The Fourteen Holy Helpers
aka the Fourteen Auxiliary Saints
Former feast: August 8; surpressed in the 1969 calendar reformation

A particular cult of saints devoted to sickness, want, and danger. The earliest mention of the Fourteen is dated to 1284, referencing an alter dedicated to the Helpers at the parish church of Krems, Austria. They began to be invoked with the inception of the Black Plague in 1346. However, an organized cult was not established until around 1445, when a shepherd attached to the Cistercian Abbey of Langheim, Frankenthal (Germany) reported seeing apparitions, with the command to build a church there in their honor. In 1448, the chapel was concecrated and became a pilgrimage site. A brotherhood formed, and were later sanctioned by Pope Paul V in 1618.

In the sixteenth century, Pope Nicholas V attached special indulgences to devotion to them, but this is not continued today.

In 1890, the Congregation of Rites allowed for a Mass to be said in their honor on the forth Sunday after Easter in the places of Langheim and Hammelburg, Würzburg, where the devotion was particularly strong.

The traditional list of the Fourteen Holy Helpers are as follows:

However, sometimes local saints have been substituted for one of the fourteen, while in some places the Virgin Mary or Saint Magnus are added to the list.


The Litany of the Fourteen Holy Helpers

LORD, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs,
pray for us.
Saint Joseph, helper in all needs, etc.
Fourteen Holy Helpers,
Saint George, valiant Martyr of Christ,
Saint Blase, zealous bishop and benefactor of the poor,
Saint Erasmus, mighty protector of the oppressed,
Saint Pantaleon, miraculous exemplar of charity,
Saint Vitus, special protector of chastity,
Saint Christophorus, mighty intercessor in dangers,
Saint Dionysius, shining mirror of faith and confidence,
Saint Cyriacus, terror of Hell,
Saint Achatius, helpful advocate in death,
Saint Eustachius, exemplar of patience in adversity,
Saint Giles, despiser of the world,
Saint Margaret, valiant champion of the Faith,
Saint Catherine, victorious defender of the Faith and of purity,
Saint Barbara, mighty patroness of the dying,

All ye Holy Helpers, etc.
All ye Saints of God,
In temptations against faith,
In adversity and trials,
In anxiety and want,
In every combat,
In every temptation,
In sickness,
In all needs,
In fear and terror,
In dangers of salvation,
In dangers of honor,
In dangers of reputation,
In dangers of property,
In dangers by fire and water,
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord!
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord!

From all sin,
deliver us, O Lord.
From Thy wrath, etc.
From the scourge of earthquake,
From plague, famine, and war,
From lightning and storms,
From a sudden and unprovided death,
From eternal damnation,

Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, etc.
Through Thy birth and Thy life,
Through Thy Cross and Passion,
Through Thy death and burial,
Through the merits of Thy blessed Mother Mary,
Through the merits of the Fourteen Holy Helpers,
On the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord!

We sinners, beseech Thee hear us.
That Thou spare us,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou pardon us, etc.
That Thou convert us to true penance,
That Thou give and preserve the fruits of the earth,
That Thou protect and propagate Thy holy Church,
That Thou preserve peace and concord among the nations,
That Thou give eternal rest to the souls of the departed,
That Thou come to our aid through the intercession of the Holy Helpers,
That through the intercession of St. George Thou preserve us in the Faith,
That through the intercession of St. Blase Thou confirm us in hope,
That through the intercession of St. Erasmus Thou enkindle in us Thy holy love,
That through the intercession of St. Pantaleon Thou give us charity for our neighbor,
That through the intercession of St. Vitus Thou teach us the value of our soul,
That through the intercession of St. Christophorus Thou preserve us from sin,
That through the intercession of St. Dionysius Thou give us tranquillity of conscience,
That through the intercession of St. Cyriacus Thou grant us resignation to Thy holy will,
That through the intercession of St. Eustachius Thou give us patience in adversity,
That through the intercession of St. Achatius Thou grant us a happy death,
That through the intercession of St. Giles Thou grant us a merciful judgment,
That through the intercession of St. Margaret Thou preserve us from Hell,
That through the intercession of St. Catherine Thou shorten our Purgatory,
That through the intercession of St. Barbara Thou receive us in Heaven,
That through the intercession of all the Holy Helpers Thou wilt grant our prayers,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Pray for us, ye Fourteen Holy Helpers.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promise of Christ.

Let us Pray.

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast bestowed extraordinary graces and gifts on Thy saints George, Blase, Erasmus, Pantaleon, Vitus, Christophorus, Dionysius, Cyriacus, Eustachius, Achatius, Giles, Margaret, Catherine, and Barbara, and hast illustrated them by miracles; we beseech Thee to graciously hear the petitions of all who invoke their intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who didst miraculously fortify the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the confession of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee, to imitate their fortitude in overcoming all temptations against it, and protect us through their irttercession in all dangers of soul and body, so that we may serve Thee in purity of heart and chastity of body. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SOURCE FOR LITANY:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/define95.htm

A different version is found here: http://www.catholicculture.org/lit/prayers/view.cfm?id=925

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