LITANY TO ST. JOSEPH FOR THE DYING
THE BODY AND TOMB OF ST. JOSEPH

The Litany to Saint Joseph for the Dying

For private use only.

Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, etc.
Holy Trinity, one God,

St. Joseph, foster father of Christ,
we beseech thee, hear us.
St. Joseph, patron of the dying,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him (her) forgiveness of his (her) sins,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him (her) great patience,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him (her) a perfect resignation,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him (her) a living and unshaken faith,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him (her) a firm confidence,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him (her) ardent charity,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Avert from him the attacks of the enemy,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Protect him from the temptations that assail him,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Preserve him from despondency and despair,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him the grace of Jesus Christ,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Assist him and do not abandon him,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Come to his aid in his weakness,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Assist him in his abandonment,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him a happy death,
we beseech thee, hear us.
Obtain for him a merciful judgment,
we beseech thee, hear us.

Conduct his soul to the vision of Jesus,
there to obtain mercy for him. Amen.

 
THE BODY AND TOMB OF ST. JOSEPH

"In an ecstasy, a saint has seen the body of St. Joseph preserved intact in a tomb, the site of which is yet unknown. The more the glorious spouse  of the most Blessed Virgin Mary is honored, the sooner will the finding of his body take place, which will be a day of great joy for the Church."

[Words of Fr. Paul of Moll, 1824-1896, from Father Paul of Moll,
by Edward van Speybrouck, p. 238]

An ancient tradition states that the tomb of St. Joseph, now empty, is in the Valley of Josaphat. St. Jerome, on the other hand, was of the opinion that St. Joseph's tomb is within the boundaries of the Garden of Gethsemane.

[Source: The Life and Glories of St. Joseph, by Edward H. Thompson, pp. 409-410]

The answer to this mystery remains exactly that to this day.