St. Corona, Pray for Us!

Catholic Exchange.com ^ | 03-2020 | Michael L. Lichens

[Salvation]

St. Corona, Pray for Us!

Michael J. Lichens

The last few weeks have been difficult for many of us living in the new reality brought on by COVID-19. While the virus threatens our vulnerable friends, family, and neighbors, you don’t have to be sick to feel its effects. The material and economic realities are hitting us from all sides. In such moments, it’s easy to let our anxieties overcome our spiritual hope. 

As a relatively anxious person with a myriad of health problems, my experience over the last few weeks has been rough. This time of quarantine has also been a time of intense prayer for me. I am among those who are at higher risk due to my asthma and chronic bronchitis, making extreme precautions necessary even before our city enacts a shelter-in-place order. But I know this is no time to merely isolate and practice social-distancing. Now is a time to love our neighbor, repent of our sins, and, most importantly, pray harder than we’ve ever prayed before. 

Calling Upon the Saints

The Catholic faithful have endured pandemics throughout the Church’s existence. In such times, when people have felt a crushing powerlessness, the faithful have found hope, help, and even miraculous cures through the intercession of the saints. These saints remind us that we aren’t facing this crisis on our own; we have the Lord and His saints who stand ready to intercede for those who call upon them. 

Plague columns decorate the city squares of Europe’s great cities, standing as testaments to the power of prayer in the midst of an uncertain epidemic. These large monuments tell the story of whole cities that were saved from plague through the power of the Holy Trinity and the intercession of the saints. And in this time of uncertainty we could use more intercessions for us and our neighbors.

 

While St. Joseph is a saint I turn to for just about everything, there is one saint I’ve recently learned about whose name seems to hint at a great providence: St. Corona. 

Saint Corona, Pray for Us

Not much is known about St. Corona. Like St. Valentine and so many early martyrs, the fullness of her deeds and holiness are known only to God. 

Early hagiography tells us that this holy soul had witnessed the martyrdom of St. Victor, a soldier who was executed by his brothers-in-arms for his faith. While Victor was being tortured and disfigured, the brave 16-year-old Corona cried out comforting words and encouragement as Victor held fast to his faith and gave up his life for the Lord. Victor’s persecutors soon turned on Corona and executed her by tying her to drawn palm trees, which ripped her in half when snapped upright, yet the young saint never gave up her faith.

St. Corona altarpiece, c. 1350 at Statens Museum for Kunst via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

In a time when preaching faith, hope, and love can seem foolish, St. Corona provides a model for clinging to Christ even when all seems lost. As the Coronavirus wreaks havoc and vexes us all, St. Corona gives us an opportunity to remember our faith and cling to hope, no matter the costs. 

The name corona, of course, merely means crown and so the name can feel like a coincidence. In this moment, however, while that “corona” anxiety races through our minds, we have a saintly woman named Corona who can help us to shoulder these burdens and provide relief when we need it most. 

St. Corona’s feast day, May 14th, is a mere few weeks away. During these weeks, as our movements are restricted and we spend more time in isolation and quarantine, let’s look to St. Corona to learn how to hold onto radical hope and request her intercession to heal the sick and protect us and our neighbors from the scourge of Coronavirus. 

Join us in asking St. Corona to storm heaven for miracles big and small. Use this prayer below to call graces down upon all those who are suffering or anxious at this time. If you are moved to get others around you to help in this prayer effort, I strongly suggest the St. Corona prayer cards from Sophia Institute Press, AVAILABLE HERE. Keep one in your wallet, another in your prayer book, and others at your local parishes, gas stations, and supermarkets. Give them out to your family and friends. The more people we can enlist to join us in this prayer, the better. The holy cards also offer others the great gift of hope, hope that we have the prayers of the saints and power of Christ behind us, and that this too shall pass. 

Prayer to St. Corona in a Time of Epidemic

Lord Jesus Christ, You came into this world for our salvation. Look kindly on us now, we pray, that we, and all those who serve You, might be kept safe from this epidemic. 

Heal those who are sick, comfort the suffering, bring back those who have gone astray, and above all, increase our faith, O Lord. 

