St Bridget prayers are a sacred set of Christian devotions traditionally prayed for fifteen years, centered on the Passion of Jesus Christ. These prayers are simple in words, deep in meaning, and trusted by believers for centuries because they focus on repentance, gratitude, and spiritual discipline rather than quick miracles.
Quick Summary
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Rooted in Catholic devotional tradition
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Focus on Christ’s suffering and mercy
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Requires patience, consistency, and sincerity
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Not a shortcut prayer, but a long-term spiritual commitment
Why St Bridget Prayers Still Matter Today
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Historically grounded devotion practiced since the Middle Ages
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Accessible language that even new believers can follow
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Spiritual formation over instant results, which aligns with authentic Christian teaching
The Fifteen Prayers of Saint Bridget of Sweden
These are the authentic Fifteen Prayers traditionally attributed to Saint Bridget of Sweden (1303–1373), a canonized mystic, reformer, and founder of the Bridgettine Order. Rooted in her private revelations and long-standing Catholic devotion, these prayers form a deep, structured meditation on the Passion of Christ, honoring the sufferings He endured from His arrest through His death on the Cross. By long tradition, each prayer is recited once daily, and each is preceded by one Our Father and one Hail Mary, fostering reverence, rhythm, and spiritual discipline. The prayers themselves have been recognized as spiritually beneficial by the Catholic Church, with historical approval for devotional use affirmed during the pontificate of Pope Pius IX in 1862. It is important to note that while the prayers are approved for devotion, any associated promises belong to private revelation and are not binding Church doctrine.
Below, each of the fifteen prayers is presented in its complete, traditional form, followed by a clear explanation of its spiritual meaning and the specific aspect of Christ’s Passion it invites the reader to contemplate, helping both devoted practitioners and new readers enter this sacred devotion with understanding, reverence, and faith.
First Prayer: St Bridget prayers
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, Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all the sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy conception, and especially during Thy 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 Most 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 which Thou didst experience in Thy soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death.”
Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion, when, after having prayed three 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 during the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season.
Remember that Thou wast stripped of Thy garments and clothed in those of derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou wast buffeted, crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands, that Thou wast 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 me before my death true contrition, a sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission of all my sins. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This prayer reflects on Christ’s infinite love for humanity, shown by His Incarnation and entire life of suffering, culminating in the events leading to the Passion (the Agony in the Garden, betrayal, arrest, and mockeries). It invites us to recall His sorrowful soul and seek true repentance for our sins.
Second Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! True liberty of angels, Paradise of delights, remember the horror and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and other unheard-of cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O my Savior, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and to bring me, under Thy protection, to the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This focuses on the brutal treatment by Christ’s enemies during His trials and scourging, comparing them to raging lions. It emphasizes His voluntary endurance of insults and cruelty, asking for deliverance from spiritual and physical enemies.
Third Prayer: St Bridget prayers
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 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, they enlarged Thy Wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy Limbs. I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This meditates on the excruciating pain of the nailing to the Cross and the cruel stretching of Christ’s Body, highlighting His omnipotence contrasted with His voluntary suffering. It seeks the grace of holy fear and love for God.
Fourth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree 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 on Thy Body that 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.
Meaning and Contemplation:
his contemplates Christ’s total bodily torment on the Cross and His merciful forgiveness of His executioners. It asks for contrition and forgiveness through remembrance of His Passion.
Fifth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
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.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This reflects on Christ’s divine knowledge of the saved and the damned, His sorrow for the lost, and His promise of Paradise to the good thief. It pleads for mercy at the hour of death.
Sixth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends 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: “Woman, behold thy son!” and to Saint John: “Son, behold thy Mother!”
I beg of Thee O my Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my affliction and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This meditates on Christ’s abandonment on the Cross, His entrustment of Mary to John, and Mary’s sorrow. It seeks compassion in our own trials.
Seventh Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of Love, said from the Cross: “I thirst!” 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.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This focuses on Christ’s words “I thirst,” symbolizing His longing for souls. It asks for a burning desire for holiness.
