In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus knelt in agony, an angel appeared and strengthened Him — yet Scripture never reveals his name. Who was he? The answer may surprise you.
In the garden of Gethsemane, on the night before His crucifixion, our Lord Jesus Christ knelt in agony and prayed. His sweat became like drops of blood. He asked His Father, if it were possible, to let the cup pass from Him — and yet surrendered His will completely to the Father’s. It is one of the most devastating and beautiful moments in all of Scripture.
And in the midst of it, quietly, an angel appeared.
Most Catholics are familiar with the agony in the garden. Fewer stop to consider that heavenly visitor — who he was, what he did, and what his presence means.
The Only Gospel That Mentions Him
Of the four Evangelists, only St. Luke records the appearance of the angel. In Luke 22:43, we read simply:
“And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”
That is the entirety of what Scripture tells us. No name. No description. No words spoken. Just a quiet, faithful presence — a creature of heaven standing beside his Creator in the hour of His deepest human suffering.
The brevity of the passage is striking. Luke does not linger. He does not explain. He simply notes that the angel came, and that he strengthened the Lord.
Does the Church Name This Angel?
The short answer is no.
The Catholic Church has never officially identified the angel who appeared to Jesus in Gethsemane. No dogmatic teaching, no authoritative declaration, no binding tradition names him. His identity remains, at least in this life, unknown to us.
Various theologians and spiritual writers over the centuries have offered their own proposals. St. Michael the Archangel is the most commonly suggested candidate, given his role as heavenly warrior, protector of God’s people, and the one who does battle against the forces of darkness. Gabriel, who announced the Incarnation to Our Lady and had so intimate a connection with the mystery of Christ’s coming into the world, has also been proposed by some. But these remain pious speculations — nothing more.
The Church, in her wisdom, has left this angel unnamed. And perhaps that is itself a lesson worth reflecting on.
How Could an Angel Strengthen God?
This is the question that has occupied theologians for centuries, and it is a genuinely profound one. If Jesus is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity — true God and true Man — how could a creature, however exalted, offer Him anything?
St. Thomas Aquinas addresses this directly in his Summa Theologiae. His answer centers on the two natures of Christ. Jesus is fully divine, yes — but He is also fully human. And in His humanity, He willed to experience genuine suffering: real fear, real sorrow, real exhaustion, real anguish. He did not exempt His human nature from the weight of what lay before Him. He entered into it completely.
The angel, then, ministered not to Christ’s divinity — which needs nothing and lacks nothing — but to His human nature. The consolation offered was real consolation, received by a real human soul undergoing real suffering. Christ permitted this ministry as part of His embrace of our humanity in its fullness.
It is, when you sit with it, a staggering act of humility. The God who created the angels allowed one of His own creatures to come and comfort Him.
The Silence Keeps Our Eyes on Christ
There is something deeply right about the fact that this angel has no name in our tradition. In the accounts of other angelic appearances — Gabriel at the Annunciation, the angels at the Resurrection, Michael in the Book of Revelation — the focus can shift, at least momentarily, to the messenger. Here, there is no such risk.
The angel at Gethsemane remains entirely in the background. He does not speak. He is not described. He is simply there, doing what angels do: serving God, carrying out His purposes, and then stepping quietly away.
The spotlight stays exactly where it belongs — on Jesus, alone in the garden, taking upon Himself the sins of the world.
Our Own Gethsemane Moments
There is a deeply consoling truth tucked inside this brief passage for every soul who has ever suffered in darkness and felt utterly alone.
If God the Son, in His humanity, received the ministry of an angel in His hour of agony — how much more might we trust that we are never truly alone in ours? The Church has always taught that God sends His angels to accompany, protect, and strengthen His children. We may not see them. We may not feel them. But the witness of Gethsemane reminds us that heaven is not indifferent to our suffering.
When you find yourself in your own garden — kneeling under the weight of something you are not sure you can bear — remember that unnamed angel. Remember that the Father sent comfort to His Son in His darkest hour. And trust that He has not forgotten you either.
