Prayer:Prayer to St. Sebastian
Stored: Prayer to St. Sebastian
| Prayer to St. Sebastian | |
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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. Sebastian is a traditional Catholic intercessory prayer addressed to Saint Sebastian, the third-century Roman soldier and martyr who is venerated as a powerful patron of athletes, soldiers, and those who suffer from plague and illness. This prayer invokes his intercession before God, drawing on his legendary courage and physical endurance as a model and source of heavenly aid for the faithful.
The prayer belongs to a long tradition of Catholic devotion to St. Sebastian, which flourished throughout the Middle Ages, particularly during times of epidemic and plague, when the faithful turned to him as a heavenly protector. His iconography — bound to a post and pierced by arrows yet miraculously surviving — became a powerful symbol of endurance in suffering and ultimate trust in divine providence.
Devotion to St. Sebastian remains widespread in the universal Church, especially in Italy, Spain, Latin America, and among military communities worldwide. This prayer encapsulates the essence of that devotion, calling upon the saint's intercessory power for healing, courage, and steadfastness in the Christian life.
The Prayer
O Glorious St. Sebastian, martyr and soldier of Christ, intercede for us before the throne of God.
You who endured the cruelest torments with unshaken faith and courage, obtain for us strength in our trials, healing in our infirmities, and perseverance in the faith until our last breath.
We ask this through your powerful intercession, trusting in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
History and Background
Saint Sebastian was born around A.D. 256, traditionally believed to be in Narbonne, Gaul (modern France), though he was raised in Milan. He served as a captain in the Praetorian Guard during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, a position he used covertly to minister to imprisoned Christians and strengthen confessors facing martyrdom. When his faith was discovered, he was condemned to be shot with arrows and left for dead. Miraculously nursed back to health by the Christian widow St. Irene of Rome, he returned to confront Diocletian directly, for which he was beaten to death and his body cast into the Cloaca Maxima around A.D. 288.
The invocation of St. Sebastian against plague has ancient roots. During the terrible plague of 680 A.D. that devastated Rome and Pavia, his intercession was widely credited with bringing the epidemic to an end. The Lombards erected an altar in the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Pavia in his honor, and Pope Sergius I promoted his cult in Rome. This association with miraculous healing from epidemic disease established Sebastian as one of the great patron intercessors of the sick throughout the medieval and early modern periods.
Prayers to St. Sebastian in their various forms developed organically within popular piety, transmitted through prayer books, novena collections, and the devotional life of parishes and religious communities. While no single authorship is attributed to the canonical form of this prayer, it draws upon centuries of theological reflection on Sebastian's martyrdom and the Catholic understanding of the intercession of the saints as taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 956–958).
How to Pray / Devotional Use
This prayer may be prayed privately at any time, particularly during periods of physical illness, personal suffering, athletic competition, or spiritual trial. It is especially appropriate on the Feast of St. Sebastian, January 20, which is observed in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.
Suggested occasions for praying this prayer include:
- Before or after athletic events, invoking St. Sebastian as the patron of athletes
- During illness or recovery, asking for his intercession for healing
- In times of persecution, trial, or temptation, drawing on his example of courage
- As part of a nine-day novena leading up to his feast day on January 20
- Before military service or in prayer for soldiers and first responders
For a novena: This prayer may be repeated daily for nine consecutive days, particularly from January 11 through January 19, concluding on his feast day. It may be preceded by an Act of Contrition and followed by a recitation of the Glory Be.
Liturgical note: St. Sebastian's feast is celebrated on January 20 in the Roman Rite, shared with St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr. Many parishes and oratories hold special Masses and veneration of his image on this day.