Daily

Prayer Before a Journey

Itinerarium

This prayer is found in older Catholic manuals as a brief form for travelers and reflects the Church’s traditional Itinerarium, or order of prayer for a journey. The longer Itinerarium in the Roman Ritual includes psalmody, versicles, and collects asking God for peace, safety, and a happy return. Saint Raphael is invoked because, in the Book of Tobit, he accompanies Tobias on his journey and brings him safely home. Catholics pray this before setting out on any journey. It asks the holy angels for protection from bodily danger, while placing even greater emphasis on preservation from sin and safe arrival at our heavenly home.

O Almighty and merciful God, who hast commissioned Thy angels to guide and protect us, command them to be our assiduous companions from our setting out until our return; to clothe us with their invisible protection; to keep from us all danger of collision, of fire, of explosion, of falls and bruises; and finally, having preserved us from all evil, and especially from sin, to guide us to our heavenly home. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Saint Raphael the Archangel, guide of travelers, pray for us.

In Latin

O Deus omnipotens et misericors, qui Angelis tuis nos custodire et dirigere commisisti, manda eis, ut a nostra profectione usque ad reditum nobis sint seduli comites; nos invisibili protectione circumdent; ab omni collisionis, incendii, explosionis, casus et contusionis periculo custodiant; ac tandem, ab omni malo, praesertim a peccato, nos praeservatos, ad caelestem patriam nos perducant. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Sancte Raphael Archangele, viatorum dux, ora pro nobis.

When to pray it: Pray it immediately before setting out on a journey.

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