The “Prayer to the Holy Angel Who Comforted Jesus in His Agony” is an ancient devotion rooted in the account found in the Gospel of Saint Luke (22:43), where an angel from heaven appears to strengthen Jesus during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. In this prayer, we salute that holy angel — chosen by the Most Holy Trinity from among all the heavenly hosts for the most sacred of missions — and ask for his intercession on our behalf. We implore him to obtain for us true sorrow for our sins, strength in our present afflictions, and grace in all the trials that lie ahead, most especially at the hour of our own final agony.
I salute thee, Holy Angel who didst comfort my Jesus in His agony, and with thee I praise the Most Holy Trinity for having chosen thee from among all the holy angels to comfort and strengthen Him, Who is the comfort and strength of all that are in affliction.
By the honor thou didst enjoy, and by the obedience, humility, and love wherewith thou didst assist the sacred Humanity of Jesus, my Savior, when He was fainting for very sorrow at seeing the sins of the world, and especially my sins, I beseech thee to obtain for me perfect sorrow for my sins. Deign to strengthen me in the afflictions that now overwhelm me, and in all the other trials to which I shall be exposed henceforth, and, in particular, when I find myself in my final agony.
Christ suffered 5,480 wounds — here is our call to honor every single one.
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5,480 – That is the number of wounds Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered during His Passion — at least according to a revelation given to one of the most remarkable women in Catholic history.
When St. Bridget of Sweden received that answer after years of fervent prayer, God did not stop there. He gave her something to do with it: two extraordinary devotions that have set souls on fire for over six centuries.
One devotion spans a single year. The other spans twelve. Both are anchored in the Passion of Christ. Both carry with them promises so astonishing that they have drawn skeptics and believers alike to their knees. And both are available to you — right now, wherever you are in your spiritual journey.
Though they share the same saint and the same devotion to the Passion of Christ, these are two completely separate devotions — each with its own origin, its own prayers, and its own promises.
If you have never heard of these devotions, consider this your invitation. If you have heard of them but never begun, perhaps now is the time. And if you are already praying them — may this deepen your understanding and strengthen your resolve.
St. Bridget of Sweden was a 14th-century mystic, mother of eight, and foundress of the Brigittine Order — a woman whose entire life was centered on the Passion of Christ. Our Lord taught St. Bridget fifteen prayers to be prayed daily for one full year — honoring each of His 5,480 wounds. Also known as the Pieta Prayers or the Magnificent Prayers, they are deep meditations on the Passion, taking about twenty minutes to pray in full. The prayers were approved by Pope Pius IX on May 31, 1862.
Associated with this devotion are 21 promises said to have been made by Our Lord to those who complete the full year.
The 21 Promises made by Our Lord to St. Bridget:
15 souls of his lineage will be delivered from Purgatory.
15 souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace.
15 sinners of his lineage will be converted.
Whoever prays these prayers will attain the first degree of perfection.
15 days before his death, he will receive the Precious Body and Blood of Christ so that he may escape eternal starvation and thirst.
15 days before his death, he will feel deep contrition for all his sins and will have a perfect knowledge of them.
The sign of the Victorious Cross will be placed before him for his help and defense against the attacks of his enemies.
Before his death, Christ will come with His Blessed Mother.
His soul will be graciously received and led into eternal joy.
His soul will be delivered from eternal death.
He will obtain all he asks of God and the Blessed Virgin.
If he has lived doing his own will and is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged.
Every time these prayers are recited, he gains 100 days of indulgence.
He will be assured of being joined to the supreme choir of Angels.
Whoever teaches these prayers to another will have continuous joy and merit that endures eternally.
Wherever these prayers are said, God will be present with His grace.
He will be defended against evil temptations.
His five senses will be preserved and guarded.
He will be preserved from sudden death.
His heart’s desire, if it be for the salvation of his soul, will be granted.
Every devout soul who recites these prayers will be united more closely with the Passion of Christ.
The promises belong to private revelation and are not doctrinally binding. However, Pope Benedict XV affirmed that the faithful may believe them “out of human faith” — piously and with prudence. The prayers themselves are fully approved and richly recommended.
The second devotion has a different origin entirely. These seven prayers were given to St. Bridget not by Our Lord, but by Our Blessed Mother — each one honoring a time Our Lord shed His Precious Blood, from the Circumcision to the Piercing of His Side. These are prayed every day for twelve consecutive years and were approved by Pope Clement XII and confirmed by Pope Innocent X.
