Litany to the Great Married Bishops of the Early Church

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us. 

Christ, graciously 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 Mother of God, pray for us. 

Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. 

St. Peter, Married Apostle and First Bishop 

St. Jude, Brother of Our Lord, Grandfather of Many Bishops in Palestine and Mesopotamia 

St. Philip, the Apostle and Bishop, the Father of Four Prophetess Virgins and First Nuns 

St. Gamaliel, Chief Bishop of the Jewish Sanhedrin and Apostolic Teacher, Father of Sts. Abibon and Nicodemus 

St. Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus 

St. Chaeremon, Bishop of Nilus 

St. Phileas, Bishop of Themius 

St. Spyridon, Bishop of Cyprus 

Pope St. Anastasius I of Rome 

Pope St. Demitrios the Vinedresser, Holy Patriarch of Alexandria 

St. Pavian, Bishop of Barcelona 

Sts. Basil the Elder and Emelia, parents of the Great Cappadocian Saints Macrina, Basil, Gregory, Peter and Naucratius

Sts. Gregory and Noona of Nazianzus, parents of St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Sts. Gregory and Theosebia of Nyssa 

St. Gregory the Illuminator of Armenia 

St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers 

St. Ajax, Bishop of Botoulos, Syria 

St. Antonius, Bishop of the Suburban Diocese of Rome 

St. Artemius, Bishop of Auvergne 

St. Asrug, Bishop of Pakravanti, Armenia 

St. Carterius, Bishop of a Spanish town 

St. Cereman, Bishop of Nilopolis 

St. Demetrian, Archbishop of Antioch 

St. Demetrius, Patriarch of Alexandria 

St. Eulalius, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia 

St. Magnus, Bishop of Avignon 

Pope St. Felix III, Great-Grandfather of Pope St. Gregory the Great 

St. Khat, Bishop of Pakravant, Armenia 

St. Leo, Bishop of a town in Italy 

St. Leontius, Bishop of Tripoli 

St. Marcellus, Bishop of Aparnea, Syria 

St. Martial, Bishop of Merida 

St. Memorius, Bishop of a town in southern Italy 

St. Nerses, the great Armenian Katholikos 

St. Pharen, the Armenian Patriarch 

St. Philogonius, Archbishop of Antioch 

St. Reticius, Bishop of Autun 

St. Symposius, Bishop of Astiorga, Spain 

St. Urbicus, Bishop of Clemont 

St. Verthanes, the great Armenian Patriarch 

St. Victor, Bishop of Venesium, 

St. Numidia, the Armenian Patriarch 

St. Yusik, the Armenian Patriarch 

Ye great Fathers and Mothers of the Church, shining forth in the chastity and holiness of Christian Matrimony, 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. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled:

R. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge (Hebrews 13:4)

Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, look kindly upon Thy people who implore Thy mercy, that, through the intercession of Thy glorious saints who shone in the love of Thy truth through holy marriage, we may imitate their example of zeal and inherit their reward of glory. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever One God, world without end. Amen. 

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Abba Demitrios the Vinedresser

Composed by Cbp. Joseph Boyd

(Ancient Church of the West)