Seasonal Prayers
The Church's prayer life changes with the liturgical year. These are two prayers worth knowing and keeping close.
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The Regina Caeli
During Eastertide, Easter Sunday through Pentecost, the Church replaces the Angelus with the Regina Caeli.
Where the Angelus meditates on the Incarnation, the Regina Caeli responds to the Resurrection. It is prayed three times daily and takes less than a minute.
V. O Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For He whom thou wast worthy to bear, alleluia.
V. Has risen as He said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Regina Caeli has been part of the Church's liturgical life since at least the 12th century. It was formally incorporated into the Liturgy of the Hours for the Easter season and remains one of the four traditional Marian antiphons prayed throughout the liturgical year.
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The Divine Mercy Chaplet
Given to St. Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, the Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed on ordinary Rosary beads and takes about eight minutes. Jesus asked that it be prayed especially at 3 PM, the Hour of Mercy, and on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter.
Begin with the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed.
On the large bead before each decade, pray: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On each of the ten small beads, pray: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.Repeat for all five decades.
Conclude by praying three times: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Divine Mercy Sunday falls on the second Sunday of Easter each year. The chaplet can be prayed any day, but Jesus specifically asked that it be prayed at 3 PM, which He called the Hour of Mercy.
