The Anima Christi Prayer Card | PDF Free Download
Download an Anima Christi Prayer Card, Free Printable PDF Download, at the bottom of the article.
The Anima Christi is a popular Catholic prayer in which we ask Jesus for specific graces to aid us on our journey to heaven. The exact origins of the prayer are unknown, but it is well known for appearing at the beginning of Saint Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. "Anima Christi," which means "Christ's soul," is the first phrase in the Latin prayer.
It is a lovely prayer that can help us give thanks to God for His sacrifice on the cross. It prompts us to consider His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The prayer also requests God's grace to stay close to Him and protection from the devil. The Anima Christi can be said for a variety of reasons, including thanksgiving and gratitude, an intention, or as a starting point for contemplation. The Anima Christi Prayer Card is an excellent addition to your wallet or prayer tools for practicing the prayer more frequently.
How to Pray the Anima Christi Prayer
There are a few different variations, but a common version is prayed as follows:
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen.
See also the Latin Version of the Anima Christi Prayer.
Three Tips to Praying the Anima Christi Prayer
1. After receiving the Eucharist
As mentioned above, the Anima is a popular prayer to say after receiving Communion during Mass to give thanks to God for the sacrifice of His Son. Take an Anima Christi Prayer Card with you to Mass, or keep it inside a Mass Journal
2. In the morning after waking up
The Anima Christi is a beautiful prayer to say in the morning to invite Jesus into your day and to remind yourself of the great love God has for you before carrying on with the busyness of your day. Keep an Anima Christi Prayer Card on your nightstand or hang it in your bathroom as part of your morning routine.
3. Before going to confession
Praying the Anima Christi before receiving the sacrament of confession can help ease our anxiety about going to confession and remind us that God has already won our salvation and continues to love us, despite our sinfulness.
4. Blessing your Children
This is a great prayer to use to bless your children or loved ones. Simply replace the "me's" in the prayer with the name of your child. It's a wonderful way to intentionally draw them close to Jesus with prayer. It’s also a great prayer to teach your children, to teach them to be close to Jesus.
Where did the Anima Christi Prayer Card come from?
The Anima Christi is often credited to Ignatius, who included it in his book Spiritual Exercises in the 16th century. However, the prayer has been dated to the 14th century, as it was found in other prayer books before St. Ignatius included it in his book.
The prayer consists of eleven main petitions that relate to receiving help from Christ Himself, particularly from His Passion and Death. The Anima Christi can be prayed as a reflection on the suffering of Christ and as a prayer to grow closer to Him.
The Anima Christi Prayer Card | Printable PDF
Download the Free Anima Christi Prayer Card here.
Looking for other ways to pray with the Anima Christi Prayer Card?
The Anima Christi is a beautiful prayer that can be said for many different occasions.
Try praying it within a Rosary for a deceased loved one by reciting it after the Fatima prayer before the start of the next decade.
No matter how or when you pray it, the Anima Christi is a powerful, traditional prayer that is rich in language that brings us deeper into prayer and closer to Christ, particularly to His Passion and Death.
The Rosary Card - Built For Convenience
As you learn to pray, check out our Rosary Cards. They are designed for convenience (same size as a Credit Card) and make it much easier to pray the Rosary often.
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