the 14 Holy Helpers or Someone to watch over me

*Disclaimer: I have little or no religious background, I neither agree with nor observe Catholic dogma, rites and ritual (anymore) and I neither propose nor purport that any of these people or entities ever existed, nor that miraculous things happen by divine intervention, nor that the Divine even exists.  I have no idea if any of this is valid.  However, the irony of a monotheistic religion recognizing such a polytheistic ceremonial practice involving idolatry is interesting and intriguing!

Organized religion probably isn't your thing either, yet I am fairly certain you've heard of the Patron Saints and know a few of their causes and you may know that every Saint has special prayers, novenas and devotional items (idols) such as statuary and chaplets (prayer beads) for their specific intentions.

Patron Saints

 You may have even heard of St. Jude, the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes, St. Catherine of Alexandria and the story of the Catherine Wheel (not just the name of a musical act) or St. Christopher, the Patron Saint of Travelers, and you may have even been in a car with a St. Christopher medal on the visor, but, did you know Sts. Catherine and Christopher were 2 of the 14 Holy Helpers*?

14

The 14 Holy Helpers:

St. Erasmus (Elmo), Protector of the oppressed, Bishop:  Against abdominal maladies

St. Christopher, Mighty intercessor of danger: against plagues, against sudden death

St. Giles, Despiser of the world, Hermit, Abbot, only Saint not martyred: against plagues, epilepsy, panic, madness, and nightmares

St. Cyriacus (Cyriac), Terror of Hell:  Against temptations, especially at time of death, against diabolical possession and diseases of the eye

St. Achatius, Helpful advocate for a peaceful death: against headaches

St. Dionysius (Denis), Shining mirror of faith and confidence, Bishop:  against headaches and diabolical possession

St. Eustachius (Eustace), Exemplar of patience in adversity:  against fire, family troubles

St. Catherine of , Victorious defender of purity: against sudden death, diseases of the tongue

St. Margaret of , Valiant champion of the faith: for safe childbirth, against backache

St. Barbara, Mighty patroness of the dying: against fever, sudden death, fire, and lightening.

In the 1300s, the 14 Holy Helpers were Saints invoked as a group by those seeking relief from the ailments of the Black Plague as it was thought that those particular Saints would offer effective relief from the various physical symptoms to the pious.

Death rides a pale horse

 Although bubonic plague still exists, we no longer suffer effects on the grand scale of the 1300s, yet we will always suffer from the plague of human nature and the assistance of Patron Saints is often invoked for fortification when seeking the theological and cardinal virtues of faith, hope and charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, humility, liberality, chastity, meekness, brotherly love, and diligence; as well as the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit- wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, mildness, and modesty as we strive to incorporate into our lives both the giving and receiving of the corporal works- the things we would want someone to do for us if we were in need- to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, the shelter the homeless, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, to bury the dead; and spiritual works of mercy, to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, to admonish the sinner, to comfort the sorrowful, to forgive all injuries, to bear wrongs patiently, to pray for the living and the dead.

Correggio Virtues

 Patron Saints are also invoked for assistance in evading the vices- pride, greed, gluttony, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, sloth, presumption, despair, resisting the known truth, envy of another's spiritual good, obstinacy in sin, and final impenitence.

Correggio Vices

 Additionally, The Litany of the 14 Holy Helpers purports that as humans we suffer "temptations against faith, adversity, trial and tribulation, in anxiety and want, in every combat, in every temptation, in sickness, in all needs, in fear, terror, in dangers of salvation, honor, reputation, and dangers of property, in dangers by fire and water, from the scourge of earthquake, plague, famine and war, from lightening and storms, from a sudden and unprovided death, from eternal damnation".

No wonder people look to the Saints for solace and intervention, that's a pretty daunting message.

Yet, if we choose to exhibit and embrace faith, we can take the Bible at face value and find assurance and encouragement in Psalm 91: 10-12, that "no evil shall befall you, nor shall any affliction come near your tent, for to his Angels God has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.  Upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone", indicating that we each have our own personal guardian angel that watches over us during our time on this plane of existence.

Guardian-Angel

 But sometimes we ask for help just because we want things – And if St. Jude says your cause is really hopeless then you may have to try asking for help from the Blessed Virgin, but sometimes, you must go directly to the Source.  And this is where I ask you if you have ever heard of the Prayers for True Desperation, such as the Prayer to the Wound on the Shoulder, the 5 Holy Wounds, the Precious Blood, the Crown of Thorns, or the Infant of Prague?  No?  Well, I will tell you all them in my next post!