Eighth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall 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 they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This recalls the gall and vinegar given to Christ, praying for worthy reception of the Eucharist.
Ninth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when, plunged in an 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.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This meditates on Christ’s cry of abandonment, seeking His presence in our final agony.
Tenth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remember that for our sakes Thou was plunged in 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, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This reflects on the totality of Christ’s wounds, asking for strength to follow His commandments out of love.
Eleventh Prayer: St Bridget prayers
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 there until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This contemplates the depth of Christ’s wounds as a refuge for sinners, pleading for protection from divine justice.
Twelfth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Mirror of Truth, symbol of unity, link of Charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou was covered 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! 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. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This honors the multitude of wounds and Blood shed, praying for renewed love and fruitfulness in our souls.
Thirteenth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain which 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 Lord Jesus, to 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.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This recalls Christ’s final words “It is consummated,” marking the completion of redemption, seeking mercy in our last moments.
Fourteenth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
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 with 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, comfort me and help me to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world I may live for Thee alone. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This meditates on Christ’s commendation of His spirit to the Father and His death, asking for strength against temptations.
Fifteenth Prayer: St Bridget prayers
Our Father… Hail Mary…
O Jesus! True and fruitful Vine, remember the abundant outpouring of Blood which Thou didst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juice from grapes in a 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 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 receive my soul when I am in my death agony. Amen.
Meaning and Contemplation:
This final prayer reflects on the piercing of Christ’s Side and the complete shedding of His Blood, symbolizing total sacrifice, and pleads for reception of our souls at death.
Conclusion
St Bridget prayers are not about perfection, speed, or emotional highs. They are about faithfulness over time. For those willing to commit, they cultivate humility, patience, and deeper awareness of Christ’s sacrifice.
Who Should Pray St Bridget Prayers
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Believers seeking long-term spiritual discipline
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Christians wanting a Passion-focused devotion
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Those comfortable with repetitive, meditative prayer
Who Should Pause or Seek Guidance First
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People expecting guaranteed material results
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Those struggling with religious scrupulosity
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New believers without foundational teaching
Key Takeaways
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Consistency matters more than emotion
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Understanding the prayer is as important as reciting it
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Spiritual growth is gradual, not transactional
? Most Asked FAQs About St Bridget Prayers
1. What are St Bridget prayers and why are they important
St Bridget prayers are a set of traditional Catholic devotions focused on the suffering and Passion of Jesus Christ. They are important because they encourage repentance, patience, and long-term spiritual discipline rather than instant rewards.
2. Are St Bridget prayers officially approved by the Catholic Church
The prayers themselves are allowed and widely practiced, but the promises connected to them come from private revelation. This means they are not Church doctrine and are not required beliefs for Catholics.
3. Do I really have to pray St Bridget prayers for 15 years
Yes. The traditional devotion involves praying them daily for fifteen consecutive years. Starting without understanding this commitment is discouraged, as consistency is a core spiritual principle behind the prayers.
4. What happens if I miss a day while praying St Bridget prayers
Missing a day breaks the traditional devotion. Many spiritual advisors recommend restarting only after prayerful reflection, not out of fear or guilt, but out of respect for the commitment made.
5. Can non Catholics pray St Bridget prayers
Yes. Anyone may pray them, but it is important to understand their Christian and Catholic foundation to avoid confusion or unrealistic expectations.
6. Are St Bridget prayers suitable for beginners
They can be challenging for beginners due to their length and long-term nature. Beginners are often advised to start with shorter devotional prayers before committing to this practice.
7. Can St Bridget prayers replace daily Bible reading or Mass
No. These prayers are a devotion, not a substitute for Scripture, Mass, or other core Christian practices. They are meant to support, not replace, foundational faith life.
At Blessing Read, we approach St Bridget prayers with respect, theological care, and transparency, avoiding exaggerated claims while honoring lived Christian practice.
