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 your wounds, hide me.
Do not permit me to be separated from you.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to you,
that with your saints I may praise you
forever and ever.
Amen.
ECUMENICAL 14TH CENTURY AD
The Anima Christi
Also known as Soul of Christ ยท Anima Christi Sanctifica Me
Other forms
Latin
Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Iesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et iube me venire ad te,
ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te
in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.
About this prayer
The Anima Christi ("Soul of Christ") is a Latin prayer of petition addressed directly to Christ, asking him to sanctify, cleanse, strengthen, and ultimately bring the one praying to eternal life. Its authorship is unknown; it circulated anonymously from at least the early 14th century AD. It was long attributed to Pope John XXII (1316-1334 AD) or to St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556 AD), but neither attribution is supported by evidence. Ignatius placed the prayer at the beginning of his Spiritual Exercises (first printed 1548 AD), which is likely why his name became associated with it. The prayer moves through the body and blood of Christ, asking each aspect to work its effect on the one praying: sanctification, cleansing, strengthening, preservation, hiding, the hearing of prayer, and finally the vision of God at the hour of death.
When it's said
The Anima Christi is traditionally said after receiving Communion in Catholic practice, as a prayer of thanksgiving following the Eucharist. It is also used as a preparatory prayer before Communion and in personal devotion at any time. In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, it serves as an opening devotion. It is found in many Catholic prayer books and is familiar to most Catholics who have attended traditional devotional instruction.
Notes on the text
The phrase "inebriate me" refers not to intoxication but to the mystical tradition of spiritual intoxication in God's presence, drawn from the Psalms (Psalm 36:8) and the Song of Solomon. It is an expression of complete absorption in God, using the language of sensory experience as a metaphor for spiritual fullness.
Source
Anonymous, 14th century AD. Popularized by St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises, first printed 1548 AD. Public domain.
Last reviewed: May 2026 against primary source.