Versos a Santa Lucía

Con vuestros ojos preciosos,
Amparadnos, Virgen bella,
Pues que Dios, sacra doncella
Quiso fuesen belicosos.

Lucía, si en la conquista
Del Cielo tuviste gozo
Alcanzad de vuestro esposo
Nos quiera guardar la vista.

With your precious eyes
Help us, beautiful Virgin,
For God, holy maid,
Wills that they have power.

Lucy, if in the conquest
Of Heaven you rejoiced,
Obtain from your Spouse
That He wills that we keep our sight.

-traditional

San Ramon Nonato

From the site of E. Bryant Holman (R.I.P.):

While still a young man, he joined the Orden de la Merced, which was an order which raised money to go to North Africa and pay the ransom for Christians who were being held there. While on one such mission, he was found, by the Muslim authorities, to be preaching and attempting to gain converts to Christianity. The local ruler warned him that he must stop, or else he would be punished. A zealous preacher, he continued, and was arrested. In order to literally shut him up, his lips were perforated and a padlock was installed, which was later removed when they put him on a ship back to Spain.

For this last reason, he has become a very popular saint in Mexico, where people appeal to him by way of a spell designed to shut up gossips. In this, one acquires and image of the saint, along with a red votive candle. One prays the prayer to him which one finds on the back of his prayer card or his votive candles, and then one asks him to shut up a particular gossip or group of gossips, and then one takes chewing gum and uses it to press a coin over his mouth. One lights the candle and sets it next to the image on one’s altar (this is what curanderas do) or else one sets it in some place where it will not be disturbed.

Of course, he is also invoked for a safe childbirth:

Oh excelso patrono, San Ramón, modelo de caridad para con los pobres y necesitados, aquí me tenéis postrado humildemente ante vuestros pies para implorar vuestro auxilio en mis necesidades. Así como era vuestra mayor dicha ayudar a los pobres y necesitados en la tierra, socorredme, os suplico, oh glorioso San Ramón, en esta mi aflicción. A vos, oh glorioso protector acudo para que bendigáis al hijo que llevo en mi seno. Protegedme a mí y al hijo de mis entrañas ahora y durante el parto que se aproxima. Os prometo educarlo según las leyes y mandamientos de Dios. Escuchad mis oraciones, amante protector mío, San Ramón, y hacedme madre feliz de este hijo que espero dar a luz por medio de vuestra poderosa intercesión. Así sea.

San Miguel y Santa Muerte

AG was listening to my CD of Crisotbal Morales’ Requiem (see video above), when it hit me that St. Michael is mentioned in the text of the old Requiem Mass, at the Offeretory:

sed signifer sanctus Michæl
repræsentet eas in lucem sanctam,
quam olim Abrahæ promisisti et semini ejus.

but may the sign-bearer, Saint Michael,
lead them into the holy light
which you promised to Abraham and his seed.

Of course, this image also came to mind:

Notice the ancient scales of Maat, signifying judgment over souls. I suppose that is why some people say that it is St. Michael that comes to retrieve souls at the point of death.

Like many traditions, however, this one seems to not have been passed down, except in the garbled, early morning prayers of a priest at Low Mass. So it is no wonder that in Mexico at least, the Angel of Death morphed into this:

No comment:

St. Expedite

And….

St. Expedite’s statue at the St. Jude Shrine here in New Orleans.

Unfailing prayer to Saint Anthony

St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for his creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Miracles waited on your word, which you were ready to speak for those in trouble or anxiety. Encouraged by this thought, I ask you to obtain for me the favors that I seek (mention your request here).

The answer to my prayer may require a miracle, even so, you are the Saint of Miracles.

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was full of sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the Infant Jesus, who loved to be held in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever by yours.

found here

On the infirmity of the human mind

They, then, who see their own mind, in whatever way that is possible, and in it that Trinity of which I have treated as I could in many ways, and yet do not believe or understand it to be an image of God, see indeed a glass, but do not so far see through the glass Him who is now to be seen through the glass, that they do not even know the glass itself which they see to be a glass, i.e. an image. And if they knew this, perhaps they would feel that He too whose glass this is, should by it be sought, and somehow provisionally be seen, an unfeigned faith purging their hearts, that He who is now seen through a glass may be able to be seen face to face. And if they despise this faith that purifies the heart, what do they accomplish by understanding the most subtle disputes concerning the nature of the human mind, unless that they be condemned also by the witness of their own understanding? And they would certainly not so fail in understanding, and hardly arrive at anything certain, were they not involved in penal darkness, and burdened with the corruptible body that presses down the soul. And for what demerit save that of sin is this evil inflicted on them? Wherefore, being warned by the magnitude of so great an evil, they ought to follow the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world.

For if any belong to Him, although far duller in intellect than those, yet when they are freed from the body at the end of this life, the envious powers have no right to hold them. For that Lamb that was slain by them without any debt of sin has conquered them; but not by the might of power before He had done so by the righteousness of blood. And free accordingly from the power of the devil, they are borne up by holy angels, being set free from all evils by the mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Since by the harmonious testimony of the Divine Scriptures, both Old and New, both those by which Christ was foretold, and those by which He was announced, there is no other name under heaven whereby men must be saved. And when purged from all contagion of corruption, they are placed in peaceful abodes until they take their bodies again, their own, but now incorruptible, to adorn, not to burden them. For this is the will of the best and most wise Creator, that the spirit of a man, when piously subject to God, should have a body happily subject, and that this happiness should last for ever.