The 5 Promises Made By Our Lady to St. Bridget:
The soul who prays them will suffer no Purgatory.
The soul who prays them will be counted among the Martyrs as though they had shed their blood for the faith.
The soul who prays them may choose three others whom Jesus will keep in a state of grace sufficient for them to become holy.
No one in four successive generations of the soul who prays them will be lost.
The soul who prays them will be made conscious of their death one month in advance.
As with the one-year devotion, the 1954 Holy Office noted that the supernatural origin of these promises is uncertain — but the prayers themselves remain fully approved and spiritually fruitful.
It’s a Commitment — But It’s Worth It
These are not casual prayers to be picked up and set down at will. They ask something of you: consistency, perseverance, and devotion. They are a covenant of prayer — a daily returning to the wounds of Christ, day after day, through joy and sorrow, consolation and dryness.
But that is also precisely their beauty. In a world of instant gratification and scattered attention, these devotions call us to something counter-cultural: fidelity. They ask us to show up for God, day after day, the way He showed up for us — all the way to Calvary.
Many who have prayed these devotions speak of profound interior changes: a deeper love for the Passion, greater peace in suffering, unexpected conversions in their families, and a nearness to Christ that grew quietly and steadily over months and years.
If you miss a day, do not despair — simply continue. The important thing is the sincere effort of a loving heart. As one tradition holds regarding the one-year devotion: as long as the total of 5,480 prayers is completed within the year, the spirit of the devotion is preserved.
Begin with one. Begin today. Take the wounds of Christ into your hands like a rosary, and let them lead you home.
Final Thoughts
St. Bridget of Sweden spent her life in intimate union with the suffering Christ. She wept over His wounds. She prayed without ceasing. She founded a religious order. She raised a saint. And in her mercy, she left us these prayers — windows into the heart of a God who loves us beyond all measure.
Whether you choose the one-year devotion or the twelve-year devotion — or begin with one and embrace the other — know that you are joining a great cloud of witnesses who, across seven centuries, have honored the wounds of Our Lord with these very words.
The “15 Prayers of St. Bridget” is a devotion revealed to St. Bridget by Christ Himself, who disclosed that He suffered exactly 5,280 blows during His Passion. To honor each of those blows, Our Lord gave St. Bridget of Sweden fifteen prayers to be prayed daily for one full year — with each Our Father and Hail Mary honoring one of those 5,280 wounds.
To those who faithfully complete this one-year devotion, Our Lord attached extraordinary promises of grace: 1. Our Lord will deliver fifteen souls of his/her lineage from Purgatory. 2. Fifteen souls of his/her lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace. 3. Fifteen sinners of his/her lineage will be converted. 4. He/she will attain the first degree of perfection. 5. Fifteen days before death, he/she will receive the Precious Body and Precious Blood of Our Lord. 6. Fifteen days before death, he/she will feel deep contrition and perfect knowledge of all his/her sins. 7. Our Lord will place before him/her the sign of His Victorious Cross as defense against his/her enemies. 8. Before death, Our Lord will come with His Dearest Beloved Mother. 9. Our Lord will graciously receive his/her soul and lead it into eternal joy. 10. He/she will receive a special draught from the fountain of Our Lord’s Deity. 11. Even a sinner of 30 years who recites these Prayers devoutly will be forgiven. 12. He/she will be protected from strong temptations. 13. His/her five senses will be preserved and guarded. 14. He/she will be preserved from sudden death. 15. His/her soul will be delivered from eternal death. 16. He/she will obtain all that is asked of God and the Blessed Virgin. 17. If he/she is to die the next day, his/her life will be prolonged. 18. Each time these Prayers are recited, he/she gains 100 days indulgence. 19. He/she is assured of being joined to the supreme Choir of Angels. 20. Whoever teaches these Prayers to another will have continuous joy and merit eternally. 21. Wherever these Prayers are said, God is present with His grace.
The Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget
One-Year DevotionTo Honor the 5,480 Blows Jesus Received During His Sacred Passion
O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassing all joy and all desire, Salvation and Hope of all sinners, Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all the sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy conception, and especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from all eternity in the Divine plan.
Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples, having washed their feet, Thou gavest them Thy Most Precious Body and Blood, and while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou didst foretell them Thy coming Passion. Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience in Thy Soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: “My Soul is sorrowful even unto death.”
Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion, when, after having prayed three times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou wast betrayed by Judas, Thy disciple, arrested by the people of a nation Thou hadst chosen and elevated, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges during the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season.
Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and clothed in those of derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou wast buffeted, crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands, that Thou was crushed with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages.
In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou didst endure before Thy Passion on the Cross, grant me before my death true contrition, a sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission of all my sins. Amen.
Second Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! True liberty of angels, Paradise of delights, remember the horror and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and other unheard-of-cruelties, tormented Thee at will.
In consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O my Savior, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and to bring me, under Thy protection, to the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.
Third Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can encompass or limit, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Loving power, remember the very bitter pain Thou didst suffer when they nailed Thy Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt nails, and not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy Wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy Limbs.
I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen.
Fourth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in me a perfect contrition and the remission of all my sins. Amen.
Fifth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Mirror of eternal splendor! Remember the sadness which Thou experienced when, contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred Passion, Thou didst see at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins, and Thou didst complain bitterly of those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners.
Through this abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou saidst to him: “This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.” I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show me mercy. Amen.
Sixth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned Thee, except Thy Beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy agony and whom Thou didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou saidst to Mary: “Woman, behold thy son!” and to St. John: “Son, behold thy Mother!” I beg of Thee, O my Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my afflictions and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.
Seventh Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of Love, said from the Cross: “I thirst!” suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race.
I beg of Thee, O my Savior, to inflame in my heart the desire to tend toward perfection in all my acts; and to extinguish in me the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desires. Amen.
Eighth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which Thou didst taste on the Cross for love of us, grant me the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during my life and at the hour of my death, that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for my soul. Amen.
Ninth Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when, plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou was abandoned by Thy Father, saying: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Savior, not to abandon me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen.
Tenth Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remember that for my sake Thou was plunged in an abyss of suffering from the soles of Thy Feet to the crown of Thy Head.
In consideration of the enormity of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy Commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.
Eleventh Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy Wounds which penetrated to the very marrow of Thy Bones and to the depth of Thy being, to draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offences, away from sin and to hide me from Thy Face justly irritated against me. Hide me in Thy wounds until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.
Twelfth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Mirror of Truth, symbol of unity, link of charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou wast covered from Head to Foot, torn and reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. O Great and Universal Pain, which Thou didst suffer in Thy virginal Flesh for love of us!
Sweetest Jesus! What is there that Thou couldst have done for us which Thou has not done! May the fruit of Thy Sufferings be renewed in my soul by the faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy Love increase in my heart each day, until I see Thee in eternity. Thou Who art the treasure of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me, O Sweetest Jesus, in Heaven. Amen.
Thirteenth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King! Remember the pain which Thou didst endure! When all Thy strength, both moral and physical, was entirely exhausted, Thou didst bow Thy Head, saying: “It is consummated!”
Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee, Lord Jesus, to have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen.
Fourteenth Prayer Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendour and Figure of His Substance, remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst make of Thy Soul to Thy Eternal Father, saying: “Father, into Thy Hands I commend My Spirit!” And with Thy Body all torn, and Thy Heart Broken, and the bowels of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou didst Expire.
By this Precious Death, I beg of Thee, O King of Saints, comfort me and help me to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world I may live for Thee alone. I beg of Thee at the hour of my death to receive me, a pilgrim and an exile returning to Thee. Amen.
Fifteenth Prayer Our Father…Hail Mary…
O Jesus! True and fruitful Vine! Remember the abundant outpouring of Blood which Thou didst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juice from grapes in a wine press.
From Thy Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood and water issued forth until there was not left in Thy Body a single drop; and finally, like a bundle of myrrh lifted to the top of the Cross, Thy delicate Flesh was destroyed, the very Substance of Thy Body withered, and the Marrow of Thy Bones dried up.
Through this bitter Passion and through the outpouring of Thy Precious Blood, I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, to receive my soul when I am in my death agony. Amen.
Closing Prayer O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love will be my bread day and night. May I be converted entirely to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual habitation, may my conversation be pleasing to Thee, and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy that I may merit Heaven and there, with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen.
