A remembrance and celebration of the conferral of the Holy Name of Jesus.

In a world of fiercely guarded corporate names and logos, it should be easy to understand this feast. The letters IHS are an abbreviation of Jesous, the Greek name for Jesus.

This feast is celebrated on the second Sunday after Epiphany. This is the central feast of all the mysteries of Christ the Redeemer; it unites all the other feasts of the Lord, as a burning glass focuses the rays of the sun in one point, to show what Jesus is to us, what He has done, is doing, and will do for mankind.

It originated towards the end of the fifteenth century, and was instituted by the private authority of some bishops in Germany, Scotland, England, Spain, and Belgium. The Office and the Mass composed by Bernardine dei Busti (died 1500) were approved by Sixtus IV. The feast was officially granted to the Franciscans 25 February 1530, and spread over a great part of the Church. The Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians kept it on 14 January; the Dominicans 15 Jan. At Salisbury, York, and Durham in England, and at Aberdeen in Scotland it was celebrated 7 August, at Liège, 31 January, at Compostela and Cambrai, 8 January. The Carthusians obtained it for the second Sunday after Epiphany about 1643; for that Sunday it was also extended to Spain, and later, 20 December 1721, to the Universal Church.

Although St. Paul might claim credit for promoting devotion to the Holy Name because Paul wrote in Philippians that God the Father gave Christ Jesus “that name that is above every name” (see 2:9), this devotion became popular because of 12th-century Cistercian monks and nuns but especially through the preaching of St. Bernardine of Siena, a 15th-century Franciscan

The Litany of The Holy Name of Jesus came into being at the time of the great preachers of the glory and the power of the Holy Name of Jesus, Saint Bernardine of Siena and Saint John of Capistrano. It was probably written by one of these, perhaps by both, in collaboration. Pope Sixtus V granted an indulgence for its recitation as early as 1585 or 1586. The present form was approved by Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1862; and Pope Leo XIII extended the privileges of this litany to the universal Church. In form it follows closely that of the Litany of Loreto. It is often used at evening services in many churches:

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, 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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, splendor of the Father, have mercy on us.
Jesus, brightness of eternal light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, king of glory, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the sun of justice, have mercy on us.
Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
Jesus, amiable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, admirable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the powerful God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, father of the world to come,  have mercy on us.
Jesus, angel of the great council, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most powerful,  have mercy on us.
Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lover of chastity, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lover of us, have mercy on us.
Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us.
Jesus, author of life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, model of all virtues, have mercy on us.
Jesus, zealous for souls,have mercy on us.
Jesus, our God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our refuge, have mercy on us.
Jesus, father of the poor, have mercy on us.
Jesus, treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, good shepherd, have mercy on us.
Jesus, true light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, eternal wisdom, have mercy on us.
Jesus, infinite goodness, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our way and our life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, joy of angels, have mercy on us.
Jesus, king of patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Jesus, master of apostles, have mercy on us.
Jesus, teacher of the evangelists, have mercy on us.
Jesus, strength of martyrs, have mercy on us.
Jesus, light of confessors, have mercy on us.
Jesus, purity of virgins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, crown of all saints, have mercy on us.
Be merciful, Spare us, O Jesus.
Be merciful,  Graciously hear us, O Jesus
From all evil,  deliver us, O Jesus.
From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus.
From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Jesus.
From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Jesus.
From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Jesus.
From eternal death, deliver us, O Jesus.
From a neglect of Thy inspirations, deliver us, O Jesus.
By the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy nativity, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy infancy, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy most divine life, have mercy on us.
By Thy labors, have mercy on us.
By Thy agony and passion, have mercy on us.
By Thy cross and dereliction, have mercy on us.
By Thy languors, have mercy on us.
By Thy death and burial, have mercy on us.
By Thy resurrection,  have mercy on us.
By Thy ascension, have mercy on us.
By Thy institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy joys, deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy glory, deliver us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us,O Jesus!
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Jesus!
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus!
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let us pray.

O, Lord Jesus Christ, Who has said, ‘Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you!’ mercifully attend to our supplications and grant us the gift of your divine charity, that we may ever love you with our whole heart and never desist from Thy praise. Give us, O Lord, a perpetual respect and love of Thy holy name; for you never cease to govern those whom you instruct in the solidity of Thy love. Who lives and reigns, one God, world without end. Amen.