Prayer of Saint Casimir, Patron Saint of Lithuania, Poland and Russia

Prince Casimir chose a life of celibacy and asceticism. He died at the age of twenty-six from tuberculosis, on March 4, 1484. He was buried in the cathedral at Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania). When in 1604 his tomb was opened for translation to the church that Sigismund III built in his name, his body was found to be fresh and whole. He was holding this prayer to the Virgin in his hands: Every day, O my soul, pay your respects to Mary, Make her feasts solemn and celebrate her brilliant virtues; Contemplate and admire her elevation; Proclaim her blessedness both as Mother and Virgin; Honor her so that she delivers you from the weight of your sins; Invoke her so as not to be driven by the torrent of passion; I do know if anybody can honor Our Lady worthily Yet he who keeps silent in her praises is senseless; Everyone should exalt and love her in a special way, And never cease to cherish and pray to her; O Mary, the honor and glory of all women, You who God has raised above all creatures; O Virgin of Mercy, hear the prayers of those who never stop praising you; Purify those who are guilty and make them worthy of heaven; Hail, O holy Virgin, through whom the gates of heaven were opened to undeserving souls You, who, the old serpent's snares never managed to seduce; You repair and console despairing souls Preserve us from the evils that will fall on the wicked; Obtain perpetual peace for me, And save me from the misfortune of the flames of Gehenna; Obtain for me to be chaste and modest, gentle, kind, sober, pious, prudent, upright and the enemy of all falsehood; Grant me meekness, love of harmony and purity; Make me strong and constant on the path of righteousness.