Prayer to Saint Pancratius Against False Witnesses

The Prayer to Saint Pancras , is the saint considered the patron saint of health and work, his figure is represented as that of a small child dressed in Roman or military clothing, so in this article we will learn a little more about him.

Saint Pancratius of Rome

Pancratius in the Latin language, Pancratius; in the Greek language, Άγιος Πανκράτιος; in the Italian language, San Pancrazio and in the English language, Saint Pancras, he became a Roman citizen who converted to Christianity, and who later becomes beheaded in the year 304, at the age of 15. His name in the Greek language literally means “the one who holds everything”. He became one of the martyrs of the early days of Christianity who gained great fame which they achieved later.

Despite the uncertainty of the true news about his life and death, they are preserved, which has enjoyed a very intense and widespread cult over the course of many centuries. Having suffered martyrdom when he was just a teenager, his figure has come to be presented as a great model of the strength that faith gives, which, according to the evangelical phrase, obtains from the mouths of all children a perfect praise of God, sealed in the case of Pancratius by the testimony of his blood.

The first news that is known about Pancracio, is the basilica that is built on his tomb around the year 500, in the region of Rome. A century later, Saint Gregory the Great was the one who preached a homily there on the occasion of his birth. Later the news is more frequent.

This saint is represented very young, almost like a child, dressed in the Roman tunic or also in military dress, and with the attributes of a martyr. They get to celebrate his feast on May 12 each year.

Prayer to Saint Pancras I

O Glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ, the kind protector, Saint Pancras, since the Lord comes to listen so favorably to your prayers, that you are always helping both spiritually and temporally those who come to ask for your graces through your intercession, attend to the request that, With my humble trust in the goodness of God and always supported by your powerful support, I raise my present need to heaven.

(At this moment you are going to make the request you want to get from the Saint.)

Since your great love for God encouraged you to be able to offer your life in testimony of faith, I ask you to obtain for me this same love and this strength in practice and also in the confession of faith. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Pancras II

O holy and glorious Saint Pancratius , who in the beautiful youth, which so abundant and flattering presents itself to you with the promises of the world, nevertheless magnanimously renounced everything you had in order to embrace the Faith and at the same time come to serve our Lord Jesus Christ with great ardor of charity and with a very deep humility, and for Himself you joyfully offered your own life with a sublime martyrdom, please listen, I beg you, listen to my prayer now that you are so powerful before God.

(At this time decide the request you have)

Thank you oh patron saint who always listen to the pleas of your faithful. Amen.

Who Was Saint Pancratius?

Only about 4 historical data about the life of San Pancracio are known, in whose hagiographies it is very difficult to distinguish between the historical and the legendary. It is believed that this very popular saint died as a martyr in Rome in the days of Diocletian when he was just a child, who was beheaded when he was only about 15 years old for not renouncing his Christian faith.

Some say that he was born in the city of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia Minor and that his father was a man named Cleonius, who was a nobleman and also a wealthy lord, who died when the saint was only about 7 years old. He came to be educated by his uncle named Dionisio who was making sure that his nephew could receive the best education, so he moved with him to the city of Rome, where the 2 converted to Christianity.

It was not long before Pancratius was denounced to the emperor, who had been a friend of his father in ancient times. Diocletian questioned him and very furious at the young man’s refusal to renounce his faith, it was when he ordered that he be beheaded. A cemetery and a basilica with his name are those that testify in the Via Aurelia Antica of Rome the place of his martyrdom and also the origin of his cult.

What the Book of Saint Pancras Says and Other Doubts about the Saint of the Lottery

The text says in its original language:

“Come Ad Me Et Ego Dabo Vobis Omnia Bona”.

What does it mean:

“Come to me and I will give you all good things . “

It is a kind of gospel invitation, to follow and trust in Christ Jesus, despite the fact that many come to interpret it as a message with merely material meaning.

Why should the Statuette be a Gift?

It becomes unknown where this belief comes from that is part of the “magic” formula for it to work, according to “experts” in superstitions. The image, they indicate, has to be stolen or given away.

It has to be placed with the raised finger looking towards the interior of the business or the house and with 1 coin inserted. If not, the usual thing is to place money under or near it and accompany the figure with 1 bouquet of parsley, according to what a well-known man named Javier Peso explains in “Popular religiosity: Anthropology and history I, volume 1”.

Why is parsley added?

The well-known custom of accompanying the images of San Pancracio with a glass of parsley was born in the Sevillian convent of the Poor Clare nuns of Santa María de Jesús, located on Águilas street, where they have a carving of the saint who is very popular. According to what Carlos Ros Carballar indicates, who is the priest and also the author of the work entitled “San Pancracio, Salud y Trabajo” says:

“A few years ago, there was a gypsy who begged for alms and offered parsley at the doors of the convent, as others do now with rosemary around the cathedral. People enter with parsley and offer it to San Pancracio. From that occurrence of the gypsy is that the custom comes.

What does the Book that Saint Pancratius carries in his hand say?

Some 2 employees of the Lottery administration on Calle de San Sebastián in Madrid kept repeating: “It was San Pancracio”, because in 1982 they distributed the only series of 21515, which was nothing more that of the “Gordo” of Christmas.

Pilar Sacristán and Laura Martínez are the 2 women who confessed to all the media that they had come to ask the saint for the luck of being able to sell the first prize of the Christmas Lottery.

A presiding San Pancracio was in his premises, with the respective bouquet of parsley. Since then, the popularity of this great saint has grown like wildfire among those who usually play the Christmas Lottery and many others have come to attribute their luck to Saint Pancratius, praying to Saint Pancratius for money , despite the fact that many people are unaware of the origin of certain customs that surround him.

Are His Remains Preserved?

In the well-known basilica of San Pancracio, the tomb of the saint is erected on the spot by order of Pope Symmachus in the 6th century, where his relics are kept under the main altar.

Ros Carballar comes to believe that “possibly these are the true remains of the saint, because the relics of Saint Pancratius came to have unusual fame during the Middle Ages.”

San Pancracio became part of the so-called medieval “healing saints”, a group of saints including San Roque and San Sebastián, whose devotion has come to pass from generation to generation. In San Pancracio, the people put their full trust acclaiming him as the advocate of health and work. In the tomb of this saint, the tombstone reads the following:

“In this place, health is restored to those who come to it with illnesses, and many healing benefits are granted to those who come and approach it with sincere faith.”