A Prayer for Cancer Patients

Icon of the Theotokos "Pantanassa" ("Queen of All"), also known as "The Healer of Cancer" (source)

  

An Orthodox Prayer for Cancer Patients,

from the Cell of Elder Gabriel the Athonite,

Approved by the Orthodox Church of Greece
  

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who rules over the spirits of affliction and health for those who call upon You with fervor of heart, and who with faith in You have emptied themselves, hearken to us sinners, along with those afflicted with the dangerous illness of cancer, and who have been seized from among us, and who persist in longstanding and painful illness, our fathers, brethren and children, full of deep sorrows and pains, and who, unable to flee from their death, entreat everyone [to pray for them]. O Lord, through Your illumining and sanctifying Spirit, guide in medical science those who are seeking to discover and use the good medicine and revealing therapy. Grant strength to those who are suffering, and patience and relief from their pains, bestowing on them every healing of soul and body, through the intercessions of our Most-blessed Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, the Life-giving Spring, whose waters in the queen of cities [Constantinople] healed the passion of cancer, of our Father among the Saints Parthenios, Bishop of Lampsakos, of the holy, glorious and wonderworking Unmercenaries, of the holy, glorious Great Martyr Panteleimon, [of St. Nektarios of Pentapolis, or other Saints desired to be commemorated, etc.] and of all Your Saints. Amen.
(source)
  

St. Parthenios of Lampsakos, among the Saints whose prayers especially help cancer patients (source)

   

Picture documenting "Great Helpers Against Cancer", or wonderworking Saints whose prayers especially help those suffering from this affliction, including: The Most-Holy Theotokos Pantanassa ("The Healer of Cancer"), Sts. Nektarios of Aegina, Ephraim of Nea Makri, Parthenios of Lampsakos, Patapios of Thebes, John Maximovitch, Anastasia of Rome and John the Russian (source)

   

Icon depicting the Holy Hierarchs and Wonderworkers: Sts. Luke of Simferopol, Nektarios of Pentapolis, and John of San Francisco (source)

   

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Ephraim healing a woman with lung cancer

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. Ephraim of Neak Makri healing the sick (source)

  

As was related by S. K., an inhabitant of Kalamata in 2008:
"I was feeling like I had a cold, but I didn't go to the doctor.

Because my situation became dangerous, however, instead of getting better, I decided ultimately to go. When I went, I had great shortness of breath, and he decided to do a CAT scan of the lungs. When he read it, he said that there was a serious problem, and from that instant began the drama.

He sent it to the hospital "Sotiria", where they did bronchoscopy and because they diagnosed advanced lung cancer, they immediately began chemotherapy, because they only gave me 20 days to live. We were going crazy at that time, but due to good chance, my husband took me immediately to the Monastery of St. Ephraim in Nea Makri, where we venerated with faith and reverence the saint's holy body, and entreated Panagia and the Saint to make me well, because I also had a disabled daughter who needed me.

That evening, we returned to our home, and the next morning I had terrible shortness of breath and unbearable pain in my chest which reached my side. I want to the bathroom, without waking my husband, and I was leaning on the toilet because I was hurting so much. My eyes fell on the holy water from the Monastery of St. Ephraim. With difficulty I did my cross and drank some. Immediately, I began to groan and cough and out from my mouth came something like liver with blood around it. Immediately my shortness of breath and pain disappeared and I breathed with relief. I thought with joy that the grace of the Saint removed the cancer, and again drank the holy water and did my cross. When I did another CAT scan, my doctor confirmed that, O the wonder! the cancer had indeed disappeared.

From then on, I do the occasional tests which my doctors order and they all come back clean. Because of this, I glorify Panagia and St. Ephraim, who so speedily granted me my health.

Out of thanksgiving, my husband built a small chapel to St. Ephraim in N. Messenias.

O Saint of God Ephraim, we entreat you to intercede on behalf of all those who call upon your help. Amen!
(source)
  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

St. Porphyrios on Cancer

The wondrous icon of Panagia Pantanassa from Vatopedi Monastery, Mount Athos. Many cancer patients have been healed through this icon (source)

 

“Do you know that cancer* is the greatest sickness? Because with the other sicknesses, you don't take the issue seriously, because you hope that you will get better and usually you don't change. With cancer, however, you say 'Here it was, it's over, the lie is finished, now I'm leaving.' Men can't help you, and you find yourself alone before God. Only hope in God remains, and you cling to this hope and are saved.”

-St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

   

(amateur translation of text from source)

*St. Porphyrios of course is referring to serious forms of cancer (though this also could apply to other serious and incurable diseases). He of course is not saying that miracles don't happen, nor that we should not seek medical treatment and that some people improve and survive. He is saying that our disease is a blessing when it brings us humility and makes us to hope in God.

   

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!