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St. Raymond Nonnatus

Feast 08-31 · Canonized 1657

Patron of

About

Raymond Nonnatus was born around 1204 in Portell, Catalonia. His surname, meaning "not born," comes from the tradition that he was delivered by caesarean section after his mother died in childbirth. He joined the Mercedarian order, founded to ransom Christians held captive by Muslim rulers, and succeeded St. Peter Nolasco as its head.

Raymond traveled to North Africa to ransom captives and, when his money ran out, offered himself as a hostage in exchange for the freedom of others. He endured imprisonment and torture, and legend says his lips were pierced with a padlock to keep him from preaching. He was eventually ransomed and returned to Spain, where he died in 1240.

Because of the manner of his birth, Raymond is invoked by expectant mothers, women in labor, and midwives.

expectant mothers, pregnancy, childbirth, expecting, pregnant, expecting a baby, moms to be, pregnant women, expecting mothers, expectant moms, prenatal, childbirth, labor, delivery, giving birth, birth, pregnant, contractions, birthing, labor and delivery, having a baby, child birth

Suggested prayer

O God, who delivered Raymond Nonnatus from his mother's womb and gave him the courage to offer himself as a hostage for captives, grant through his intercession that expectant mothers may be delivered safely and all who are silenced may speak again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sources

Other saints to pray to

For expectant mothers

For childbirth