The Great Litany is sung in procession on the first Sunday in Lent. When the Mass begins with the Litany, the Asperges are omitted.
The celebrant wears purple cope; choir clergy do not wear copes. At the entrance, MC carries book with text of the Litany. Deacon carries Gospel Book. Th carries thurible with lighted coals in left hand. Cr carries the Lenten cross. All enter the short way in usual processional order. ACrA wheel to the side to allow the sacred ministers to pass, and then wheel out into the center of the choir. Th stands to the deacon’s right. When D places Gospel Book on the altar and returns to the foot of the altar steps, MC cues ALL to genuflect (except ACrA). Cel lays on incense, Th goes to stand west of ACrA on choir floor. MC cues all to kneel and hands Litany book to Cel. Cel allows time for the people to get to their knees and begins chanting the Litany.
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy upon us.
MC cues ALL to rise and turn to face west (TT face each other). Th begins to slowly proceed as Cel begins the next petition. The Sacred Ministers walk single file, not three abreast as in a Festal Procession. The procession turns left at the west door. Checkpoints for the thurifer are indicated below.
Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins. Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and by thy mercy preserve us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.
From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all want of charity,
Good Lord, deliver us.
CENTER OF CHURCH
From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us.
WEST DOOR
From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; from violence, battle, and murder; and from dying suddenly and unprepared,
Good Lord, deliver us.
By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and submission to the Law; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.
EXIT BAPTISTRY
By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.
In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us.
We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church Universal in the right way,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to illumine all bishops, priests, and deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living, they may set it forth, and show it accordingly,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
LEFT AT LECTERN
That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to send forth laborers into thy harvest, and to draw all mankind into thy kingdom,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
CENTER CROSSING
That it may please thee to give to all people increase of grace to hear and receive thy Word, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
DOWN NORTH AISLE
That it may please thee to give us a heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee so to rule the hearts of thy servants, the President of the United States (or of this nation), and all others in authority, that they may do justice, and love mercy, and walk in the ways of truth,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to make wars to cease in all the world; to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; and to bestow freedom upon all peoples,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives, the homeless and the hungry, and all who are desolate and oppressed,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
UP CENTER AISLE
That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the bountiful fruits of the earth, so that in due time all may enjoy them,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to inspire us, in our several callings, to do the work which thou givest us to do with singleness of heart as thy servants, and for the common good,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to preserve all who are in danger by reason of their labor or their travel,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
CENTER OF CHURCH
That it may please thee to preserve, and provide for, all women in childbirth, young children and orphans, the widowed, and all whose homes are broken or torn by strife,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to visit the lonely; to strengthen all who suffer in mind, body, and spirit; and to comfort with thy presence those who are failing and infirm,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to support, help, and comfort all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
CHANCEL STEPS
That it may please thee to have mercy upon all mankind,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
ALTAR STEPS
That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; to comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to grant to all the faithful departed eternal life and peace,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
Th stands in usual position to left of where Subdeacon will stand. Cr goes to stall, puts up cross and faces east. AA take their usual positions at the horns of the altar. All others go to the usual places and face east.
That it may please thee to grant that, in the fellowship of Blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all thy Saints that we may attain to thy heavenly kingdom,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Grant us thy peace.
O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.
At the end of the Litany, MC cues All to genuflect. When the Kyrie begins, the sacred ministers ascend the steps and venerate the altar. All other servers take their positions at sedilia and bishop’s throne. Th brings thurible to Cel. SMs cense the altar. When they have censed Cel, SMs take center “I” position. At the conclusion of the Kyrie, SMs split as usual, Cel sings the salutation, and SMs move to line “I” formation at the epistle horn as MC brings missal and stand to Cel, opens book and indicates the collect. The collect for Ash Wednesday is said following the Collect of the Sunday. The Prayers and Confession of Sin are omitted. The salutation and Offertory immediately follow the Creed.