Give us the grace to follow You and, like the martyr St. Corona, who gave her life for love of You, to take up our crosses daily without fear or hesitation. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us and on the whole world. 

St. Corona, patroness of epidemic victims, pray for us.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Biggirl

“ Is there not Hebrews a “mighty cloud of witnesses”? Who are they if they? They are the saints who are home with God.”

They are all listed in Hebrews 11, the “hall of Faith”.

Because of their testimony of believing God in hardship, we are encouraged to do the same.

Best

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“ That is what happens when you are in union with the one true God.

Chapter and verse?

“ Why would they be presenting the prayers to God? Because the faithful asked the saints to pray to God for them.”

No where does it say anyone prayed to a saint. That is an assumption you are making.

Best.

[cloudmountain]

Why are you going on the attack again? The prayer DOES FOCUS on Christ.

This person seems to me to be a quintessential anti-Catholic poster. If you are really lucky he might send you a monstrously long and boring post. If you have insomnia you can try to slog though his standard long, dull, boring, monotonous anti-Catholic dreariness.

His heart is most probably in the right place. Our good Lord is the only judge. He judged me.
Well, that's MY thought. THIS poster might even judge you. I held on to his posts for a while but finally let them go. They took up too much space on my computer.

W-a-i-t
f-o-r
i-t.

.

.

YAWN.....

[cloudmountain]

Is “Saint” Corona omniscient and can hear all the requests or is his voice mail piling up?

Only God is omniscient.
Didn't you know that?

[cloudmountain]

The word BIBLE isn't found anywhere in the Bible...so obviously SOMEONE got that word from somewhere.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

The word BIBLE isn't found anywhere in the Bible...so obviously SOMEONE got that word from somewhere.

That is irrelevant, since it was not written in english...

[cloudmountain]

The word BIBLE isn't found anywhere in the Bible...so obviously SOMEONE got that word from somewhere.
aMorePerfectUnion posted: That is irrelevant, since it was not written in english...

HAHAHA!!
What on EARTH does that have anything to do with it?
Jesus didn't speak English either. Does that make HIS words IRRELEVANT?

Thanks for that. :o):o)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

HAHAHA!! What on EARTH does that have anything to do with it? Jesus didn't speak English either. Does that make HIS words IRRELEVANT?

I'm so glad you are entertained!

And I really liked the caps and colored letters! Nice.

Greek & Hebrew do not use english words.

You will not find the word "Bible" in the inspired manuscripts.

Nor does that matter.

It is simply a specious argument on your part.

Simple as that.

[cloudmountain]

I'm so glad you are entertained! And I really liked the caps and colored letters! Nice. Greek & Hebrew do not use english words. You will not find the word "Bible" in the inspired manuscripts. Nor does that matter. It is simply a specious argument on your part. Simple as that.

I'm SO glad that you agree with me.
Lol. I'm glad that it doesn't matter to you. [/s]

MΗ ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΜΕ ΕΣΑΣ
שהשלום יהיה עימך

Pax tibi!

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Genuine Corinthian Leather isn’t in Scripture either.

Nor should it be.

Using the word “bible” is simply how we refer to the collection of Scriptures - not as the basis of any doctrine.

It is the Scriptures that are inspired and form the basis of the Christian faith.

Praying to saints is never found in the inspired Scriptures.

Not once.

[Texas_Guy]

And where does it say in Bible that EVERYTHING must be found in it? In fact the Bible itself says it doesn’t contain all of what Jesus did in John 21:25.

That is why faith comes through hearing, not reading. You have to be taught, and not everything is in the Bible.

Here is a link to help explain:

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/a-quick-ten-step-refutation-of-sola-scriptura

[Salvation]

excellent!

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“ And where does it say in Bible that EVERYTHING must be found in it? In fact the Bible itself says it doesn’t contain all of what Jesus did in John 21:25.”

Scripture says it contains everything needed for salvation and assurance of salvation, and for Christian maturity.

It has the highest authority and judges all lessor authorities. Christ relied on Scripture alone to answer Satans temptations.

