St. Peregrine Prayer
St. Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients and those suffering from serious illness. He is known as the Wonder Worker for the miraculous healing he received — and his prayer is one of the most sought-after Catholic prayers for those facing a cancer diagnosis.
About St. Peregrine
St. Peregrine Laziosi (1260–1345) was an Italian member of the Servite Order in Forlì, Italy. As a young man he was politically active and anti-papal — he once struck the papal representative Philip Benizi. Philip Benizi responded with such unexpected kindness and patience that Peregrine was converted. He joined the Servites and spent decades in prayer and penance, standing for long periods in prayer as a form of mortification.
In his later years he developed cancer of the leg. The night before his scheduled amputation, he had a vision of Christ descending from a crucifix and touching his diseased leg. When the doctor arrived in the morning, the cancer was gone. Peregrine lived to age 85. He was canonized in 1726 and his body remains incorrupt at the Servite shrine in Forlì.
When to Pray to St. Peregrine
Catholics pray to St. Peregrine at every stage of a cancer journey — at diagnosis, during treatment, during waiting periods, and for those in remission. He is also invoked for all serious illnesses including AIDS and other chronic conditions.
Saint Peregrine, servant of God,
you carried cancer in your own flesh
and placed it at the foot of the cross.
You were healed when no healing seemed possible.
Intercede for all who face this illness —
for those awaiting results, for those in treatment,
for those exhausted by its length and its cost.
Ask for healing where healing is possible.
And where it is not,
ask for the courage you were given:
to endure what comes with faith still intact.
Saint Peregrine, pray for us. Amen.
Original composition by Rosarycard.net. Biographical information sourced from Butler's Lives of the Saints.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is St. Peregrine?
- St. Peregrine Laziosi (1260–1345) was an Italian Servite friar who developed cancer of the leg and was scheduled for amputation. The night before the operation he had a vision of Christ healing him. The doctor found no trace of cancer. He is the patron saint of cancer patients and those with serious illness.
- Why is St. Peregrine the patron saint of cancer?
- St. Peregrine experienced cancer personally and was miraculously healed through a vision of Christ descending from a crucifix. His own experience of living with cancer, facing amputation, and receiving miraculous healing makes him a natural patron for cancer patients and those with serious illness.
- When is St. Peregrine's feast day?
- St. Peregrine's feast day is May 4.
- Is there a St. Peregrine Prayer in Spanish?
- Yes. The Spanish form begins San Peregrino, siervo de Dios... Use the EN/ES toggle on this page to switch between English and Spanish.
- Is St. Peregrine's body really incorrupt?
- Yes. St. Peregrine's body is preserved incorrupt at the Servite shrine in Forlì, Italy, where he lived and died. He was canonized in 1726. His shrine remains an active pilgrimage site for cancer patients and their families.
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