The “Prayer to the Sorrowful Soul of Jesus” is a deeply moving Catholic devotion that draws the faithful into the very heart of Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. It calls us to remember not only the physical torments of the Passion, but the often-overlooked interior suffering of Our Lord’s Soul — His grief, His abandonment, and the crushing weight of humanity’s sins upon His Sacred Heart. It is both a plea for mercy and an act of love — asking us to draw near to Christ in His sorrow and to find our refuge in His most precious Blood.
REMEMBER, O most sorrowful Soul of my Jesus, the fearful agony that Thou didst endure, when plunged into the depths of Thy Father’s Justice and Wrath, Thou didst cry out, “My Father, if it be possible, let this bitter Chalice pass from me, nevertheless not My Will but Thine be done”; and when overwhelmed in deepest woe, Thou didst complain that “Thy Soul was sorrowful, even unto death”; and when agonizing, dying, and deserted by all, even by Thine eternal Father, these words of wondrous mystery were wrung from Thee, “My God! My God! why hast Thou forsaken Me!”
Remember the sighs, the groans, the anguish of soul, the agony of mind, and the breaking of Thy Loving Heart. Remember the many stripes, the blows, the insults, the blasphemies, the thorns, the Blood, the Tears, the stripping of Thy garments, the shame, the prayers, the separation of Thy Holy Soul from Thine adorable Body.
Remember the Wisdom of Thy Sacred Head that contrived so much suffering, and would thus prove the Love of Thy Sacred Heart, for the souls of Thy children. Remember, too, what Mary suffered.
Remember the price I have cost Thee, and when Thou beholdest all these fearful tortures, have mercy and pity on my soul, and forgive me through Thy Precious Blood.
Why, O my crucified, loving Jesus, are so many souls in darkness and sin? Art Thou not the Almighty God? the God of Wisdom, of Knowledge, of Light? Art Thou not our Creator, our Redeemer, our Sanctification, our holy and strong God? Why then is our enemy and Thine so bold?
O Lord, for the love Thou hast for souls, for the price we have cost Thee, for the glory of Thy name, arise and show that Thou art the Living God.
Lighten up every darkness by the Light of Thy Divine Wisdom; expel all heresies by spreading the Truth of Thy doctrines, and the beauty of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Faith throughout all nations.
Consume all hearts with the burning Fire of Thy Love. Draw all souls to Thy Soul, that we may console and comfort Thee here, by weeping over sin, which is the cause of Thine intense sorrow.
Hide us, dear Jesus, in Thy Wounds, bathe our souls in Thy most precious Blood. Stamp Thy sacred Head and Face deeply in our hearts and souls, that we may never forget Thee, nor the sorrow we have caused Thee.
Remember us, Lord in Thy Kingdom. Grant us Pardon and peace here, and eternal happiness in the world to come. Let us keep near Thee, Jesus, in Thy Sorrow, that we may be found worthy to dwell for ever with Thee, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, One God in Three distinct Persons, in the world without end. Amen.
“The Seven Last Words of Christ” is a profound prayer and meditation on the seven final statements that Jesus Christ spoke during His crucifixion. The prayer is particularly focused on one’s own preparation for death, as each meditation asks for grace at the hour of death and connects Christ’s suffering to the believer’s own eventual passing. It emphasizes themes of mercy, trust in God’s will, and the redemptive power of Christ’s sacrifice.
INCLINE unto my aid, O God. R/. O Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
The First Word
FATHER, forgive them for they know not what they do.
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, Who for love of me dost suffer upon the Cross in order to pay with Thy sufferings the debt of my sins, and Who dost open Thy Divine lips to obtain for me their remission from the eternal justice of God, have pity on all the faithful who are in their last agony, and upon me.
When I shall come to that final hour, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, which was shed for our salvation, give me such a lively sorrow for my sins that my soul may expire in the bosom of Thine infinite mercy.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Second Word
THIS day Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, Who for love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and with such readiness and bounty, dost respond to the faith of the Good Thief, who acknowledges Thee as the Son of God in Thy humiliation, assuring him of Paradise, have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me.
