The 15 Prayers of St. Bridget: Full Text, Bible Verses, and the 21 Promises

St. Bridget of Sweden lived in the fourteenth century, raised eight children, buried a husband, and still found time to found a religious order and badger a pope into moving back to Rome. She was not a quiet mystic tucked away from the world. She was a wife, a mother, and later a widow who kept receiving visions of Christ’s Passion so vivid that she eventually wrote them down.

Out of those visions came the devotion known today as the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget. According to the tradition passed down through her writings, Christ told her that His body had received 5,480 blows during the Passion. When she asked how she might honor each one, He gave her fifteen prayers — each preceded by an Our Father and a Hail Mary — to be prayed daily for one full year. Complete the year, and tradition holds you will have honored every wound.

That’s the short version. The rest of this page gives you everything else: the full prayer text, the Bible verses each prayer echoes, the 21 promises attached to the devotion, what the Church has actually said about them, and answers to the questions people keep asking in prayer forums and comment sections.

A quick note on the numbers, since sources disagree: most printed sources — including the widely circulated 1740 Toulouse edition — say 5,480 blows. A few later reproductions say 5,475. Both figures trace back to the same tradition; there’s no way to verify either number historically, so treat it as a symbolic figure rather than a literal count.

15 Prayers vs. 7 Prayers: Don’t Confuse the Two

Search around for “prayers of St. Bridget” and you’ll run into a second, different devotion — the Seven Prayers, also called the Twelve Years’ Prayers. People mix these up constantly, so here’s the distinction in one place:

If you landed here looking for the seven-prayer, twelve-year devotion, that’s a separate set of prayers with its own structure. This page covers the fifteen-prayer, one-year devotion.

What the Church Actually Approved

This part matters, and a lot of pages online either skip it or get it slightly wrong.

Pope Pius IX examined the fifteen prayers themselves and approved them on May 31, 1862, recognizing them as sound and beneficial for the faithful. That approval covers the prayers — the words you’ll pray each day.

The list of 21 promises is a different matter. Those promises circulated alongside the prayers in devotional pamphlets, but the Holy See never granted them formal approval. At one point, Church authorities went further and instructed that the promises not be printed or promoted as guaranteed outcomes, precisely because some of the language (deliverance from Purgatory, foreknowledge of death, guaranteed salvation for relatives) risks sounding transactional — as if reciting a formula obligates God to specific outcomes.

None of this means the promises are false or that praying them is wrong. Catholics have prayed this devotion faithfully for centuries. It means you should hold the prayers as approved, time-tested devotion, and hold the promises as a pious tradition rather than a doctrinal guarantee. That distinction is worth knowing before you start.

How to Pray the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget

The structure is simple, even if the commitment is long.

1. Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary before each of the fifteen prayers. Some print versions state this once at the top; the prayers still assume you’re doing it before each one.

2. Pray all fifteen in one sitting, once a day, for a year. They’re not meant to be spread across the day — most people pray the full set together, in the morning or evening.

3. You can pray them silently or aloud, alone or with others. There’s no rule requiring a group setting, though praying them as a family is a long-standing custom.

4. Move through them in order, first through fifteenth, since they follow the sequence of the Passion — from the Last Supper through the Crucifixion.

5. If you miss a day, the common guidance (echoed by longtime practitioners of the devotion) is to make it up as soon as possible — ideally the next day, praying the set twice. If that’s not possible, complete it before the week ends. The devotion isn’t voided by an occasional missed day prayed in good faith; it’s voided by giving up on the intention altogether.

6. Reading them is not the same as praying them. Devotional writers on this practice are consistent on one point: move your lips, even silently. Simply reading the words with your eyes, the way you’d read an article, doesn’t fulfill a vocal prayer.

The Complete 15 Prayers of St. Bridget

Each prayer below is preceded by one Our Father and one Hail Mary. We’ve paired each prayer with the specific Gospel passage it draws from, along with a note on what moment in the Passion it asks you to sit with.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

First Prayer

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 sweetly consoling them, Thou didst foretell 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, arrested, accused by false witnesses, and unjustly judged by three judges during the flower of Thy youth, in the solemn Paschal season.

Remember that Thou wast despoiled 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, and crushed with blows and outrages.

In memory of all these pains and sufferings, grant me, before my death, true contrition, a sincere confession, worthy satisfaction, and the remission of all my sins. Amen.

Bible verse: Matthew 26:38 — “Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

When to pray this: Pray the First Prayer when you need to sit with the weight of Christ’s sorrow before pain arrives — the dread that comes before a hard season, not during it.

Second Prayer

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 tormented Thee at will with insults, spitting, blows, and unheard-of cruelties.

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.

