Traditional Catholic prayer
Anima Christi
Union with Jesus, strength in His Passion, and perseverance until death.
Source: With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 323.
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds hide me. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. From the malignant enemy, defend me. In the hour of my death, call me. And bid me come to Thee, that with the saints I may praise Thee through eternity. Amen.
About this prayer
Prayer source
With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 323.
View the printed prayer page.About our prayer sources- What it is
- The Anima Christi asks Jesus to sanctify, save, strengthen, and defend us through His Body, Blood, and Passion. It also asks that we never be separated from Him.
- Prayer intention
- Union with Jesus, strength in His Passion, and perseverance until death.
- When to pray
- As a prayer of thanksgiving after Holy Communion or during personal devotion to Our Lord.
- Connection with a saint
St. Ignatius of Loyola: Recommended by the saint. St. Ignatius explicitly recommends the “Soul of Christ” in the Spiritual Exercises. Elder Mullan’s 1914 translation prints the direction on page 44. This establishes a recommendation, not authorship. Read the source.
- Languages
- English and Latin
- Latin prayer source
- The Raccolta: Collection of Indulgenced Prayers and Good Works (1910), Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, pages 79-80. View the Latin source.
- English prayer source
- With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 323. View the historical source. View the printed prayer page. Novena Regina provides the explanations above. The prayer text follows the source named here.
Traditional Catholic prayer
Anima Christi
Source: With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (1911), Rev. F. X. Lasance, page 323.
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds hide me. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. From the malignant enemy, defend me. In the hour of my death, call me. And bid me come to Thee, that with the saints I may praise Thee through eternity. Amen.
More prayers for your devotion
Questions about this prayer
These explanations are separate from the historical prayer text above.
What does Anima Christi mean?
It means “Soul of Christ,” the prayer’s opening words. The petitions ask Jesus to sanctify, save, strengthen, and defend us, and to keep us united to Him. With God (1911) prints this English text among prayers after Holy Communion.
Prayers for thanksgiving after CommunionDid St. Ignatius write the Anima Christi?
The source checked here does not establish his authorship. The Spiritual Exercises, in Elder Mullan’s 1914 translation, page 44, directs the reader to pray the Soul of Christ. That supports his recommendation of the prayer, which is how this site describes the connection.
St. Ignatius of Loyola