The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary originated at the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto in Italy and became widespread among the numerous pilgrims who visited and learned to recite it. Accordingly, it is also called the Litany of Loreto.  History The oldest written copy of the litany in existence was found in Dillingen, German in 1558. It is called 'Letania Loretana. Ordnung der Letaney von unser lieben Frawen wie sie zu Loreto alle Samstag gehalten' which can be translated in English as 'The Order