Prayer:Prayer to St. Raphael for Healing

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Prayer to St. Raphael for Healing
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Added on 2026-08-13

St. Raphael the Archangel is one of only three angels named in Sacred Scripture and is universally venerated in the Catholic tradition as the heavenly patron of healing, travelers, and the sick. His very name in Hebrew, Rafa-El, means "God heals" or "the medicine of God," bearing witness to the singular mission entrusted to him by Almighty God. Devotion to St. Raphael has flourished in the Church since ancient times, drawing strength from his vivid portrayal in the Book of Tobit, where he accompanies the young Tobias on a perilous journey, drives away the demon Asmodeus, and restores sight to the blind Tobit.

Because of this scriptural foundation, Catholics have long turned to St. Raphael with their prayers for healing—whether bodily, spiritual, or emotional. The Prayer to St. Raphael for Healing is one of the most beloved intercessory prayers in Catholic devotional life, reflecting the Church's confidence that the angels remain close to those who suffer and that their intercession carries great power before the throne of God.

This prayer is suitable for personal recitation at any time, but is especially fitting when one is burdened by illness, is awaiting medical treatment, or is seeking peace of soul amid suffering. It may be offered on behalf of oneself or for another who is sick, following the ancient Catholic practice of asking the saints and angels to intercede for those in need.

The Prayer

O Glorious St. Raphael, Archangel of mercy and healing, I come before you with humble heart and confident trust.

God sent you to Tobias as a guide, companion, and healer; send me, too, your heavenly assistance in my time of need.

Touch with your healing power whatever afflicts my body and soul, and present my prayers before the throne of the Most High, that through your intercession I may receive the comfort and restoration that God in His mercy wills for me.

O holy Raphael, medicine of God, stand beside all physicians, nurses, and those who care for the suffering, and guide their hands and hearts in the work of healing.

Intercede for all who are sick, frightened, or in pain, that they may know the gentle presence of God's mercy made manifest through your angelic ministry.

Angel of health and wholeness, companion of the faithful on their earthly journey, lead us at last to that heavenly homeland where sorrow and sickness are no more, and where God Himself shall wipe every tear from our eyes.

Amen.

History and Background

St. Raphael in Sacred Scripture

The scriptural basis for devotion to St. Raphael rests primarily upon the Book of Tobit (also called Tobias), a deuterocanonical book accepted as inspired Scripture by the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. In its pages, the Archangel Raphael appears in human form under the name Azariah, accompanying the young Tobias on a journey from Nineveh to Media. During this mission, Raphael instructs Tobias on how to use the liver and gall of a fish to drive away the demon Asmodeus and to restore the sight of his father Tobit, who had been struck blind. At the journey's end, Raphael reveals his true identity and offers one of the most consoling declarations in all of Scripture: I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One (Tobit 12:15).

A further scriptural reference is found in the Gospel of John, which describes an angel who periodically stirred the healing waters of the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–4). Though not named in the text, ancient Christian tradition has consistently identified this angel as Raphael, reinforcing his identity as the heavenly minister of God's healing grace.

The Name "Medicine of God"

The title Medicina Dei—Medicine of God—was applied to St. Raphael by the early Church Fathers and has remained one of the most cherished of his traditional designations. St. Gregory the Great, writing in the sixth century, noted that the names of angels reveal their missions: Michael ("Who is like God?") wages spiritual warfare; Gabriel ("Strength of God") announces the divine will; and Raphael ("God heals") restores and makes whole. This theology of angelic names has shaped Catholic prayer and devotion to the Archangel across the centuries.

Feast Day and Liturgical Recognition

St. Raphael was formerly commemorated on October 24 in the Roman Rite. Following the reform of the General Roman Calendar in 1969, his feast was combined with those of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Gabriel the Archangel on September 29, a date already long celebrated as the Feast of St. Michael (Michaelmas). The combined celebration is now known as the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. This feast is observed throughout the universal Latin Church and in many Eastern Catholic churches as well.

Devotional Tradition

Formal and informal prayers to St. Raphael for healing have been recorded in Catholic prayer books, novena collections, and devotional manuals since at least the medieval period. Many hospitals, clinics, and health-care institutions have been placed under his patronage, including the historic Hôpital Saint-Raphaël tradition in France and numerous institutions bearing his name throughout the Catholic world. The Archconfraternity of St. Raphael, established in various dioceses over the centuries, promoted his veneration especially among the sick and among travelers.

How to Pray / Devotional Use

Personal Recitation

The Prayer to St. Raphael for Healing may be recited at any hour, but many Catholics find it particularly powerful when prayed in the morning, offering the sufferings of the day to God through the Archangel's intercession, or in the evening, asking for restorative healing during sleep. It may be prayed kneeling before a image or statue of St. Raphael, or in any place and posture conducive to recollection.

As Part of a Novena

This prayer is often incorporated into a novena to St. Raphael, prayed on nine consecutive days. A common practice is to begin the novena on September 20, concluding on September 28—the eve of the Feast of the Archangels on September 29—so that the novena reaches its completion on the saint's feast day. Novenas to St. Raphael are especially popular among those preparing for surgery, undergoing medical treatment, or seeking healing from chronic illness.

For the Sick and for Caregivers

The prayer is fittingly offered not only by those who are themselves ill, but also by family members, friends, and caregivers who intercede on behalf of a suffering loved one. Many Catholic nurses, physicians, and hospital chaplains include a prayer to St. Raphael as part of their daily spiritual preparation, asking the Archangel to guide their work and to bring God's healing presence to those in their care.

Pairing with Scripture

Praying this prayer in conjunction with a reading from the Book of Tobit—particularly chapters 5 through 12—enriches the devotion by grounding it in the scriptural narrative that gives it meaning. The passage in which Raphael reveals himself (Tobit 12:6–21) is especially recommended as a meditation before or after the prayer.

Use with Sacramentals

A medal or image of St. Raphael may be blessed by a priest and kept by the sick person as a sacramental reminder of the Archangel's protective and healing presence. In some Catholic traditions, the faithful keep a small statue of St. Raphael in the home, particularly in the room of someone who is ill, as an invitation to his intercession and as a reminder of God's nearness in suffering.

See Also

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