St. Erasmus Novena
Contents
Show HideWe might not know much about St. Erasmus’ life. His death as a martyr does tell us a lot about his faith. St. Erasmus has a been a powerful intercessor for centuries, called upon for help in times of plague, trouble at sea, and stomach ailments.
Pray the St. Erasmus novena with us to ask for his intercession!
About St. Erasmus
We know very little about St. Erasmus’ life. His birth date and location is unknown. We do know that he was the bishop of Formia, Italy in the second century AD. St. Erasmus was also persecuted under the Emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284-305.
At some point during St. Erasmus’ life, Formia suffered a fire that burned the city to the ground. At that time, he moved to Gaeta. Gaeta was on the coast. His holiness was well known in the area. As such, the seamen used to invoke his patronage.
St. Erasmus was also known as Elmo. Connected to his sea patronage, sailors attributed St. Elmo’s fire to him. The blue electrical discharges that were seen around their ships were considered to be as a result of his patronage and protection.
Most of what we know about St. Erasmus is legend. One such tradition states that St. Erasmus escaped torture for being a Christian by hiding out on Mount Lebanon. There, the story goes, he was sustained from food delivered to him by a raven. He lived there alone. After some time, he was captured, tortured, and put in prison as a result of Christian persecution. The legend continues that St. Erasmus escaped from prison after being freed by an angel.
Another story surrounds how St. Erasmus died. It is certain that he died as a martyr as a result of Christian persecution under Diocletian. What isn’t as certain is the mode of his death. Many believe that he was tortured by having a windlass, a sharp mechanism used to hoist anchors, stuck through his intestines. Many are not sure whether or not this was the act that killed him. It is generally believed that St. Erasmus died from this disembowelment around the year 303. He is often pictured holding a windlass with his intestine on it as a result.
Although we do not know much about St. Erasmus’ life, we do know that he is a powerful intercessor. In fact, he is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers whose intercession was sought during the bubonic plague. His faith must have been strong to withstand such persecution.
St. Erasmus is the patron saint of all those who suffer from abdominal pain, particularly pain of the intestines or liver, women in labor, and those who work at sea.
St. Erasmus’ Feast Day: June 2
Why Pray the St. Erasmus Novena?
As the patron saint of those with stomach pain, St. Erasmus is a wonderful intercessor for all those who suffer from diseases of the liver or intestines. If you have chronic pain in your stomach, St. Erasmus is the saint to turn to!
Women who are preparing for or in the throes of labor to give birth will also find a ready helper in St. Erasmus. Because of his disembowelment, he is also the patron saint of women in labor. Pray to St. Erasmus in between contractions to offer your discomfort to God!
Finally, as someone who was persecuted and killed for his faith, St. Erasmus is a wonderful saint to pray to for those who are also persecuted for their faith or need assistance in dying to one’s self and sin.
You can pray the St. Erasmus Novena for any intention!
St. Erasmus Novena Prayers
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
O Lord, I know that You love all of Your children. I try to as well, but sometimes, there are just people who annoy me. Their behavior challenges me. I find it difficult to be kind to them. Yet, I know that’s what You want me to do! It can be hard sometimes though.
St. Erasmus, I can imagine that it was probably really difficult for you to love the people who disemboweled you. you probably weren’t too thrilled with the people who disemboweled you. It was probably pretty hard to love them! But I’ll bet, at the time, you were reminded of our Lord as He died upon the cross, forgiving all of those people who were killing Him.
Lord, if you can forgive the people who were torturing You for a crime You didn’t commit, then I can try to be more patient with those around me who are hard to love.
The next time someone frustrates me, St. Erasmus, will you come to my aid? Remind me of our Lord’s undying mercy for me, and encourage me to act in the same way towards others. Help me to take deep breaths, and try to love that person as Christ would. If all else fails, please help me to pray for them!
Please also pray for my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God, thank you for the gift of life! Thank you for the ability to love and serve You in this way. Thank you also for the great gift of being able to participate in creation!
St. Erasmus, as a man, I wouldn’t necessarily think of you as the patron saint of women in labor. However, because of your manner of death, you definitely know about stomach pains.
I ask that you watch over all women who are in labor or about to be in labor. Allow them to unite their suffering for Christ. Help them to offer up the pain for their child’s health and holiness. Be with them as they breathe through the pain. Bring comfort to them if you can.
Please intercede also on behalf of my own mother. I know she must have suffered in giving birth to me. Remind me to always respect her for that sacrifice, no matter our relationship now. Bless her for her heroism in that moment!
Please also pray for my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Thank You for creating us to serve You, Lord. I know that I am not worthy of this vocation that You have given to me. However, I try my best to serve and honor You through it.
We don’t know much about your life here on earth, St. Erasmus. We do know, however, that you were a bishop. As such, you probably watched over your congregations and held other priestly duties.
