A Miracle of St Cajetan during the great plague of 1656

St Cajetan curing plague victims, 17th century print

This miracle obtained through the intercession of St Cajetan, was reported and sworn to in written testimony by the governor of the biggest hospital in Naples, Don Filippo di Dura, at the time of the great plague there in 1656.

"In the months of June and July we had more than 7,000 sick in the hospital with many more arriving at all hours. During these months the daily mortality rate was between 600-700 people and deprived of all aid in the midst of such a pestilence, we turned to God and Beato Gaetano (he was yet to be canonised) as our only hope of help, and as his feast grew nearer the mortality rates started dropping sharply.

In the morning of the 7th of August, we celebrated the feast of Beato Gaetano with a Mass accompanied by music and a general confession and communion and on that day not one death was reported whereas before many hundreds had perished daily. After this the plague receded and the city was soon liberated from its terrible grip."

The same miracle was reported from the Loreto hospital in Naples where similarly not one person died from plague on the feast of St Cajetan, and the whole area was soon after free of contagion.

Love one another as I have loved you

"St Cajetan holding the Child Jesus"

acrylic on panel 2012

On Monday the second largest annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Sameiro took place, presided over by the Auxiliary Bishop of Braga, Dom Manuel Linda, who confirmed in his homily to the thousands of people attending, that the church considers it "a sin which cries to Heaven" that companies and people take advantage of the financial crisis "to unnecessarily leave salaries low and not raise them in line with inflation and living costs, without having good reason for doing so". 

The financial crisis which is causing so much pain to so many ordinary people is being used by those who caused it, to rise to ever new heights of greed and corruption. Let us pray that their short sighted thirst for ever more profit, is countered by those who will be spurred on to work for the common good inspired by Our Lord's command to "Love one another as I have loved you".

Our Lady of Sameiro

An 18th century Italian print of the death of St Cajetan

The Holy Death Of St Cajetan

The authorities at Naples, civil as well as ecclesiastical, had resolved to institute the Inquisition in the city, to guard the faithful more thoroughly against heresy. The people were, however, opposed to it to such an extent, that a revolt was feared, and neither the exhortations and persuasions of St. Cajetan nor of other men were of any avail. The holy man was deeply distressed at the danger posed to so great a city and still more to so many souls. Hence he offered his life as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of the Almighty, praying that God would accept of it, restore peace, and spare the city and its inhabitants. The following event will show how pleased the Almighty was with this sacrifice. Soon after the Saint had offered himself to Heaven, he became dangerously sick, and repeating his offer, died a most peaceful and holy death, having had the privilege of seeing Christ and the Blessed Virgin. The Saviour assured him of his salvation, the Divine Mother of her protection until his death. And yet he would not die in any other manner than as a penitent; for when the physician said he needed a more comfortable bed, he protested most emphatically against it, saying that he would not, in his last hour, allow his body any comfort, but that he would be laid in his penitential robes upon ashes on the ground, adding: "There is no road leading to Heaven but that of innocence or repentance. He who has departed from the first, must take the second; else he is eternally lost." 

He received the last Sacraments with great devotion, turned his eyes towards Heaven, and rendered up his soul tranquilly to God, in the year of our Lord 1547. The strife in the city soon after ceased and peace was restored, as if God had wished to show that He had accepted the life of St. Cajetan as a peace offering for the salvation of innumerable souls. 

Procesion de San Cayetano/St Cajetan Procession

A procession yesterday in honour of St Cajetan which took place in the city of Cordoba, Argentina.

Many such events took place all over Argentina as massive crowds of the faithful gathered to honour the  country's most popular saint.

The faithful queue for many hours in order to be close to St Cajetan on his day

The much venerated and miracle working statue of St Cajetan in the Sanctuary of Liniers, Buenos Aires

A procession in honour of St Cajetan, Southern Italy

An early 20th century photo of the annual procession in honour of St Cajetan, Madrid, Spain

Titular statue of St Cajetan from Hamrun, Malta

The famous statue of the vision of St Cajetan which is carried in procession on his feastday in Hamrun, Malta.
The sculpture is the work of the Maltese sculptor, Charles Darmanin and was completed in 1885

VIVA SAN CAYETANO/HAIL TO YOU GLORIOUS ST CAJETAN!