-St. Augustine, De Trinitate, Bk. 15

Santa Librada

Or St. Wilgefortis. Her origins are obscure, but the most common story is that she was a daughter of a pagan king in Portugal who prayed to be made ugly by God in order to prevent her marriage to another pagan king. She instantly grew a beard in response to her prayer. She is said to be the patroness of women stuck in bad marriages The Wikipedia article is very informative, and here is another image I found of her there, this time in Prague:

Also, on another website, I found the following information about her:

In the Middle Ages Santa Librada was the patron saint of prostitutes and by extension became the patron saint of women in labour. Apparently pregnant women (would) go to Siguenza cathedral to recite the following:

Santa Librada,
Santa Librada,
que la salida
sea tan dulce
como la entrada!

… which means:

Santa Librada,
May the way out
Be as sweet
As the way in!

Felix Coluccio, in his book, Cultos y Canonizaciones Populares de Argentina, describes the cult to Santa Librada in the north of that country. She is generally invoked to find animals, and also to escape authorities after having committed a crime, using the following prayer:

Santa Librada, ayúdame en esta disparada (Saint Librada, help me in this mess)

..after which the criminal should run and hide.

As in the case with many saints of this region, a miracle granted is compensated with a feast thrown by the devotee, preceded by a novena. The dance is the most important part, and can be a rowdy occasion, often put to an end, according to the author, by someone firing a revolver in the air.

Prayer to St. Joseph over 1900 years old

O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen

Say for nine consecutive mornings for anything you may desire. It has seldom been known to fail.

This prayer was found in the fiftieth year of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In 1500’s it was sent by the Pope to Emperor Charles when he was going into battle.

Whoever reads this prayer or hears it or carries it, will never die a sudden death, nor be drowned, nor will poison take effect on them. They will not fall into the hands of the enemy nor be burned in any fire, nor will they be defeated in battle.

Make this prayer known everywhere.

Imprimatur
Most Rev. George W. Ahr
Bishop of Trenton

San Judas Tadeo

The above video is a song about St. Jude and a person who did not keep his promise to him. Basically, the individual in question asked St. Jude for wealth, which the saint gave him. But the man failed to share his wealth with the poor. St. Jude then appears to him riding a horse and upbraids the man for not fulfilling his end of the bargain. St. Jude then cries and rides off in great dismay.

Oración a Santa Elena de Jerusalén

Gloriosa Santa Elena, gloriosa Santa Elena, gloriosa Santa Elena, hija de la reina de Jerusalén; a Jerusalén fuiste, tres clavos trajiste, uno trajiste, lo consagraste y el martes a la mar lo echastes; el otro se lo diste a tu hermano Cipriano, para que venciera en guerra y batalla; y ese que te queda en las benditas manos no te lo pido dado, sino prestado, para enterrárselo en los sentidos a (aquí el nombre de la persona) para que no me olvide; para enterrárselo en la frente a (aquí el nombre de la persona), para que me tenga presente; para enterrárselo en el corazón: San Caralampio, tráemelo, Santa Elena, el clavo que te pido es para que me tenga presente y enterrárselo en el pensamiento; que venga Santa Elena, no le dejes en cama acostar, ni con mujer alguna conversar; como perro rabioso que vuelva a buscarme; Santo Varón, te pido para que nunca me olvide por otra mujer; Jesús Nazareno, tráemelo; Santa Bárbara, que (aquí el nombre de la persona) no me olvide. San Antonio, que (aquí el nombre de la persona) me cumpla lo que me ha ofrecido; San Juan Bautista, santo antes de haber nacido, concédeme lo que te pido, que (aquí el nombre de la persona) me cumpla por la santa camisa que te pusieron hoy; San Miguel, písalo; San Cipriano, óyeme y préstame lo que te pido; Elena, conmuévele el corazón con esa varita que tienes contigo, milagrosa Santa Elena, traémelo. -5 Padre Nuestros, 5 Ave Marías.

Glorious St. Helen, glorious St. Helen, glorious St, Helen, daughter of the queen of Jerusalem. You brought three nails, one you brought, you consecrated and threw it into the sea on Tuesday; the second you gave to your brother Cyprian to conquer in battle and war; and the one that is still in your holy hands I ask to borrow and not to be given, to nail it into the senses of (name) so that he doesn’t forget me; to bury it in his forehead so that he always has me before him; and pierce it through his heart; St. Caralampius, bring him to me; St. Helen, the nail I ask you for is to nail it in his thoughts so that he is always thinking of me; may St. Helen come, may he not be able to lie down in a bed or converse with another woman; as a rabid dog may he come to look for me; Saint Varon, I ask that he never forget me for another woman; Jesus Nazarene, bring him to me; St. Barbara, may (name) never forget me; Saint Anthony, may (name) keep the promise that he made me; Saint John the Baptist, saint before you were born, may he keep his promise by the holy shirt they have put on you today; St. Michael, step on him; St. Cyprian, hear me and lend me all that I ask; Helen, move his heart with that wand that you have with you; St. Helen, bring him to me. -Pray 5 Our Fathers and 5 Hail Marys