Evæ,
Ad te suspirámus geméntes et flentes
in hac lacrimárum valle.
Eia ergo, advocáta nostra,
illos tuos misericórdes óculos
ad nos convérte.
Et Iesum, benedíctum fructum
ventris tui,
nobis, post hoc exsílium osténde.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo María.
English: Hail, Holy Queen.
The Memorare
Memorare, o piissima Virgo Maria,
non esse auditum a sæculo,
quemquam ad tua currentem præsidia,
tua implorantem auxilia,
tua petentem suffragia,
esse derelictum.
Ego tali animatus confidentia,
ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro,
ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto.
Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere ;
sed audi propitia et exaudi.
Amen.
English: The Memorare.
We Fly to Thy Patronage (Sub Tuum Praesidium)
The oldest known prayer to Mary (third century):
Sub tuum præsídium confúgimus,
sancta Dei Génetrix;
nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias
in necessitátibus;
sed a perículis cunctis
líbera nos semper,
Virgo gloriósa et benedícta.
The Angelus
Ángelus Dómini
nuntiávit Mariæ.
Et concépit
de Spíritu Sancto.
Ave, María…
Ecce ancílla Dómini.
Fiat mihi secúndum
verbum tuum.
Ave, María…
Et Verbum caro factum est.
Et habitávit in nobis.
Ave, Maria…
Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei génetrix.
Ut digni efficiámur
promissiónibus Christi.
Orémus.
Grátiam tuam, quǽsumus,
Dómine, méntibus nostris infunde;
ut qui, Ángelo nuntiánte,
Christi Fílii tui incarnatiónem
cognóvimus,
per passiónem eius et crucem,
ad resurrectiónis glóriam perducámur.
Per eúndem Christum
Dóminum nostrum. Amen.
Glória Patri…
English: The Angelus. In Easter Time it is replaced by the Regina Caeli:
Regína cæli lætáre,
allelúia.
Quia quem meruísti portáre,
allelúia.
Resurréxit, sicut dixit,
allelúia.
Ora pro nobis Deum,
allelúia.
Gaude et lætáre, Virgo María,
allelúia.
Quia surréxit Dominus vere,
allelúia.
Orémus.
Deus, qui per resurrectiónem Filii tui Dómini nostri Iesu Christi mundum lætificáre dignátus es, præsta, quǽsumus, ut per eius Genetrícem Vírginem Maríam perpétuæ capiámus gáudia vitæ.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.
Soul of Christ (Anima Christi)
Ánima Christi, sanctífica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inébria me.
Aqua láteris Christi, lava me.
Pássio Christi, confórta me.
O bone Iesu, exáudi me.
Intra tua vúlnera abscónde me.
Ne permíttas me separári a te.
Ab hoste malígno defénde me.
In hora mortis meæ voca me.
Et iube me veníre ad te,
ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te
in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
English: The Anima Christi.
Prayer to St. Michael (Sancte Michael Archangele)
Sancte Michaël 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.
English: The St. Michael prayer.
Guardian Angel Prayer (Angele Dei)
Ángele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
me, tibi commíssum pietáte supérna,
illúmina, custódi,
rege et gubérna.
Amen.
English: The Guardian Angel prayer.
Act of Contrition (Actus Contritionis)
Deus meus, ex toto corde pǽnitet me ómnium meórum peccatórum, éaque detéstor, quia peccándo, non solum pœnas a te iuste statútas proméritus sum, sed præsértim quia offéndi te, summum bonum, ac dignum qui super ómnia diligáris.
Ídeo fírmiter propóno, adiuvánte grátia tua, de cétero me non peccatúrum peccandíque occasiónes próximas fugitúrum. Amen.
English: The Act of Contrition.
Eternal Rest (Requiem Aeternam)
Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine,
et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace. Amen.
English: The Eternal Rest prayer.
Prayers of the Mass in Latin
Lamb of God (Agnus Dei)
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:
dona nobis pacem.
Glory to God in the Highest (Gloria in Excelsis)
See the full Latin and English on our Gloria page. The Latin Confiteor is on our Confiteor page.
Eucharistic hymns in Latin
Ave Verum Corpus
Ave verum corpus natum de Maria virgine
Vere passum immolatum in cruce pro homine
Cujus latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine
Esto nobis prægustatum mortis in examine
O Iesu dulcis! O Iesu pie! O Iesu fili Mariæ
The Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris Hostia, sung at Benediction, are on our Tantum Ergo page, and the Pange Lingua on our Holy Thursday page.
Frequently asked questions
Which Latin prayers should I learn first?
Start with the Signum Crucis, Pater Noster, Ave Maria and Gloria Patri. With those four you can pray the Rosary in Latin.
Can I pray the Rosary in Latin?
Yes. Use the Signum Crucis, the Credo, the Pater Noster, the Ave Maria and the Gloria Patri, and end with the Salve Regina. See the prayers of the Rosary for the order.
Why does the Church still use Latin?
Latin is the original language of the Roman liturgy and of most Church documents. It is a sign of unity across languages and centuries, and the Second Vatican Council asked that it be preserved in the Latin rites (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 36).
What do the accent marks mean?
They show which syllable is stressed. They are not part of the spelling and are often omitted.
More Catholic prayers
- Catholic hymns: lyrics and meaning
- Ave Maria (Schubert and Gounod)
- Veni Creator Spiritus
- Ave Verum Corpus
- Dies Irae
- Acts of Faith, Hope and Love (Latin)
- The Athanasian Creed in Latin
- Catholic prayers in Spanish
- Sub tuum praesidium, the oldest prayer to Mary
- The Divine Praises
- Catholic prayers: the basic prayers every Catholic should know
- The Nicene Creed in Latin and English
- Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris
- The Gloria and the Confiteor
- The prayers of the Rosary
Texts and sources
- All Latin texts: Latin Wikisource (la.wikisource.org), pages “Signum Crucis,” “Pater noster,” “Ave Maria,” “Gloria Patri,” “Symbolum Apostolicum,” “Salve Regina,” “Memorare,” “Sub tuum praesidium,” “Angelus Domini,” “Regina Caeli,” “Anima Christi,” “Oratio ad Sanctum Michael,” “Angele Dei,” “Actus contritionis,” “Requiem aeternam,” “Agnus Dei” and “Ave Verum Corpus”; navigation lines and a bracketed doxology removed; “Amen” added to the Pater Noster.
- Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), nos. 36 and 54.