When illness strikes — our own body or that of a loved one — prayer for healing and health is what remains available to anyone, at any time. The Orthodox Church has an entire order for this: from a short petition said inwardly at the sick person's bedside to Holy Unction, the sacrament of healing.
A prayer for healing the sick (main text)
Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour,
the good Physician of our souls and bodies,
Who healed those possessed, those afflicted with fever
and those weakened by illness,
stretch out Your healing hand
also over Your servant (name).Strike the illness with Your power,
soothe the pain with Your mercy,
strengthen the weary body
and enlighten the mind darkened by suffering.Give physicians wisdom, caregivers patience
and the family peace.
And if Your will is otherwise,
give us strength to receive it with faith. Amen.
A short prayer for the sick
Lord, have mercy on Your servant (name) and heal him!
It is repeated 40 times — or said slowly, with a hand on the sick person's shoulder or feet.
Prayer before surgery
Lord, into Your hands I entrust my life.
Bless the hands of the surgeons,
of the doctors, nurses and all who care for me.
Be with me in sleep and on awakening.
For the rest of my life, may Your will be done. Amen.
The Church's order for health
- Holy Unction — the sacrament of Holy Oil, celebrated by several priests with blessed oil; readings from the Epistle and the Gospel for the sick (James 5:14–15);
- Prayers to St Nectarios — the most sought-after healing saint: the complete texts here;
- The 40-day prayer rule: 40 Our Fathers + 40 Hail Marys + the prayer for the sick person, for 40 consecutive days;
- Commemorations at the Divine Liturgy — with the name of the sick person (living);
- Almsgiving in the sick person's name — «water and mercy» go together in the Church's tradition.
Prayer does not replace the doctor — it blesses the doctor
Orthodoxy never sets faith against medicine. «Glory to God for doctors too», the elders used to say. Prayer works where medicines do not reach: in fear, sleep, patience and hope. And hope, doctors also say, is part of healing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pray for the healing of someone who does not believe? Yes — and it is one of the most beautiful forms of prayer. God does not require the sick person's consent in order to act, although He receives it with joy.
How long should one pray for a sick person? Until the end — whether healed or departed. In the second case, prayer becomes commemoration: the dead also share in their own «health».
Read also
The psalms for the sick
The psalms read at the sick person's bedside: Psalm 6, Psalm 87 and Psalm 102. The complete text: The Psalter — the complete list.
