Prayer to St. John the Merciful

To St. John of God, merciful defender of the poor and those who are in adversity! We run to you and pray to you, as the quick patron saint of all those who seek consolation from God in troubles and sorrows: do not rest, praying to the Lord for all who flow to you in faith! When thou wast full of Christ’s love and goodness, thou didst appear as a wondrous hall of the virtue of mercy, and didst acquire for thyself the name of the Merciful one: thou wast like a river, continually flowing with bountiful mercies, and giving all those who are thirsty plenty to drink. We believe that after your migration from earth to heaven, the gift of your grace was strengthened in you, and that you have become an inexhaustible vessel of all goodness. Through your intercession and intercession before God, create all kinds of consolations, so that those who seek you may find peace and serenity: grant them comfort in temporary sorrows and help in the needs of life, and instill in them the hope of eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven. In your life on earth, you were the refuge of all who are in all distress and need, the offended and the afflicted, and not one of those who came to you and asked for mercy was deprived of your goodness: so now, reigning with Christ God in heaven, show yourself to all who bow down before your precious icon and pray for help and intercession. Not only did you yourself show mercy to the helpless, but you also raised up the hearts of others for the comfort of the weak and for the contempt of the poor: move the hearts of the faithful even now to the intercession of the poor, to the consolation of the sorrowful and the comfort of the poor, so that the gifts of mercy may not fail them, and Peace and joy for the Holy Spirit, to the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to the ages of ages. Amen.