Prayer:Prayer to St. Raymond Nonnatus
Stored: Prayer to St. Raymond Nonnatus
| Prayer to St. Raymond Nonnatus | |
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| Author | Unknown |
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| Language | English |
| Approval | None |
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| Added on | 2026-08-13 |
Prayer to St. Raymond Nonnatus is a traditional Catholic intercessory prayer addressed to St. Raymond Nonnatus (c. 1204–1240), a Spanish Mercedarian friar and cardinal who is venerated as a powerful patron of expectant mothers, midwives, newborn children, prisoners, and those falsely accused. Raymond was given the surname Nonnatus—meaning "not born"—because he was delivered by Caesarean section after his mother died in labor, a miraculous circumstance that has shaped his enduring patronage over childbirth and all who suffer.
This prayer draws on the extraordinary life and works of Raymond, who ransomed himself as a hostage to the Moors in North Africa to secure the freedom of Christian captives. His courage in openly preaching the faith while in captivity led to severe persecution, including the piercing of his lips with a hot iron padlock to silence his preaching. His miraculous rescue by angels—a central image in his iconography and recalled in this prayer—expresses the Church's confidence in his heavenly intercession.
Beloved across the centuries in Spain, Latin America, the Philippines, and throughout the Catholic world, this prayer is particularly invoked by mothers during difficult pregnancies and by families praying for the safety of prisoners or the falsely accused. It remains a staple of Mercedarian devotional literature and popular Catholic piety.
The Prayer
O glorious St. Raymond, thou who, by a singular miracle, was carried by the angels over the sea, and who didst suffer so much for the redemption of captives and the exaltation of our holy faith, we beseech thee to obtain for us from God the graces we stand in need of.
Obtain for us, above all, the grace of a holy death, and be our advocate before the throne of God, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
History and Background
St. Raymond Nonnatus was born around 1204 near Portell, Catalonia, in what is now Spain. He entered the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy (the Mercedarians), founded by St. Peter Nolasco for the ransom of Christian captives held by Muslims in North Africa. Raymond served with extraordinary zeal, eventually offering himself as a hostage to secure the release of captive Christians in Algiers when his ransom funds were exhausted.
During his captivity, Raymond refused to cease his evangelization of both captives and captors. His Moorish masters, furious at his effectiveness, had his lips pierced with a red-hot iron and sealed with a padlock, which was opened only to allow him to eat. Despite this torment, tradition holds that he was miraculously sustained and strengthened in his faith. He was eventually ransomed through the efforts of St. Peter Nolasco and returned to Spain, where Pope Gregory IX appointed him a cardinal—though Raymond died before reaching Rome, passing to eternal life on August 31, 1240.
He was canonized in 1657 by Pope Alexander VII. The tradition of invoking him during childbirth flows directly from the miraculous nature of his own birth and his identification with those in extreme physical danger. His feast day, August 31, is observed with particular solemnity among the Mercedarians and in regions of strong Spanish Catholic heritage.
The reference in this prayer to Raymond being "carried by the angels over the sea" reflects a beloved devotional legend associated with his life and rescue, emblematic of God's providential care for His faithful servants and the power of miraculous intercession.
How to Pray / Devotional Use
This prayer may be prayed at any time, but is particularly commended in the following circumstances:
- For expectant mothers and difficult pregnancies: St. Raymond Nonnatus is among the foremost patrons invoked for safe delivery and the health of mother and child. Families are encouraged to pray this prayer throughout a pregnancy, especially when complications arise.
- For those falsely accused or imprisoned: Recalling Raymond's own unjust captivity, this prayer is offered on behalf of prisoners, those awaiting trial, and all who suffer injustice at the hands of others.
- For a holy death: The prayer explicitly asks for the grace of a holy death and Raymond's advocacy at the hour of death, making it a fitting addition to prayers for the dying, alongside the Prayers for the Dying and the Apostolic Pardon.
- On his feast day (August 31): Mercedarian communities, parishes, and families with devotion to St. Raymond traditionally gather to pray this prayer on or around his feast day.
- As part of a novena: This prayer may be repeated over nine consecutive days, particularly in preparation for August 31, asking St. Raymond's intercession for a specific intention related to his patronage. It may be combined with readings from his life and a recitation of the Rosary.
The faithful may hold or touch a medal or image of St. Raymond Nonnatus while praying, according to traditional Catholic devotional custom. Mercedarian churches often keep a special image or relic of the saint before which this prayer is offered publicly.