The Litany of St. Joseph is the Church’s official litany in honor of the husband of Mary and guardian of Jesus. Pope St. Pius X approved it in 1909, and on May 1, 2021, Pope Francis added seven new invocations, including Guardian of the Redeemer, Support in difficulties and Patron of exiles. The text below includes them in their official places.
Pray it especially on Wednesdays, during March (the month of St. Joseph), on his feasts of March 19 and May 1, and whenever you need his help for your family, your work or a happy death.
The Litany of St. Joseph (full text)
The leader says each invocation and all respond with the words in italics.
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 Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Joseph, pray for us.
Noble scion of David, pray for us.
Light of the patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster-father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Servant of Christ, pray for us.
Minister of salvation, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most valiant, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workers, pray for us.
Ornament of domestic life, pray for us.
Protector of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Support in difficulties, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of exiles, pray for us.
Patron of the afflicted, pray for us.
Patron of the poor, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of the demons, pray for us.
Protector of holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. He made him master of his house.
R. And ruler of all his possessions.
Let us pray.
O God, who in Thy ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thy most holy Mother: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may have him whom we venerate as our protector on earth, as our intercessor in heaven. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
The seven new invocations of 2021
For the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph’s proclamation as Patron of the Universal Church, the Congregation for Divine Worship announced seven additions “drawn from the interventions of the Popes who have reflected on aspects of the figure of the Patron of the Universal Church”:
| Invocation | Latin | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guardian of the Redeemer | Custos Redemptoris | St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos (1989) |
| Servant of Christ | Serve Christi | St. Paul VI, homily of March 19, 1966 |
| Minister of salvation | Minister salutis | St. John Chrysostom, quoted in Redemptoris Custos |
| Support in difficulties | Fulcimen in difficultatibus | Francis, Patris Corde (2020) |
| Patron of exiles | Patrone exsulum | Patris Corde, 5 |
| Patron of the afflicted | Patrone afflictorum | Patris Corde, 5 |
| Patron of the poor | Patrone pauperum | Patris Corde, 5 |
What some of the titles mean
- Noble scion of David. Joseph was a descendant of King David, so Jesus was legally “son of David” through him (Matthew 1:1–16).
- Spouse of the Mother of God; Chaste guardian of the Virgin. Joseph took Mary into his home and protected her (Matthew 1:24).
- Foster-father of the Son of God; Diligent protector of Christ. He named Jesus, saved him from Herod by fleeing to Egypt, and raised him in Nazareth (Matthew 2:13–23).
- Head of the Holy Family; Pillar of families. He is the model for husbands and fathers.
- Model of workers. He was a carpenter who taught his trade to Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3).
- Patron of exiles. The Holy Family were refugees in Egypt. Pope Francis wrote: “I consider Saint Joseph the special patron of all those forced to leave their native lands because of war, hatred, persecution and poverty” (Patris Corde, 5).
- Patron of the dying. Tradition holds that he died with Jesus and Mary beside him, so the Church calls him the patron of a happy death (CCC 1014).
- Terror of the demons; Protector of holy Church. As he protected the child Jesus, he protects Christ’s Body, the Church.
When to pray the Litany of St. Joseph
- Wednesdays, the day traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph.
- During March, especially as part of a novena from March 10 to 18 before his solemnity.
- On May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, especially when looking for work. See the prayer to St. Joseph for work.
- For a dying family member. See prayers for the dying.
- For your family, marriage or home, especially in times of difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Litany of St. Joseph?
It was approved by Pope St. Pius X on March 18, 1909, for use throughout the Church. The seven newest invocations were approved by Pope Francis and published on May 1, 2021.
Is the Litany of St. Joseph an official litany?
Yes. It is one of the litanies approved by the Holy See for public use, together with the Litanies of the Saints, the Holy Name, the Sacred Heart, the Precious Blood and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Why do some versions say “Diligent protector of Christ” and others “Zealous defender”?
They translate the same Latin title, Christi defensor sedule. Older English books, including Lasance’s With God (1911), say “Sedulous defender of Christ.”
Can I pray the litany alone?
Yes. When praying alone, say both the invocation and the response.
More prayers to St. Joseph and the saints
- Seven Sundays of St. Joseph
- St. Joseph’s Day (March 19) traditions
- St. Joseph prayer to sell a house
- Catholic prayer for a job
- What is a litany?
- The St. Joseph prayer
- The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- The Litany of the Sacred Heart
- Novenas: how to pray a novena
Texts and sources
- English text: F. X. Lasance, With God (1911), Litanies, public domain; two titles modernized from the Latin (“Diligent protector of Christ,” “Solace of the wretched”).
- New invocations and official Latin text: Congregation for Divine Worship, Letter on New Invocations in the Litany in honour of Saint Joseph, May 1, 2021 and the Latin litany. English renderings of the new invocations by Bidding Prayers.
- Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde (2020).
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1014.