The Martyrdom Prayer of St. Polycarp of Smyrna (155 AD)
📜 Historical & Biblical Origin: Recorded in The Martyrdom of Polycarp (155 AD). St. Polycarp, disciple of St. John the Evangelist and bishop of Smyrna, offered this prayer as he was tied to the pyre for refusing to curse Christ.
🕯️ Instructions & Posture: Look up toward Heaven with folded hands. Pray this during moments of intense testing, persecution, illness, or when facing the twilight of mortal life.
Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, God of angels and powers and of the whole creation:
I bless Thee that Thou hast thought me worthy of this day and this hour, to take part in the number of Thy martyrs, in the cup of Thy Christ, unto the resurrection to eternal life, both of soul and body, in the incorruption of the Holy Spirit.
Among whom may I be accepted this day before Thee as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, just as Thou hast prepared and revealed beforehand, and now hast fulfilled, O true God in whom there is no falsehood.
For this cause, yea and for all things, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, through whom to Thee with Him and the Holy Spirit be glory both now and for the ages to come. Amen.
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Answered Graces from Fellow Believers
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I recited this novena every day before my surgery and lit a 7-day vigil candle. The peace that entered my heart the night before was inexplicable. Two days later, my oncologist called to say the biopsy came back completely benign. Glory to God!
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My eldest son had not spoken to our family for over 4 years. We offered a Holy Mass intention for him on his birthday and united in prayer on this wall. Two weeks later, he knocked on our front door asking for forgiveness. God never abandons a praying mother.
"Breakthrough After 6 Months of Unemployment"
Facing foreclosure, I turned to this prayer every morning at dawn. When my savings were down to their last week, a company I had interviewed with two months prior called out of nowhere offering a higher salary with full benefits. Keep the faith!
"Sudden Deliverance from Crippling 3 AM Panic"
I woke up gasping with chest-tightening anxiety and dread. I opened MyPrayerTower and read this prayer out loud. By the time I whispered the final Amen, a tangible warmth washed over my chest. I fell asleep in total peace. Jesus is real.
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