One of the most beautiful aspects of our faith is our belief that in times of trouble, no matter how hopeless the situation seems, the saints in Heaven are praying for our safety and well-being. Throughout the Church’s history, pious men and women have called upon various intercessory saints to weather countless persecutions, wars, and storms. As the entire world now struggles through the current coronavirus pandemic, it is important that we remember to rely upon God’s mercy for relief, and to implore the saints for their powerful intercession.
During the Black Death, the outbreak of bubonic plague lasting from 1347 to 1351 that killed up to sixty percent of Europe’s population, the suffering Catholics of Europe reached out particularly to a group of fourteen saints that had previously been relied on individually to heal a variety of maladies. Although the saints lived in vastly different places and time periods, their reputation for effectively interceding on behalf of the sick and dying led them to be grouped together as “the Fourteen Holy Helpers.” As our society encounters its first deadly pandemic in generations, it is beneficial to call upon these saints, who were so helpful to the medievals, in our own prayers.
Some of the saints are known to assist with specific types of illness. St. Blaise is invoked against illnesses of the throat, St. Dennis against headaches, St. Elmo against stomach ailments, St. Vitus against epilepsy, and St. Agathius against mental illness. St. Barbara, the patron saint of combating fever, should be especially prayed to, as fever is among the most common symptoms of coronavirus.
In addition to the above six saints invoked to combat specific maladies, five other saints are included amongst the Helpers to protect various groups. St. Christopher is called upon to protect travelers from contracting disease, St. Margaret of Antioch to protect pregnant women and newborn babies, St. Pantaleon to protect doctors and healthcare workers, and St. George to protect domestic animals (since they too can often become ill during times of pestilence). Finally, St. Eustace is called upon to prevent family discord, as family relations can become strained during periods of stress and quarantine.
The last three saints are called upon to support those who succumb to the disease. St. Catherine of Alexandria is invoked to prevent sudden death, so that the dying may have the opportunity to access the last rites, St. Giles is called upon to assist the dying in making a good confession, and St. Cyriacus is called upon to prevent deathbed temptations.
Just as these saints helped the pious Catholics of the past endure the Black Death, perhaps the most trying period in the history of humanity, their prayers will undoubtedly be heard as we endure our current epidemic. Knowing that these fourteen holy saints have been of such great assistance during the plagues of the past, Catholics today should consider saying a novena or another type of devotion to these saints, imploring divine assistance during these trying times.
Featured image courtesy of anagoria via WikiMedia
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Nice article.