“That is why faith comes through hearing, not reading. You have to be taught, and not everything is in the Bible.”

You’d best quote it all.. Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.

“But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.“

(Romans 10:16,17)

Best

[Salvation]

Scripture also states that not everything is found in the Bible.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Scripture says not everything Christ said or did is in Scripture.

... and we do not have a record of those things, because the Holy Spirit did not inspire and move men to write Scripture that contains them.

What we do have is God’s sovereign choice of what He gave us to know.

It has everything we need for salvation.

And I do hope you will be saved, salvation

[Dajjal]

Sancta Corona, ora pro nobis!

[mumblypeg]

Romans 14:9 tells us Jesus Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead.

Put it this way—

Have you ever asked a friend, a fellow churchgoer, or total stranger to “pray for” you or someone you feel is in need of prayers?
Then stop!

The difference between everyday people you ask to pray for you, and the saints, is that they haven’t yet died and gone to Heaven. So if you think asking for the prayers of saints in Heaven— actual humans who once lived for Christ among us, and now look upon the face of Christ Himself— is so awful, then asking for the prayers of the living who are still among us, breathing & farting & gossiping is surely a mortal sin that will cast you into the fire!
So, by all means, stop!
Do I need a /sarc tag?

While we’re at it, get rid of all your framed family photos, photo albums, Facebook, TV and computers, monuments of military heroes and statues of patrons of the arts...
Anything that serves as a reminder of persons, living or dead. Stop praying for our President or hanging portraits of past presidents.
Graven images. Idolatry. All of it.
But wait. Those things are just part of life that don’t bother you?
It’s only the paintings & statuary that remind you of saints who LIVED exemplary lives of holiness & DIED (often horrifically martyred) in Christ — - which send you into paroxysms of rage?
Oh dear.
We’ll pray for you.

[ealgeone]

Have you ever asked a friend, a fellow churchgoer, or total stranger to “pray for” you or someone you feel is in need of prayers? Then stop!

All the admonitions to pray for each other in the NT are directed to people still alive on earth. That is the Biblical position. We pray for other believers here on earth.

*****

The difference between everyday people you ask to pray for you, and the saints, is that they haven’t yet died and gone to Heaven. So if you think asking for the prayers of saints in Heaven— actual humans who once lived for Christ among us, and now look upon the face of Christ Himself— is so awful, then asking for the prayers of the living who are still among us, breathing & farting & gossiping is surely a mortal sin that will cast you into the fire! So, by all means, stop!

The Roman Catholic makes the error in presuming proximity to Christ means those prayers are in some way more valuable than the prayers of those of us still here on earth.

That's not a biblical position and in fact denies the biblical position.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NASB

in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:12 NASB

For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:18 NASB

4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NASB

13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:13-15 NASB

*****

While we’re at it, get rid of all your framed family photos, photo albums, Facebook, TV and computers, monuments of military heroes and statues of patrons of the arts... Anything that serves as a reminder of persons, living or dead. Stop praying for our President or hanging portraits of past presidents.

Ah yes, the catholic answers apologetic...weak as it is.

Here's the difference between NT Christianity and Roman Catholicism....and it is significant.

I am not praying TO the picture of mom and dad, I don't burn incense before those pictures, I don't kneel before those pictures, I do not attribute special powers to those pictures or the people they represent and I am not relying upon those pictures or the people represented in those pictures for anything as they are now deceased and no longer on this planet.

[ealgeone]

Scripture also states that not everything is found in the Bible.

No one has ever made that claim.

But this is the error of Roman Catholicism....Rome has taken that verse completely out of context to justify its non-Biblical and contradictory beliefs.

But John tells us not everything was written down about Christ....but he also tells us why we do have what is written.

30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31 NASB

There is a difference.

[ealgeone]

In better context.

1First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

2for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NASB

*****

IF one understands this letter one will see the requests for prayers are for people here on earth.

We also see the primary aim of these prayers which is to bring all to a saving knowledge of the truth, which is faith in Christ.

We also see the clear teaching there is one mediator between God and man and that is Christ. This is a clear repudiation of the false Roman Catholic claim elevating Mary to the position of Mediatrix.