The 15 Magnificent Prayers of Saint Bridget of Sweden

The 15 Magnificent Prayers of Saint Bridget of Sweden





Based on the Passion and Death of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
To be recited every day of the year as a means of honoring (during one year’s recital) each of the wounds received by Our Blessed Lord during His bitter Passion.
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.” –Matt. 16:24-25

FIRST PRAYER
Our Father-Hail Mary
O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, Joy surpassing all joy and all desire, Salvation and Hope of all sinners, Thou Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire that to be amongst men, even assuming human nature during the course of time for love of men, recall all the sufferings which Thou hast endured from the first moment of They conception, and especially during They 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 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 Thou didst experience in Thy soul as Thou prayed: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death.”
Remember all the fear, anguish, and pain Thou didst suffer in Thy delicate body before the Crucifixion when, after having prayed three separate 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: all this in the flower of Thy young and during the solemn Paschal season.
Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and clothed with the garments of derision; that Thy face and eyes were veiled; that Thou was buffeted, crowned with thorns, a scepter placed in Thy hands; that Thou wast fastened to a column and 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 that before I die, I may make with true contrition a sincere and entire confession, make worthy satisfaction, and be granted 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 Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of blows, insults, lacerations, and other unheard-of cruelties, tormented Thee at will.
Through these torments and insulting words, I beg Thee, O my Savoir, to deliver me from all enemies, both visible and invisible; and under Thy protection may I attain 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 which Thou didst suffer when the Jews 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, enlarged Thy wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy body on the cross and dislocated Thy bones by pulling them on all sides. I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most holy and most loving suffering of the cross, grant me the grace to fear Thee and to love Thee. Amen.

FORTH PRAYER
Our Father-Hail Mary
O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the cross in order that through Thy wounds ours might be healed, remember the bruises Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy members, which were distended to such a decree 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 of Thy body which 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 us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our 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! King most loving and most desirable, remember the grief which Thou didst suffer when, naked and like a common criminal, Thou was raised and fastened to the cross; when all Thy relatives and friend 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, “Women, behold thy son,” and to St. John, “Behold Thy Mother.”
I beg of Thee, O my Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to 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,” and Who suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race, I beg of Thee, O my Savior, to inflame in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts, and to extinguish in us 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 gall and vinegar which Thou didst taste on the cross for love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that It may serve as a remedy of consolation for our souls. Amen.



NINTH PRAYER
Our Father-Hail Mary
O Jesus! Royal Virtue, Joy of Mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when, plunged in the ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged by the Jews, 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 our sakes Thou wast plunged into 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, which are a wide and easy path 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 offenses, away from sin and to hide me from Thy face, justly irritated against me; hide me in Thy wounds until Thy anger and 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 afflicted 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 Thou couldst have done for us which Thou hast 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 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, O Lord, 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, Splendor 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 when, 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, to comfort me and give me help 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, pressed down and running over as the grape crushed in the 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 very 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 pierce my heart, so that my tears of penitence and love will be my bread night and day. May I be converted entirely to Thee; may my heart be Thy perpetual resting-place; 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.

A little information about these prayers:

St. Bridget relates the following: As she had been desirous for a long time to know the number of blows Our Lord received during His Passion, Jesus revealed to her: “I received 5,480 blows upon My Body. If you wish to honor them in some way, say fifteen Our Father prayers and fifteen Hail Mary prayers with the following prayers [which He then taught her] for a whole year. When the year is finished, you will have honored each one of My wounds.” To this Our Lord added the promise of signal graces to be received by those who practice this devotion.
St. Gertrude the Great, St. Mechtilde and St. Catherine of Siena have all revealed that those who meditate on Our Lord’s Passion are very dear to Him. St. Francis de Sales says that the Passion should be the ordinary subject of every Christian. Jesus revealed to St. Albert the Great that He was more pleased if we meditate on His Passion and Death for 15 minutes than if we were to fast on bread and water every Friday for an entire year. And St. Augustine writes that “there is no more profitable occupation for the soul than to meditate daily on the Passion of Our Lord.”
These beautiful prayers, given to us by St. Bridget of Sweden, are an easy and efficacious means of meditating daily on Our Lord’s Passion and Death. May the Faithful embrace this devotion and promote it widely.

21 Promises with the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget

1. I will deliver 15 souls of his lineage from Purgatory.
2. 15 souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace.
3. 15 sinners of his lineage will be converted.
4. Whoever recited these Prayers will attain the first degree of perfection.
5. 15 days before his death I will give him My Precious Body in order that he may escape eternal starvation; I will give him My Precious Blood to drink lest he thirst eternally.
6. 15 days before his death he will feel a deep contrition for all his sins and will have a perfect knowledge of them.
7. I will place before him the sign of My Victorious Cross for his help and defense against the attacks of his enemies.
8. Before his death I shall come with My Dearest Beloved Mother.
9. I shall graciously receive his soul, and will lead it into eternal joys.
10. And having led it there I shall give him a special draught from the fountain of My Deity, something I will not for those who have not recited My Prayers.
11. Let it be known that whoever may have been living in a state or mortal sin for 30 years, but who will recite devoutly, or have the intention to recite these Prayers, the Lord will forgive him of all his sins.
12. I shall protect him from strong temptations.
13. I shall preserve and guard his 5 senses.
14. I shall preserve him from sudden death.
15. His soul will be delivered from eternal death.
16. He will obtain all he asks for from God and the Blessed Virgin.
17. If he has lived all his life doing his own will and he is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged.
18. Every time one recited these prayers he gains 100 days indulgence.
19. He is assured of being joined to the supreme Choir of Angels.
20. Whoever teaches these Prayers to another, will have continuous joy and merit which will endure eternally.
21. There, where these Prayers are being said or will be said in the future, God is present with His grace.