Praying to Saints: The 13 Blessed Souls

By random chance, I came across two different versions of this folk prayer. I decided to share them both on the same page. My assumption—which may incorrect—is that both versions originated in a non-English speaking culture. I have three reasons for this assumption:

1. First is the mention of Saint Cyprian of Antioch. It seems that the magical books attributed to him are found primarily in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, rather than English.

2. Second is the use of the number thirteen in this prayer. The number thirteen is deemed unlucky in the USA and in Great Britian. Thirteen is not deemed an ominous number in countries that speak the Romance languages. For example, the number seventeen in Italy is the unlucky number, not thirteen.
3. In this first version of this prayer, there is mention of "follow the evil eyes of my enemies", which sounds like a referrence to the Italian malocchio, aka "evil eye" or "malevolent glance".

Supposedly, there was an old story which recounted that it was decreed that every seven years there would be 13 Christian souls who died unexpectedly in various disasters, and thus were unconfessed of their sins. These 13 souls are not deemed good enough for heaven, nor bad enough to be condemned to hell, and nor do they have the minimum sins to enter purgatory.

Thus, the fate of these 13 souls is to traverse the earth seeking to help people solve their problems. Supposedly, this legend has been recorded in the one of the books of San Cipriano di Antiochia (Saint Cyprian).  

Thus, San Cipriano (Saint Cyprian) supposedly received from heaven the following prayer which any human being may pray with the intention of asking for aid from these 13 souls. Whether this first version of this folk prayer exists in any of the writings attributed to San Cipriano, I do not know as I have not read any of those books in English.

This first prayer and the accompanying legend about the 13 blessed souls are clearly folklore wandering around the web. I have no idea how old is this folk prayer.

The prayer is as follows:

I. THE 13 BLESSED SOULS (folk prayer)

[Make the sign of the cross]

I ask three times:

Oh, my 13 Blessed Souls, known and understood as Christians who love God, please grant my request. Pray for me.

My 13 Blessed Souls, known and understood, I ask you, by the blood that Jesus shed, grant my request (state request).
Pray for me.

By drops of sweat that Jesus shed from his Sacred Body, I ask you, to grant my request.
Pray for me.

My Lord Jesus Christ, your protection cover me, your arms keep me in your heart, and protect me with your eyes.  

Oh! God of Goodness, you are my attorney in life and in death, I ask you to hearken to my requests, deliver me from evil, and give me luck in life.  

Follow the evil eyes of my enemies, that they do not see me. Cut the forces of my enemies, hewing them like wood.

My 13 Blessed Souls, known and understood, if I do achieve this grace (state petition, as you are requesting a grace or blessing), I will be devoted to praying for you, and I will send a monk scribe writing a prayer.

Besides this prayer, I will also have a Mass said in your memory.

Note: After reciting this prayer, the petitioner shall pray 13 Our Father's, and 13 Hail Mary's, and make the Sign of the Cross 13 times. (Doing so means that you will have recited 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, and made 1 Sign of the Cross for each one of the 13 souls.)

Pray these 13 Our Father's and 13 Hail Mary's for Thirteen consecutive days.

A faithful Christian no longer requests one of the monks to handwrite this prayer in exchange for a donation to the Holy Church. Yet, a Christian may print out this prayer and leave it in a church, or pay to put it in the religious section of the local newspaper— or possibly simply pay to put the phrase “PRAYERS OF 13 BLESSED SOULS” in the local newspaper religious section.

II. Novena to the Thirteen Blessed Souls (folk prayer)

Another—probably more orthodox legend about the Novena to the Thirteen Blessed Souls—is the Thirteen Blessed Souls are actually the Lord Jesus Christ and his twelve disciples.

This Novena is said to be one of the most powerful novenas in the world, especially for those seeking employment. It should be prayed for thirteen days. (Yes, technically, a novena is supposed to be a “nine day prayer”, but I will have to seek out the correct name for a “thirteen day prayer”.)

Supposedly, this same prayer could alternatively be prayed for thirteen hours straight, if the need is very great.

Novena to the Thirteen Blessed Souls (Our Lord, Jesus, and his Twelve Apostles)

Oh my thirteen Blessed Souls so wise and understanding, I ask you for the Love of God that my request be answered. Of you, I ask for the sake of the blood that Jesus and the blood shed by those martyrs in his name, that my request be answered.

My Lord Jesus Christ, I ask that your arms wrap me with your protection. I ask you watch over me, and guard me with your eyes.

O God of kindness, you have been my defender in life and death. I ask that you free me from the difficulties that torment me. My Blessed Thirteen Souls, so wise and understanding, having received the grace I seek from you (state request) I will be devoted to you. Amen.

Saint Peter, pray for me.+
Saint John, pray for me.+
Saint Andres, pray for me.+
Saint Philip, pray for me.+
Saint Bartholomew, pray for me.+
Saint Thomas, pray for me.+
Saint Matthew, pray for me.+
Saint James, son of Alphaeus, pray for me.+
Saint James, son of Zebedee, pray for me.+
Saint Jude Thaddaeus, pray for me.+
Saint Simon the Zealot, pray for me.+
Saint Andrew, pray for me.+
Saint Matthias , pray for me.+
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior, pray for me.+
Amen.

Say Thirteen Our Father's and Thirteen Hail Mary's for Thirteen consecutive days.

Share knowledge of this prayer with others. Give a Mass of Thanksgiving.

Thirteen Blessed Souls: The Lord Jesus Christ and His Twelve Apostles.

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