A 19th century print of St Cajetan from Valencia, Spain

A 17th century Italian print of the death of St Cajetan,
from an account of his life and miracles

A Neapolitan Monument to St Cajetan

The famous Neapolitan statue of St Cajetan which stands
in the square named after him (Piazza S Gaetano), in front of
the church of S Paulo Maggiore where his body rests.

Close up of the statue of St Cajetan

This famous Neapolitan monument to St Cajetan was built in the 1660s, and was commissioned by the Theatine Fathers of the church of S. Paulo Maggiore in front of which it stands, as a thanksgiving offering for St Cajetan's intercession during a terrible outbreak of plague in Naples which occured in 1656, and from which the city was miraculously delivered.

Ninth Day of the Novena in honour of St Cajetan, Patron Saint of the unemployed and job seekers

The Vision of St Cajetan

Daily Preparatory Prayer

Omnipotent and Eternal God, who crowned St Cajetan with abundant heavenly favours because of his trust and dependence on your Divine Providence and rejection of worldly things; graciously grant that we who beseech the help of your Providence may be helped in our necessities through his holy intercession.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Ninth Day


O Glorious St Cajetan, whose perfect chastity made you worthy to receive the Child Jesus from the arms of the Blessed Virgin and after death caused your body exuded a celestial perfume; grant that we may reject sin and temptation remembering that we are temples of the Holy Spirit and that we are made in the image of God. Amen

conclude with the final prayers

(Pray Three Our Fathers in honour of the Most Holy Trinity)

Concluding Daily Prayers

A Prayer Composed By St Cajetan

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, from Thy dwelling in heaven on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our transgressions. Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the cross. Give ear, O Lord. Be appeased, O Lord. Hearken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God; for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.

Most Holy Lord, protector of those who trust in you and without whom nothing good or holy exists; copiously shed your mercy upon us that following St Cajetan's example, we may use our worldly possessions in such a way that we do not lose sight of the eternal things of Heaven.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!

S Gaetano, Tutto Provvidenza

O glorioso San Gaetano,

Voi che pensando ai peccati del mondo,

ne provaste tanto dolore sino a morirne,

deh! impetratemi dal Signore il dolore delle mie colpe

e la grazia di non ricadervi mai più.

E poichè voi siete chiamato il Santo della Provvidenza,

il tesoriere delle grazie, il consolatore di ogni afflitto,

provvedetemi, assistetemi e consolatemi in ogni mia necessità.

Ma principalmente difendetemi dal peccato, 

affinchè vivendo sempre della divina amicizia,

possa un giorno venire a godere con voi nel cielo.

Ve lo chiedo per amore di Gesù e Maria.

Praying to St Cajetan for Work

A picture of worshippers outside the Church of St Cajetan in Liniers, Buenos Aires.

The text accompanying the photo reads: "Praying For Work - People line up to enter the church of San Cayetano in suburban Buenos Aires on Thursday to pray to the Patron Saint of Employment.

With Argentina's economy crumbling, the worshippers, estimated at up to 100,000 strong, 

appeared more fervent than usual."

Whilst this photo dates from 1975, the situation it describes could be today! But do we have the same faith now? Would it not be a very good thing, if not life changing, to have a heavenly intercessor to help us through our present woes? St Cajetan offers his prayers and help from Heaven, he knows our needs and can see our situation and wishes to aid us. He wishes to bless each covering letter and CV we send out, he wishes to accompany us in each step we take when pounding the streets in search of a job, he wishes to give strength and patience to those who fear for their jobs and above all he wishes to give us hope that in the end all will be well. Is this not an invitation we wish to accept?

A Miracle Through St Cajetan's Intercession

Father John Madigan, O.M.I., Director of the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate in Belleville, Illinois shared the following e-mail message he received recently from a benefactor:

“I ordered a rosary and prayer to (St. Cayetano), the patron saint of unemployed – I did not know there was one. I mailed it to my cousin who lives in Southern California who had been out of work for 18 months.“A single woman, she was getting desperate as unemployment (benefits were) running out. As you know, the economy there is really bad. She had no prospects despite diligently working to find a job. She started saying the prayer and carrying the beads and prayer with
her when visiting agencies or going on interviews.