When I shall come to my latter end, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, inspire in my soul a faith so firm and constant that it shall not waver at any suggestions from the devil. May I obtain the reward of Thy holy Paradise.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Third Word
BEHOLD Thy Son; behold thy Mother.
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, Who for love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and who, forgetting Thine own sufferings, dost bequeath to me Thy most holy Mother as a pledge of Thy love. Through her, may I be enabled to have recourse to Thee with all confidence in my greatest necessities.
Have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me. When I shall come to my latter end, by the interior martyrdom of Thy dear Mother, inspire in my heart a firm trust in the infinite merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, whereby I may escape the eternal damnation which I have merited by my sins.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Fourth Word
MY GOD! My God! why hast Thou forsaken Me?
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, Who for love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and who, adding suffering to suffering, besides Thy bodily pains, dost endure with infinite patience the most painful affliction of spirit at being abandoned by Thine Eternal Father.
Have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me. When I shall come to the hour of death, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, give me the grace of suffering with true patience all the pains and agony of my death-struggle, so that by uniting my sufferings to Thine, I may share Thy glory in Paradise.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Fifth Word
I THIRST.
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, Who for love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and who, not yet satisfied with so many reproaches and sufferings, wouldst suffer even more, if thereby all men might be saved, showing that the whole torrent of Thy Passion is not enough to satisfy the thirst of Thy loving Heart.
Have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me. When I shall come to my final hour, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, enkindle such a fire of love within my heart that it yearns to be united with Thee through all eternity.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Sixth Word
IT IS consummated.
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, Who for love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and from that pulpit of truth dost proclaim that Thou hast finished the work of our redemption, whereby man, from being a child of wrath and perdition, has been made a son of God and an heir of Heaven.
Have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me. When I shall come to my last hour, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, detach me wholly from the world and from myself, giving me the grace to offer Thee from my heart the sacrifice of my life in expiation of my sins.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Seventh Word
FATHER, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.
V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R/. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LORD JESUS, LORD JESUS, Who for the love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and who to complete this great sacrifice dost embrace the will of Thine Eternal Father, resigning Thy spirit into His hands and bowing Thy head in death, have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me.
When I shall come to my latter end, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, give me a perfect conformity to Thy Divine will, so that I may be ready to live or die as it shall please Thee. I desire nothing else except the perfect fulfillment in me of Thine adorable will, Who for the love of me dost hang in agony upon the Cross, and who to complete this great sacrifice dost embrace the will of Thine eternal Father, resigning Thy spirit into His hands and bowing Thy head in death, have pity on all the faithful who are in their agony, and upon me.
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. [3 times]
V/. Have mercy on us, O Lord. R/. Have mercy on us.
O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and I repent of having offended Thee by my sins.
The Prayer to the Agonizing Heart of Jesus is a prayer that praises and adores Jesus’ Agonizing Heart in the Garden of Gethsemane, its many virtues and attributes. It asks Jesus, who suffered greatly for us, to grant the grace of a peaceful death to those who are dying, pleading for his infinite love and patience to have pity on them in their final agony.
O Jesus, my Savior, I adore and love Thee in the mystery of Thine Agony in the Garden of Olives, and I compassionate the sufferings of Thine Agonizing Heart. I entreat Thee, by this Holy Agony, and by all the Dolors of Thy mortal life, to grant the grace of a good death to all the dying. For this end, let me offer Thee my most humble homage.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Sacred Heart of my God, my King, and my Savior,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most holy, most chaste, most innocent of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most humble, most submissive, most obedient of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most afflicted, most injured, most patient of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most sweet, most tender, most devoted of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most generous, most noble, most powerful of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Heart of the Good Shepherd, of the best of Friends, of the tenderest of Brothers,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Joy of the Angels, Bliss of the Saints, Glory of Heaven,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, terror of demons, hope of sinners, strength and consolation of the just,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, inexhaustible source of grace, abyss of mercy, only hope of the agonizing,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Beloved of the Father, Living Temple of the Holy Ghost, delight of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most loving, most worthy of love, most patient of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
The “Litany of the Passion“ is a prayer that thoughtfully reflects on the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. By meditating on Christ’s intense physical and spiritual pain through vivid invocations, it fosters devotion to him and gratitude for the salvation his sacrifice brings. Often used during Lent and Good Friday, this litany has long helped believers contemplate the mystery of the cross.