Bible verse: Matthew 26:67 — “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands.”

When to pray this: Pray the Second Prayer when you’re facing hostility or feel surrounded by people working against you.

Third Prayer

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 with blow after blow, and not finding Thee in a state pitiable enough to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy wounds and stretched Thy body upon the Cross, 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.

Bible verse: Luke 23:33 — “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him.”

When to pray this: Pray the Third Prayer when you need courage to endure something physically or emotionally painful without losing love in the process.

Fourth Prayer

O Jesus, heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine own, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy members, 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 free of 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 bring about in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

Bible verse: Luke 23:34 — “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

When to pray this: Pray the Fourth Prayer when you’re struggling to forgive someone, or when you need the grace to forgive yourself.

Fifth Prayer

O Jesus, mirror of eternal splendor, remember the sadness which Thou didst experience 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 the lost who would be damned for their sins.

Through the 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.

Bible verse: Luke 23:43 — “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

When to pray this: Pray the Fifth Prayer when you or someone you love feels too far gone for mercy, or when you’re praying for someone near death.

Sixth Prayer

O Jesus, beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer when, naked and like a common criminal, Thou wast fastened and raised on the Cross, and 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, saying to Mary: “Woman, behold thy son,” and to 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 afflictions and tribulations, both bodily and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

Bible verse: John 19:26-27 — “Woman, behold thy son! … Behold thy mother!”

When to pray this: Pray the Sixth Prayer when you feel abandoned by people who should have stayed, or when you’re asking Mary’s intercession in a family matter.

Seventh Prayer

O Jesus, inexhaustible fountain of compassion, who by a profound gesture of love said from the Cross, “I thirst,” suffering from the thirst for the salvation of the human race, I beg of Thee 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.

Bible verse: John 19:28 — “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

When to pray this: Pray the Seventh Prayer when you’re fighting temptation or trying to redirect a craving toward something that actually satisfies.

Eighth Prayer

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.

Bible verse: John 19:29 — “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

When to pray this: Pray the Eighth Prayer before receiving Communion, or when you’re preparing spiritually for a difficult moment ahead.

Ninth Prayer

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 and outraged by the crowd, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou wast 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.

Bible verse: Matthew 27:46 — “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

When to pray this: Pray the Ninth Prayer in moments of spiritual dryness — when God feels distant and you need to name that feeling honestly rather than push it down.

Tenth Prayer

O Jesus, who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remember that for our sake Thou wast 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.

Bible verse: Matthew 11:30 — “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When to pray this: Pray the Tenth Prayer when obedience to God feels like a burden, and you need to be reminded that love makes it lighter than it looks.

Eleventh Prayer

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 just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.

Bible verse: Isaiah 53:5 — “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

When to pray this: Pray the Eleventh Prayer in seasons of guilt or shame, when you need to hide in mercy rather than run from it.

Twelfth Prayer

O Jesus, mirror of truth, symbol of unity, bond of charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou wast covered from head to foot, torn and reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. What is there that 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.

Bible verse: John 19:1 — “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.”

When to pray this: Pray the Twelfth Prayer as an act of gratitude, especially when you’re tempted to think God has done too little for you.

Thirteenth Prayer

O Jesus, strong Lion, immortal and invincible King, remember the pain which Thou didst endure when, all Thy strength both moral and physical 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 in anguish. Amen.

Bible verse: John 19:30 — “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

When to pray this: Pray the Thirteenth Prayer when you’re utterly worn out and need to hand what’s left of your strength over to God.

Fourteenth Prayer

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!” With Thy body all torn and Thy heart broken, Thou didst expire. By this precious death, I beg of Thee, O King of Saints, comfort me and help me 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.

Bible verse: Luke 23:46 — “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

When to pray this: Pray the Fourteenth Prayer as a night prayer, or whenever you need to surrender something you can’t control into God’s hands.

Fifteenth Prayer

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 Thy delicate flesh was destroyed, 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.

Bible verse: John 19:34 — “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”

When to pray this: Pray the Fifteenth Prayer as the closing prayer of the set, or whenever you’re keeping vigil for someone who is dying.

Closing Prayer

O sweet Jesus, pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love will be my bread day and night. May I be converted entirely to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual dwelling place, may my life 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.

The 21 Promises of the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget

Tradition holds that Christ attached the following promises to anyone who completes this devotion faithfully for a full year. As noted earlier, these promises are part of pious tradition and were never formally approved by the Church — read them in that spirit.

1. I will deliver fifteen souls of his lineage from Purgatory.

2. Fifteen souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace.

3. Fifteen sinners of his lineage will be converted.

4. Whoever recites these prayers will attain the first degree of perfection.

5. Fifteen days before his death, I will give him My Precious Body, that he may escape eternal starvation; I will give him My Precious Blood to drink, lest he thirst eternally.

