Monday, May 12, 2014

A prayer to St. Ephraim of Nea Makri for those suffering from drug or alcohol addition (or other needs)

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
St. Ephraim of Nea Makri, the Newly-revealed Hieromartyr and Wonderworker of Christ - May 5 / January 3 (source)
   
(from the proskenetarion of the saint at The Canadian Orthodox Monastery of All Saints of North America)
O Holy Martyr Ephraim, look with compassion upon my distress and, as thou didst deliver the young man from his cruel addiction, so also pray for me that our Lord and Saviour, for Whom thou didst witness unto death, may deliver my soul from captivity to Satan. For I am in cruel bondage and suffering because of my weakness and sinfulness. Beseech our merciful Lord that, as He didst lead the Hebrews forth from slavery in Egypt and called His people out of Babylon, as He delivered the youth from the demon, and freed the daughter of the Canaanite woman, and healed the woman taken in adultery and restored the Samaritan woman, that He may also set me free and deliver me from the demon of addiction***. I confess that I have fallen into this evil through my own slothfulness and weakness, but have mercy and pray for me, 0 saint and martyr of God.
   
St. Ephraim of Nea Makri, the Newly-revealed Hieromartyr and Wonderworker of Christ (source)
   
A short prayer to be said continually by one who is struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol***:
O Lord, Jesus Christ, through the prayers of Thy Holy Martyr Ephraim, have mercy on me and deliver me from this cruel bondage.
   
***Note: that this could potentially be changed based on whatever one's specific need might be, e.g. depression, disease, passion, etc.
   
St. Ephraim of Nea Makri, the Great Martyr and Wonderworker (source)
   
Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!
Truly the Lord is risen!

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