To pray any time of day, and defeat temptation
Popular tradition holds that St. Anthony taught a prayer to a poor woman who
sought help against the temptations of the devil. The Franciscan Pope Sixtus V had the
prayer — also called “the motto of St. Anthony” — engraved into the base of the obelisk
erected in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
In the original Latin, the prayer says
Ecce Crucem Domini!
Fugite partes adversae!
Vicit Leo de tribu Juda,
Radix David! Alleluia!
And translated, it reads
Behold, the Cross of the Lord!
Begone, all evil powers!
The Lion of the tribe of Judah,
The Root of David, has conquered!
Alleluia, Alleluia!
This short prayer has the flavor of a small exorcism. We can use it too — both in Latin
and in English — to be able to overcome all the temptations we face.
Since Eden, the devil has been “prowling around like a roaring lion looking for
[someone] to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). His presence is real, but it should not frighten.
Satan’s power is limited and can be rebuked by those who call upon God’s intervention.
Father Gabriele Amorth, former chief exorcist of Rome, recommends in his book An
Exorcist Tells His Story several prayers to combat any form of evil that may be
oppressing an individual. He notes, however, that while these prayers are powerful, they
are always to be joined with the sacrament of Confession and the frequent reception of
Holy Communion.
It should also be stressed that the individual who prays these prayers should do so with
humility, recognizing the fact that God is the one who expels evil from our midst. We do
not have any power over Satan; only the Lord of Heaven and Earth possesses such
authority.
1. Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me;
Water from the side of Christ, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me; O good Jesus,
hear me; within Thy wounds, hide me; let me never be separated from Thee; from the
evil one, deliver me; at the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to Thee, that with
Thy saints, I may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.
2. Prayer Against Malefice from the Greek Ritual
Kyrie eleison. God, our Lord, King of ages, All-powerful and All-mighty, You Who made
everything and Who transform everything simply by Your will. You Who in Babylon
changed into dew the flames of the ‘seven-times hotter’ furnace and protected and saved
the three holy children. You are the doctor and the physician of our soul. You are the
salvation of those who turn to You. We beseech You to make powerless, banish, and
drive out every diabolic power, presence, and machination; every evil influence,
malefice, or evil eye and all evil actions aimed against Your servant [name of person/s].
Where there is envy and malice, give us an abundance of goodness, endurance, victory,
and charity. O Lord, You Who love man, we beg You to reach out Your powerful hands
and Your most high and mighty arms and send the angel of peace over us, to protect us,
body and soul. May he keep at bay and vanquish every evil power, every poison or
malice invoked against us by corrupt and envious people. Then, under the protection of
Your authority may we sing, in gratitude, ‘The Lord is my salvation; whom should I fear?
I will not fear evil because You are with me, my God, my strength, my powerful Lord,
Lord of peace, Father of all ages.”
Yes, Lord our God, be merciful to us, Your image, and save your servant [name of
person/s] from every threat or harm from the evil one, and protect him/her by raising
him/her above all evil. We ask You this through the intercession of our Most Blessed,
glorious Lady, Mary ever Virgin, Mother of God, of the most splendid archangels and all
Your saints. Amen!
3. Prayer for Deliverance
My Lord, you are all powerful, you are God, you are Father. We beg you through the
intercession and help of the archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, for the
deliverance of our brothers and sisters who are enslaved by the evil one. All saints of
Heaven, come to our aid.
From anxiety, sadness and obsessions, we beg You. Free us, O Lord. From hatred,
fornication, envy, we beg You, Free us, O Lord. From thoughts of jealousy, rage, and
death, we beg You, Free us, O Lord. From every thought of suicide and abortion, we beg
You, Free us, O Lord. From every form of sinful sexuality, we beg You, Free us, O Lord.
From every division in our family, and every harmful friendship, we beg You, Free us, O
Lord. From every sort of spell, malefic, witchcraft, and every form of the occult, we beg
You, Free us, O Lord.
Lord, You Who said, “I leave you peace, My peace I give you,” grant that, through the
intercession of the Virgin Mary, we may be liberated from every evil spell and enjoy your
peace always. In the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
