St.Expedite---The Saint of Expeditious Solutions

Feast Day: April 19

Patron: He is the patron of emergencies, expeditious solutions.

When there is need of haste, petitioning Saint Expeditus is likely to meet with prompt settlement. According to the historical documentation, he lived in the fourth century. He was a Roman soldier. This is why most images of Expedite show him dressed in clothes like a soldier. As a soldier he learned about Christianity. He decided he wanted to convert to Christianity and devote his life to this new faith. Moreover, as soon as he had made that decision the devil appeared before him in the form of a crow. The devil demanded that he delay his decision to join the Christian faith until the next day. Thus, Saint Expedite refused and firmly stated he would become, that same day, a Christian. This explains why images show Saint Expedite stepping on a crow. This means that Saint Expedite is killing procrastination.

Story about the origin of Saint Expedite Devotion

There is a story which pretends to explain the origin of this "devotion" by an incident of modern date. A packing case, we are told, containing a body of a saint from the catacombs, was sent to a community of nuns in Paris. The date of its dispatch was indicated by the use of the word "spedito", but the recipients mistook this for the name of the martyr and set to work with great energy to propagate his cult. From these simple beginnings, a devotion to St. Expeditus spread rapidly through many Catholic countries. Moreover, it is important to mention that  the recognition of St. Expeditus as the patron of dispatch depends beyond doubt upon a play upon words, the particular story about the Paris nuns falls to pieces, because as far back as 1781 this supposed martyr, St. Expeditus, was chosen patron of the town of Acireale in Sicily. Thus, because some pictures of him were in existence in Germany in the eighteenth century which plainly depicted him as a saint to be invoked against procrastination.

Prayer to Saint Expedite

For Desperate Causes

Pray to Saint Expedite. My Saint Expedite of urgent and just causes, please intercede for me with Our Lord Jesus Christ. Succor me in this hour of affliction and despair, my Saint Expedite. You who are a Holy warrior, You who are the Saint of the afflicted, You who are the Saint of the desperate, you who are the Saint of urgent causes, Protect me, Help me, Give me Strength, Courage and Serenity.

Hear my plea. ____________ (Clearly express what you want, and ask him to find a way to get it to you.)

My Saint Expedite, help me to prevail through these difficult hours, protect me from all those who want to harm me, respond to my plea with urgency. Bring me back to the state of peace and tranquillity, my Saint Expedite. I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life and I will speak your name to all those who have faith.(Now promise to give Saint Expedite a specific offering when your desire is granted.)Amen. (Say one Our Father, one Holy Mary, and make the sign of the cross.)

(Be sure to provide the offering you promised when Saint Expedite grants your petition)

Source: www.catholic.org