Dominican and Traditional Prayers in Latin and English

This section presents key devotional and liturgical prayers deeply rooted in the Dominican tradition and the Catholic spiritual heritage. These prayers have nourished the souls of countless faithful, including saints, scholars, and mystics.

Confiteor (Penitential Prayer)

Latin:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, et beatae Mariae semper virgini, et beato Dominico patri nostro, et omnibus sanctis, et vobis, fratres, quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, locutione, opere et omissione, mea culpa; precor vos orare pro me. Amen.

English:
I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever a virgin, to blessed Dominic our father, to all the saints and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly by thought, word, deed and omission, through my fault: I beseech you to pray for me. Amen.

The Angelus

(Traditionally prayed morning, noon, and evening)

Latin:
℣. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
℟. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

℣. Ecce ancilla Domini.
℟. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Ave Maria…

℣. Et Verbum caro factum est.
℟. Et habitavit in nobis.
Ave Maria…

℣. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix.
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus:
Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde:
ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui Incarnationem cognovimus,
per Passionem eius et Crucem,
ad Resurrectionis gloriam perducamur.
Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

English:
℣. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
℟. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with Thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, prayer for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

℣. Behold the handmaid of the Lord,
℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary…

℣. And the Word was made flesh,
℟. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary…

℣. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son
was made known by the message of an angel,
may by His Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Regina Caeli (Easter Season Marian Prayer)

Latin:
Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia:
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

English:
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia:
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia,
Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Salve Regina (Dominican Chant)

Latin:
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, Advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

English:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us.
And after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Anima Christi

(A favorite of St. Ignatius and St. Thomas Aquinas)

Latin:
Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Iesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et iube me venire ad te,
ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te
in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from Thee.
From the wicked foe defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to Thee,
that with Thy saints I may praise Thee
forever and ever. Amen.

Prayers Before Study

(By St. Thomas Aquinas)

Before Study:
Latin:
CREATOR ineffabilis, qui de thesauris sapientiae tuae tres Angelorum hierarchias designasti et eas super caelum empyreum miro ordine collocasti atque universi partes elegantissime distribuisti: Tu, inquam, qui verus fons luminis et sapientiae diceris ac supereminens principium, infundere digneris super intellectus mei tenebras tuae radium claritatis, duplices, in quibus natus sum, a me removens tenebras, peccatum scilicet et ignorantiam. Tu, qui linguas infantium facis disertas, linguam meam erudias atque in labiis meis gratiam tuae benedictionis infundas. Da mihi intelligendi acumen, retinendi capacitatem, addiscendi modum et facilitatem, interpretandi subtilitatem, loquendi gratiam copiosam. Ingressum instruas, progressum dirigas, egressum compleas. Tu, qui es verus Deus et homo, qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English (Excerpt):
O INFINITE Creator, who in the riches of Thy wisdom didst appoint three hierarchies of Angels and didst set them in wondrous order over the highest heavens, and who didst apportion the elements of the world most wisely: do Thou, who art in truth the fountain of light and wisdom, deign to shed upon the darkness of my understanding the rays of Thine infinite brightness, and remove far from me the twofold darkness in which I was born, namely, sin and ignorance. Do Thou, who givest speech to the tongues of little children, instruct my tongue and pour into my lips the grace of Thy benediction. Give me keenness of apprehension, capacity for remembering, method and ease in learning, insight-in interpretation, and copious eloquence in speech. Instruct my beginning, direct my progress, and set Thy seal upon the finished work, Thou, who art true God and true Man, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

O Salutaris Hostia

(By St. Thomas Aquinas)

Latin:
O salutaris Hostia,
Quae caeli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia,
Da robur, fer auxilium.

English:
O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below,
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.

Tantum Ergo (from Pange Lingua, by St. Thomas Aquinas)

Latin:
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

English:
Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! o’er ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.