Prayer:Prayer to St. John the Evangelist
Stored: Prayer to St. John the Evangelist
| Prayer to St. John the Evangelist | |
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| Author | Unknown |
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| Language | English |
| Approval | None |
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| Added on | 2026-08-13 |
Saint John the Evangelist, Apostle, Evangelist, and beloved disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ, holds a singular place in the history of Christian devotion. Known as "the Disciple whom Jesus loved," he alone among the Twelve stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross on Calvary, and he received from Christ Himself the extraordinary charge of caring for the Blessed Virgin Mary. His feast day is celebrated on December 27, within the sacred octave of Christmas.
Throughout the centuries, Catholics have turned to Saint John in prayer, particularly when seeking a deeper life of contemplation, a stronger faith, and a more fervent love of God. His Gospel, which opens with the sublime theological proclamation "In the beginning was the Word," has been called the most spiritually profound of the four Gospels, inviting the faithful into the very mystery of the Eternal Word made flesh.
The prayer addressed to Saint John the Evangelist draws upon the distinctive qualities of his vocation and character — his intimate friendship with Christ, his fidelity at the Cross, his role as guardian of Our Lady, and his role as herald of Divine Love — making him a powerful and fitting intercessor for all who desire to grow closer to God.
The Prayer
O glorious Saint John, you were so beloved by Jesus that He chose you to rest upon His Sacred Heart and to receive its most intimate secrets.
In your love for Him, you stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross when the other Apostles had fled. You received from His dying lips the sacred trust of caring for His Blessed Mother.
Through your holy Gospel you have revealed to the world the deepest mysteries of the Divine Word.
I beg you to intercede for me, that I may grow in faith, in hope, and in that divine love which consumed your own heart.
Amen.
History and Background
Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the brother of Saint James the Greater. He was called by Christ from his fishing nets on the Sea of Galilee and became one of the innermost circle of the Twelve — together with Peter and James — who witnessed the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and were asked to watch with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal.
John's special intimacy with the Lord is recorded in the Gospel itself, where he is described four times as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). At the Last Supper, it was John who leaned upon the breast of Jesus and who, at Peter's request, asked the Lord who would betray Him. This gesture of resting upon the Sacred Heart became a powerful symbol in later Catholic mysticism and devotion, inspiring countless saints to seek the same intimacy of divine love through contemplative prayer.
At the Crucifixion, while the other Apostles had scattered in fear, John stood at the foot of the Cross with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Clopas. It was to John that the dying Christ entrusted His own Mother with the words: "Behold your mother" (John 19:27), and from that hour John took her into his own home. This act sealed John's unique relationship with Mary and has made him a beloved patron of those who seek greater devotion to Our Lady.
John lived to an advanced old age, traditionally dying a peaceful death at Ephesus — the only one of the Twelve Apostles not to die a martyr's death, though he did suffer exile to the island of Patmos under the Emperor Domitian, where he received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. His writings — the Fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation — form a rich theological and spiritual legacy centered above all on the mystery of Divine Love. His first letter contains the celebrated declaration: "God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him" (1 John 4:16).
The prayer to Saint John the Evangelist belongs to the broader tradition of Catholic intercessory prayer, in which the faithful ask the saints, who are alive with God in heaven, to bring their petitions before the throne of Divine Grace. The particular petitions of this prayer — for growth in faith, hope, and love — reflect the theological virtues that John exemplified supremely in his own life and writings.
How to Pray / Devotional Use
This prayer may be prayed by any member of the faithful who seeks the intercession of Saint John the Evangelist. It is especially appropriate in the following circumstances and seasons:
- Feast Day: The prayer is particularly fitting on December 27, the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist, which falls within the joyful octave of Christmas. Praying to the beloved disciple on his feast day unites the faithful to the universal Church in honoring him.
- The Christmas Season: Because Saint John's feast falls so close to Christmas, his prayer is well suited to the contemplative spirit of the Christmas season, when the faithful meditate upon the mystery of the Incarnate Word whom John so profoundly proclaimed.
- Before Reading Sacred Scripture: Given John's role as Evangelist and sacred author, this prayer may profitably be prayed before reading the Gospel of John, the Johannine Epistles, or the Book of Revelation, asking for his intercession in understanding the Word of God.
- For Growth in Contemplative Prayer: Those who are drawn to contemplative or mystical prayer may invoke Saint John, whose resting upon the Heart of Jesus at the Last Supper is seen as a model of contemplative intimacy with Christ. He is a patron of those who seek to listen deeply to the Lord in prayer.
- For Greater Love of God and Neighbor: Because John's writings emphasize love above all other virtues — his first letter returning again and again to the command to love as God loves — this prayer is well suited to those who wish to grow in charity and to overcome coldness of heart.
- For Fidelity in Times of Trial: John's unwavering presence at the Cross can inspire those who face persecution, suffering, or spiritual darkness. Invoking him in such moments is an act of confidence in the one who himself did not abandon Christ when all others fled.
- Rosary and Marian Devotions: Because Christ entrusted Our Lady to Saint John's care, this prayer may fittingly precede or follow Marian devotions such as the Rosary, uniting veneration of Our Lady with honoring the saint who served as her earthly guardian after Calvary.
When praying this prayer, the faithful are encouraged to pause in silence after the formal words, opening the heart in simple, wordless love after the example of John himself, who rested quietly upon the Heart of Jesus at the Last Supper and received the deepest secrets of Divine Love.