Today, I ask that you watch over all of those in the religious life, especially your fellow priests and bishops. Inspire Church leaders to serve God faithfully and lead us to God. Keep all priests fixated on their ministry, especially in saying Holy Mass and hearing confession. Bar their souls from temptation and loneliness. Inspire their congregations to support them however they can.
I also pray that more people will respond to the call God has given each of us. St. Erasmus, intercede on behalf of all those who are called to the religious life. Inspire them to say yes to God even if they have doubts or fears. Help them to see the beauty of living a life for God.
Pray for my own vocation as well, that I may always live up to it and trust in God’s will for my life.
Please also pray for my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
No one has suffered more than You, Jesus. Your agony on the cross for sins You didn’t commit must have been heavy. Yet, it brings me comfort to know that You know what my own pains feel like.
St. Erasmus, I know you are the patron saint of those with stomach pain. Due to your death by disembowelment, you’re a good candidate for this role!
Most of us have had a stomach ache now and again, but some people suffer from chronic stomach pain. Please watch over them!
Please also intercede on behalf of all those who suffer from any pain, especially myself and my loved ones. Help us to use our pain as an opportunity to give God glory. If possible, help us to even be grateful for the pain and use it to sanctify us.
Please also pray for my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus, your proclamation of the Faith led to your horrific death. I wonder if you had the choice if you would do it again.
I know that talking about God is so important. In fact, He told us to do so!
Sometimes, I feel a little uncomfortable talking about my faith. I don’t want to be mocked or mistreated because of what I believe. Talking about faith always seems to offend someone. I also don’t know everything about the Faith. What if I get a question I don’t know the answer to?
St. Erasmus, help me to be brave enough to talk about God! When I am faced with uncertainty, help my testimony to be meaningful even if I don’t know everything. Help me to know how to talk about Him in a way that is accepting and that people will listen to.
Most of all, help me to contribute to a culture where all people are accepted no matter what they believe.
Please also pray for my intentions:
(State your intentions)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord, You have dominion over all the earth. Everything that occurs is Your creation. Yet, You let the earth do what it was meant to do, even if it means natural disasters.
St. Erasmus, your proximity to the sea made you a sort of legend among the seamen. In particular, they believed that the St. Elmo’s fire phenomenon was a sign of your protection over them.
While that does have a natural explanation, many times there are things that happen in nature that we don’t understand. These things can be scary or even dangerous. St. Erasmus, I am asking for your protection from these natural disasters. Intercede on our behalf for our protection and safety, especially from the loss of life due to a natural disaster.
I pray that you will also watch over all those who have been affected by these disasters. Help them to receive the care and supplies they need to rebuild. If any are in great need, move me to help if I can.
Please also inspire us to take better care of God’s creation in order to prevent any of these natural disasters that we can.
At this time, I also request that you pray for my other intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
I bet you never felt so alone as Holy Thursday night, Jesus. You were alone in the garden, sweating drops of blood, with Your friends unable to stay awake to help You through.
I never want anyone to feel that way. St. Erasmus, your isolation was somewhat by choice. You chose to live a hermit’s life for a while to avoid persecution and torture. Still, that must have been difficult to not have human interaction.
St. Erasmus, please be with all who feel alone in the world. Especially watch over all those who live alone or don’t have a family. Help them to know that they have a family in the Church. Remind them of their Father who loves them. They are never really alone then.
Please also inspire me to reach out to those in need in my community. Have me share a meal with a neighbor, mow someone’s lawn, or visit the nursing home or prison. I want to be a light to those who are living in the darkness of feeling alone.
Please also keep in mind my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God, You are so good to us. I want everyone to know and praise You!
St. Erasmus, your dedication to the faith to the point of death is admirable. As a bishop, part of your job must have been to tell others about Christ. Since that action led to your death, I’m guessing that didn’t always come easy for you.
There are so many people I know who do not know God. My heart aches for them, for the emptiness they must feel and might not even know is there.
For me, knowledge of God is the joy and strength of my life. I could not get through life without God!
St. Erasmus, please be with all those who do not know God. Whether they don’t know of Him or do know of Him and do not grasp His love, I beg you to inflame their hearts with His Truth and Beauty. Set fire to their souls with passionate understanding of who God is. Please also help me to be a gateway for people to come to know God.
Please also keep in mind my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Erasmus Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
O Lord, I know that You could take away all of my problems with a single breath if You thought it was good for me. The fact that you’ve kept this trial in my life makes me think there is a reason.
St. Erasmus, I’ve struggled with this problem for a while now. It weighs on my soul and troubles my faith. Since you were human too, I bet you had a problem like that. Maybe it was hiding to keep your life safe!
St. Erasmus, I want this trial to sanctify me. I want it to not be a thorn in my side, but rather the thing that I conquer. Help me to pray through every difficult moment. In fact, help me to use my suffering as an opportunity to tell others about God, and how I still love Him.
Help me to pray along with our Savior: Lord let this cup pass from me, yet not as I will, but as You will, Lord.
Please also keep in mind my other intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Erasmus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.