What is the Great Litany?

This Sunday, Lent I, our 10 am and 5 pm service will begin with The Great Litany as we make our way into the prayerful season of Lent. This litany, or form of prayer, is traditionally used on the first Sunday of Lent and gathers us in one of the oldest prayer forms of the church to pray together for the larger community.

The Great Litany can be spoken or sung and can be found in its entirety on pages 148-154 of the Book of Common Prayer. These prayers take the place of the Prayers of the People — usually found later in the service, following the Nicene Creed. While Trinity’s choir will lead our Great Litany, we are each called to sing the response to the petitions as we prayerfully begin our service and season of Lent together.