Project Canterbury

A Litany of Charles, King and Martyr

Written by Ermengarda Greville-Nugent, Foundress of the Society of King Charles the Martyr.

transcribed by Mr Thomas J W Mason
AD 2000

Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy

Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

O Christ, hear us
O Christ, graciously hear us
O God, the Father of Heaven, Have mercy upon us
O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy upon us
O God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy upon us
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy upon us

Holy Mary, [response hereafter] Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of Virgins,

S. Charles of England,
Flower of kings,
Worthy successor of S. Edward,
Anointed of the Lord with the oil of gladness,
Who didst receive thy sword at the hands of Bishops,
And the ring of kingly dignity, in token that thou shouldst defend the Catholic Faith,
Who is the white robes of purity wast wedded to thy people,
Pillar of the Church of God,
Restorer of Altars,
Pious adorner of churches,
"Princely Pelican," despoiling thyself of thy substance for the Church,
Mirror of modesty,
Shining light of piety,
Fervent in devotion,
Constant frequenter of the Sacraments of Penance and of the Altar,
Powerful worker of miracles both in life and after death,
Healer of diseased persons,
Enlightener of the blind,
Hater of sacrilege,
Zealous combatant of heresy and schism,
Faithful protector of the clergy,
Knightly champion, leading thy soldiers to battle with the Church’s enemies,
Pious scholar, able also on the field of learning to engage against the same adversaries,
Made strong through suffering,
Patient in captivity,
Meekly submitting to all indignities,
Content rather to suffer death than to abandon the Apostolic Hierarchy,
Unjustly tried by cruel and ignorant men,
At whom thy persecutors did spit and scoff,
Who didst suffer many things like to thy Master,
Who, fortified by the Holy Viaticum, didst go cheerfully to thy passion,
Who, upon the scaffold didst intercede for thy murderers, after the example of S. Stephen,
Who, by the shedding of thy "sacred and innocent blood" was "espoused to the Blessed Jesus."
Whose hearse was made white by a sudden fall of snow, as if to declare thy sanctity and innocence,
Who hast exchanged a temporal for an eternal crown,
Glorious Martyr, "more than conqueror",

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Grant us thy Peace.

O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, graciously hear us.

V. S. Charles, intercede for us.
R. That we may made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

O ALMIGHTY GOD, look down, we beseech thee, upon thy holy Catholic Church in this our country, in defence of which Thy blessed martyr Charles shed his blood. Mercifully deliver us from such persecutions as our forefathers in his time endured, raise up unto us wise and holy prelates to fill the chairs of those for whose hierarchy he suffered; root out from among us all heresy, schism, and sacrilege; forgive our iniquities, heal our dissension’s, make wise our ignorance; that we being aided by his powerful intercession, the light of the true Faith may shine throughout this land, and coldness and error may be chased from our midst; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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