Prayer:Prayer to St. Hubert
Stored: Prayer to St. Hubert
| Prayer to St. Hubert | |
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| Author | Unknown |
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| Language | English |
| Approval | None |
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| Added on | 2026-08-13 |
Saint Hubert of Liège (c. 656–727), the "Apostle of the Ardennes," is venerated throughout the Catholic Church as the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers, as well as the protector against rabies and mad dogs. The prayer addressed to him draws upon the extraordinary circumstances of his conversion, in which, according to pious tradition, he encountered a miraculous stag bearing a luminous crucifix between its antlers on Good Friday morning. This vision so transformed him that he abandoned his worldly life and devoted himself entirely to God, eventually becoming the Bishop of Maastricht and Liège. Devotion to Saint Hubert has flourished for over a millennium across Europe, particularly among hunters, foresters, and those who live and work close to nature.
The prayer to Saint Hubert belongs to a rich tradition of intercessory prayers addressed to bishops and confessors who experienced dramatic conversions. His feast day, November 3, coincides with the traditional opening of hunting seasons in many parts of Europe, and the "Blessing of Hounds" or Messe de Saint-Hubert remains a celebrated liturgical custom in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. The prayer calls upon his powerful intercession for safety, spiritual renewal, and protection from physical harm, particularly from the bite of rabid animals, a healing charism traditionally associated with the saint through the relic of his stole and the practice known as the "touch of Saint Hubert."
The Prayer
O glorious Saint Hubert, patron of hunters and protector against the dangers of the wild, I come before thee with humble heart.
Through thy mighty conversion by the vision of the Cross between the antlers of a stag, thou wast transformed from a man of worldly pursuits to a faithful servant of Christ.
Intercede for me before the throne of God, that I may be granted thy virtues of piety, prudence, and courage.
Protect me from all peril in forest and field; guard me against the bite of rabid beasts and the snares of the evil one; and guide me ever closer to the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever.
Amen.
History and Background
The Life and Conversion of Saint Hubert
Hubert was born around 656 into the Frankish nobility and spent his early years as a courtier devoted to the pleasures of aristocratic life, chief among them the hunt. Hagiographic accounts relate that on a Good Friday, while his contemporaries attended the sacred liturgy, Hubert rode out to hunt in the Forest of Ardennes. There he encountered a magnificent stag which turned to face him, and between its antlers shone a luminous crucifix. A voice spoke to him: "Hubert, unless thou turnest to the Lord, and leadest a holy life, thou shalt quickly go down into Hell." Struck with profound compunction, Hubert dismounted, prostrated himself, and asked what he must do. He was directed to seek out Saint Lambert, the Bishop of Maastricht, who received him, guided his conversion, and became his spiritual father.
Following the murder of Saint Lambert in 705, Hubert succeeded to the See of Maastricht and later transferred the episcopal seat to Liège. He labored tirelessly to evangelize the pagan peoples of the Ardennes region, earning him the title "Apostle of the Ardennes." He died on May 30, 727, and was canonized by popular acclaim; his remains were enshrined at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert in the Belgian Ardennes, which became a great center of pilgrimage throughout the Middle Ages.
The Tradition of Healing from Rabies
Among the most distinctive aspects of Hubert's cult is his patronage against hydrophobia (rabies). The Abbey of Saint-Hubert preserved what was believed to be a thread from the saint's stole, used in a minor surgical rite known as the taille de Saint-Hubert or "incision of Saint Hubert," by which the thread was placed beneath an incision made on the forehead of those bitten by rabid animals. This practice, administered by the canons of the abbey, drew pilgrims from across Europe until the eighteenth century and beyond. The prayer to Saint Hubert for protection against rabies reflects this ancient healing tradition.
Liturgical and Devotional Customs
The feast of Saint Hubert on November 3 is observed with the Messe de Saint-Hubert in many parishes and hunting communities of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. Hounds, horses, and hunters gather at the church door for a solemn blessing, horns are sounded, and Mass is celebrated with great solemnity. The saint's image, typically depicting him kneeling before the miraculous stag, appears on hunting lodges, chapels, and the heraldry of noble families throughout Europe. His emblem — the stag with a radiant cross — has become one of the most recognizable iconographic motifs in Catholic hagiography.
How to Pray / Devotional Use
When to Pray This Prayer
The Prayer to Saint Hubert is traditionally offered:
- On his feast day, **November 3**, either privately or as part of the communal blessing of hunters and hounds.
- Before setting out on a hunt, hike, or any journey through wilderness areas.
- By those who work with animals, especially in forestry, veterinary medicine, or wildlife management.
- By anyone who has been bitten by an animal and fears infection, as part of a broader appeal for God's healing mercy.
- By those seeking the grace of conversion or a turning away from worldly attachments.
Method of Devotion
The prayer may be prayed individually or in a group, kneeling before an image of Saint Hubert. It is customary to make the Sign of the Cross at the beginning and end. On the feast of Saint Hubert, many hunting associations incorporate this prayer into a formal ceremony that includes:
- Gathering of hunters, hounds, and horses at the church.
- Solemn High Mass or a votive Mass in honor of the saint.
- Reading of the prayer of intercession by the priest or deacon.
- The blessing of hounds with holy water.
- The sounding of hunting horns as a festive conclusion.
Those who desire the special protection of Saint Hubert against animal bites and disease may also invoke him with a simple aspiration: Saint Hubert, pray for us.
Novena Use
A novena to Saint Hubert may be prayed in the nine days preceding his feast (October 25–November 2), reciting this prayer once daily together with a meditation on his conversion and an act of contrition, in acknowledgment that the saint's intercession is most powerfully sought by those who, like Hubert himself, are willing to turn their hearts entirely toward Christ.