Prayer to Saint Lorenzo Ruiz

Prayer to Saint Lorenzo Ruiz

O most merciful and almighty God, You bestowed as a gift to Lorenzo Ruiz the strength to withstand the overpowering forces of death for the sake of his faith in You. Through his prayers, help us to follow his example by overcoming all life’s trials and increasing our hope and love in You.

O Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, you honored your homeland by your steadfast faith and your life as a witness to Christ. We present our petitions to God through your intercession, so that by our actions we may know more and love more Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We humbly implore your intercession, for the glory of God and in honor of your triumph as a martyr of Christ and defender of Christianity.

Amen. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.

O most merciful and almighty God, You bestowed as gift to Lorenzo Ruiz the strength to withstand the overpowering forces of death for the sake of his faith in You. Through his prayers, help us to follow his example by overcoming all life’s trials and eventually, increase our hope and love in You.

O St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you brought honor to your country, having been a level-headed and prudent father of the family, a witness of Christ in your life until your death. We present all our petitions to God through your help so that by our actions, we may know more and love more Jesus our Lord and Savior. We humbly implore your intercession O dear St. Lorenzo, for the infinite glory of God and in honor of your triumph as a martyr of Christ and defender of Christianity. Amen

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, a martyr from the Philippines, lived from 1594 to 1637. He was born in Manila to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, both of whom were Christians and ensured he received a strong religious education. He served as an altar boy and was educated by the Dominicans, later joining the Dominican Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. Lorenzo married Rosario, a native Filipino woman, and they had three children, leading a holy, ordinary life.

In 1636, Lorenzo was falsely accused of killing a Spaniard and fled on a ship bound for Japan to escape arrest. At that time, the Japanese government was persecuting Christians, and upon his arrival in Okinawa, Lorenzo was arrested for his faith. He was imprisoned for two years for refusing to renounce his Christian beliefs. In 1637, he and his companions were taken to Nagasaki, where they were given the choice to renounce their faith or face torture and death.

Lorenzo and his companions endured severe torture, including tsurushi or "gallows and pit," where victims were hung upside down. Despite the suffering, Lorenzo steadfastly refused to renounce his faith, famously stating, "I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God. Had I a thousand lives, all these to Him I shall offer. Do with me as you please." He died from blood loss and suffocation after two days of torture.

St. Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified in 1981 by Pope St. John Paul II in the Philippines, marking the first beatification ceremony held outside the Vatican. His feast day is celebrated on September 28th. He is recognized as the patron saint of the Philippines and Filipino people, as well as the patron saint of separated families. Many prayers and novenas seek his intercession for various intentions, including family unity, healing, and perseverance in faith.

OTHER PRAYER: "O Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, our first Filipino Saint! We venerate you and thank God for you. In the beatific vision which you now enjoy, you thank God for the country that gave you birth. Thank God for the faith that it gave you, your brothers and sisters, all of whom share their blood with you. We thank you for shedding that blood, offering it to God for yourself and for us, which made our country all the more pleasing to Him. O Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, in the same beatific vision, you see us as we are today: our faithful, saintly brothers and sisters, those of us who are ungrateful to God, our trials too, problems and difficulties, the millions of our poor and the scarce justice and charity of the rich towards them. Do pray for us, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz! Beg of God especially for more faith in our masses, for religious instruction in our schools, more loyal men in our government, more lay apostles, more for our own beloved country. Amen."