litany

: a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the leader with alternate responses by the congregation. the Litany of the Saints. 2. a. : a resonant or repetitive chant.

Litanies consist of a lead statement followed by a repeated response, such as “pray for us” or “we praise you, we bless you, we thank you” or “Lord hear us”; or “Lord Have Mercy”. The word litany comes from the Greek word litaneia which means petition or supplication.

a litany of something a long list of unpleasant things, especially things that are repeated: The manufacturers are reported to have received a litany of complaints from dissatisfied customers. See more. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.

A litany, which, in its original Greek means a "supplication" or "petition," was used for a wide range of liturgical occasions, as well as for penitential processions, for visiting the sick and the dying, and for private devotion.

Synonyms of litany (noun recital of items, often part of religious services) catalogue. recitation. repetition. account.

Litanies are a form of prayer, led by a priest or deacon, containing a series of petitions to which people make fixed responses. They originated in the 4th century, and were later incorporated into the Mass. Today, they're used in the liturgy of the Church, and other forms of public worship.

As mentioned in a comment above, litany in its religious sense can be used positively, e.g. litanies of praise.

Litanies are also recited during the Ten Days of Repentance. The most famous of these "supplicatory" prayers is Avinu Malkeinu ("Our Father, Our King"), which is recited during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur liturgies.

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (also known as the Litany of Loreto)