6. Fifteen days before his death, he will feel deep contrition for all his sins and have a perfect knowledge of them.

7. I will place before him the sign of My victorious Cross for his help and defense against his enemies.

8. Before his death, I will come with My dearest beloved Mother.

9. I will graciously receive his soul and lead it into eternal joys.

10. Having led it there, I will give him a special drink from the fountain of My divinity, something I do not grant to those who have not recited My prayers.

11. Whoever may have lived in a state of mortal sin for thirty years, but recites these prayers devoutly, or intends to, will have all his sins forgiven.

12. I will protect him against strong temptations.

13. I will preserve and guard his five senses.

14. I will preserve him from a sudden death.

15. His soul will be delivered from eternal death.

16. He will obtain all he asks of God and the Blessed Virgin.

17. If he has lived his whole life according to his own will and is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged.

18. Every time he recites these prayers, he gains one hundred days of indulgence.

19. He is assured of joining the highest choir of angels.

20. Whoever teaches these prayers to another will have continuous joy and merit that endures eternally.

21. Wherever these prayers are said, or will be said, God is present with His grace.

What People Who Pray This Devotion Report

Ask around in Catholic prayer groups and you’ll hear a consistent pattern from people who’ve completed a full year of this devotion: a slow, cumulative shift rather than a single dramatic moment. Many describe a deepened sense of what Christ’s suffering actually cost, a habit of daily prayer that outlasts the year itself, and — practically speaking — the discipline of showing up every day even when they don’t feel like it.

That’s worth saying plainly: the devotion’s real, verifiable fruit is the year of daily prayer itself. The extraordinary claims attached to individual promises are personal and unverifiable by nature, which is exactly why the Church has never certified them. If you begin this devotion, it’s fair to hope in God’s mercy through it. It’s not fair to treat any single promise as a transaction you’re owed.

A Printable Version for Daily Use

Because this devotion is meant to be prayed every day for a year, most people find it easier with a printed or saved copy rather than opening a browser each morning. If you’d like a clean, print-ready version of all fifteen prayers with the Our Father and Hail Mary included, save or print this page — every prayer above is complete and in the correct order, so nothing further needs to be added.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pray the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget in order?

Yes, tradition and most devotional guides recommend praying them in numerical order, since they follow the sequence of events in Christ’s Passion, from the Last Supper through His death on the Cross.

What happens if I miss a day?

Make it up as soon as you can — ideally the next day, by praying the full set twice. If that’s not possible, complete the missed day’s prayers before the end of that week. An occasional missed day prayed in good faith doesn’t invalidate the devotion.

What’s the difference between the 15 Prayers and the 7 Prayers of St. Bridget?

The 15 Prayers are prayed daily for one year and focus on the blows Christ received during the Passion. The 7 Prayers, also called the Twelve Years’ Prayers, are prayed daily for twelve years and focus on the seven times Christ shed His Precious Blood. They’re separate devotions with separate histories.

Are the 21 promises approved by the Catholic Church?

No. Pope Pius IX approved the fifteen prayers themselves in 1862, but the list of 21 promises was never given formal Church approval. Church authorities have specifically cautioned against presenting the promises as guaranteed outcomes.

Who was actually responsible for Christ’s crucifixion — the Jews or the Romans?

The Gospels describe Roman soldiers carrying out the crucifixion under the authority of Pontius Pilate, following pressure from a segment of the Jewish religious leadership and crowd at the time. Catholic teaching, particularly since the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate, is explicit that responsibility cannot be attributed to Jewish people collectively or across history. Some older devotional texts use language that reflects the era they were written in rather than this later, clearer teaching.

Is there an audio version of the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget?

Audio recordings of the devotion exist across various Catholic prayer podcasts and apps, though wording can vary slightly between translations. Reading the prayers aloud yourself, even quietly, fulfills the devotion just as well.

Can I pray the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget more than once a day?

The traditional structure calls for praying the full set once daily for a year. If you miss a day, praying the set twice the next day (once for that day, once to make up the missed one) is the standard way to catch up — but doubling up isn’t otherwise required or expected.

Closing Thoughts

The fourteenth century didn’t have search engines, but people back then had the same instinct we do now: they wanted a structured way to stay close to Christ’s Passion instead of letting it become background noise. That’s really what this devotion offers — fifteen short prayers, a full year, and a reason to return to the Cross every single day whether you feel like it or not.

Whether you’re drawn here by the promises, the history, or simply a search for the full text, the prayers themselves are what matters most. Pray them slowly. Let the Gospel verses behind each one sink in. The rest tends to follow.