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, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us. Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver, have mercy on us. Jesus, prostrate on the ground in prayer, have mercy on us. Jesus, strengthened by an angel, have mercy on us. Jesus, in Thine agony bathed in a bloody sweat, have mercy on us. Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, have mercy on us. Jesus, bound by the soldiers, have mercy on us. Jesus, forsaken by thy disciples, have mercy on us. Jesus, brought before Annas and Caiphas, have mercy on us. Jesus, struck in the face by a servant, have mercy on us. Jesus, accused by false witnesses, have mercy on us. Jesus, declared guilty of death, have mercy on us. Jesus, spat upon, have mercy on us. Jesus, blindfolded, have mercy on us. Jesus, smitten on the cheek, have mercy on us. Jesus, thrice denied by Peter, have mercy on us. Jesus, delivered up to Pilate, have mercy on us. Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, have mercy on us. Jesus, clothed in a white garment, have mercy on us. Jesus, rejected for Barabbas, have mercy on us. Jesus, torn with scourges, have mercy on us. Jesus, bruised by our sins, have mercy on us. Jesus, esteemed as a leper, have mercy on us. Jesus, covered with a purple robe, have mercy on us. Jesus, crowned with thorns, have mercy on us. Jesus, struck with a reed upon the head, have mercy on us. Jesus, demanded for crucifixion by the Jews, have mercy on us. Jesus, condemned to an ignominious death, have mercy on us. Jesus, given up to the will of Thine enemies, have mercy on us. Jesus, loaded with the heavy weight of the Cross, have mercy on us. Jesus, led like a sheep to the slaughter, have mercy on us. Jesus, stripped of Thy garments, have mercy on us. Jesus, fastened with nails to the cross, have mercy on us. Jesus, reviled by the malefactors, have mercy on us. Jesus, promising paradise to the penitent thief, have mercy on us. Jesus, commending St. John to thy mother as her son, have mercy on us. Jesus, declaring Thyself forsaken by Thy Father, have mercy on us. Jesus, obedient even to death on the cross, have mercy on us. Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us. Jesus, made a propitiation for us, have mercy on us. Jesus, taken down from the Cross, made a propitiation for us, have mercy on us. Jesus, laid in the sepulcher, have mercy on us. Jesus, rising gloriously from the dead, have mercy on us. Jesus, ascending into heaven, have mercy on us. Jesus, our Advocate with the Father, have mercy on us. Jesus, sending down on the disciples the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, have mercy on us. Jesus, exalting Thy mother above the living and the dead, have mercy on us.
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From all sin, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From anger, hatred, and every evil will, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From war, famine, and pestilence, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From all dangers of mind and body, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From everlasting death, Lord Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most pure conception, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy miraculous nativity, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy humble circumcision, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy labors and watchings, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy cruel scourging and crowning, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy thirst and tears and nakedness, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy precious death on the cross, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy sending forth the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Lord Jesus, deliver us.
On the day of Judgment, we sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe mercifully to pour into our hearts the grace of the Holy Spirit, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to preserve and increase all societies assembled in Thy holy name, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to bestow upon us true peace, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to give us perseverance in grace and in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to deliver us from unclean thoughts and temptations of the devil, and everlasting damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to unite us to the company of Thy saints, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to graciously hear us, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. We adore You, O Christ and praise You. R. Because by Your Holy cross, You have redeemed the world.
Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Savior of the world and hast willed to be appeased with His blood, grant that we may so venerate this Price of our salvation, and by it, might be so defended upon earth from the evils of this present life, that in heaven we may rejoice in its everlasting fruit, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
The “Seven Last Words of Christ“ is a mediation commonly prayed during Lent and on Good Friday as a means of reflecting on the Passion of the Lord. The Seven Last Words are in reference to the seven last statements made by Jesus on the cross before his death.
A Prayer to Honor the Shoulder Wound of Christ | How shredded and agonizing the shoulder of the Lord must have been on that day from bearing the weight of the heavy cross to Calvary. This is a prayer honoring the shoulder wound of Jesus. Both Saint Padre Pio and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux had a sincere devotion to Christ’s shoulder wound.
O Loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of The Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.