“About two weeks after she began saying the prayers, she received a phone call offering her a one-year contract position! She can only attribute it to St. Cayetano – it was the only change she had made. Greatest thanks for making us aware of him and for his speedy work on behalf of a desperate supplicant.”

– Kathy G. of Pennsylvania

Glorious St Cajetan, Saint of Divine Providence,
intercede for us that in our homes we may
never lack bread and work.

Eighth Day of the Novena in honour of St Cajetan, Patron Saint of the unemployed and job seekers

The Processional Statue of St Cajetan
from his shrine in Hamrun, Malta

Daily Preparatory Prayer

Omnipotent and Eternal God, who crowned St Cajetan with abundant heavenly favours because of his trust and dependence on your Divine Providence and rejection of worldly things; graciously grant that we who beseech the help of your Providence may be helped in our necessities through his holy intercession.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Eighth Day
O Glorious St Cajetan, who patiently and humbly endured much suffering throughout your life, particularly during the Sack of Rome when you were unjustly imprisoned and tortured by cruel soldiers;
grant us the necessary grace to be able to patiently endure the adversities of this life,
and to thus gain for ourselves a glorious crown in Heaven. Amen

conclude with the final prayers

(Pray Three Our Fathers in honour of the Most Holy Trinity)

Concluding Daily Prayers

A Prayer Composed By St Cajetan

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, from Thy dwelling in heaven on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our transgressions. Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the cross. Give ear, O Lord. Be appeased, O Lord. Hearken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God; for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.

Most Holy Lord, protector of those who trust in you and without whom nothing good or holy exists; copiously shed your mercy upon us that following St Cajetan's example, we may use our worldly possessions in such a way that we do not lose sight of the eternal things of Heaven.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!

The Little Crown/Chaplet Of St Cajetan

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!

+ In The Name of The Father........

O God, come to my assistance (Deus in adjutorium meum intende)

O Lord, make haste to help me (Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina)

Glory be to The Father…

1.  O Glorious St Cajetan, who from the cradle was cared for by angels and adopted as a treasured son of the Blessed Virgin, I beg you to have charge of, console and protect my immortal soul.
 -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be 
2.   O Glorious Saint, who overflowing with charity whilst still only a child, saw the bread of which you had deprived yourself and hidden in order to help the poor, changed into flowers when challenged by those who demanded to see what you carried, grant that I may emulate you and always grow in charity towards my fellow man.
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be
3.   O Glorious Saint, who received the gift of peace from the Holy Spirit who appeared to you in the form of a dove, I pray that you will calm my passions and console me in my difficulties.
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be 
4.   O Glorious Saint who received the Child Jesus into your arms from the hands of the Virgin Mary, I pray that you will grant me an ever growing love for God..
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be 
5.   O Glorious Saint, whose complete trust and abandonment to Divine Providence caused angels to come to your aid in difficulties, I pray that you will obtain for me an ever growing trust in the Lord.
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be
6.   O Glorious Saint, who was so immersed in prayer and Divine contemplation that you had a vision of your heart flying on fiery wings to our Blessed Saviour, I pray that you will obtain for me a desire to cling more closely to God and reject the inconstant things of this world.
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be
7.   O Glorious Saint, who was transported in ecstacy during prayer and was granted the privilege of enjoying the spiritual sweetness and blessings of the Heart of Mary and the immense graces flowing from the open side of Our Lord, I pray that you will obtain for me purity of heart and tranquility of mind.
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be
8.   O Glorious Saint, who whilst transported by Divine Grace gained the privilege of sharing in a small part of the bitter sufferings of Christ on the Cross, grant me a burning desire to offer up my sufferings in union with the Crucified Christ for the good of my soul and his greater glory.
  -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be
9.   O Glorious Saint, who worn out by the sufferings and tribulations of this World, gave up your soul into the arms of the Holy Virgin who conducted you to Heaven, where in perfect bliss you ceaselessly sing God's praises, obtain for me a sincere sorrow for my sins, by your Holy Intercession gain for me the graces which I now ask of you and grant that I may merit the Joys of Heaven.
 -  Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be

O St Cajetan, through your miraculous intercession,

obtain for us from God, the help of his Divine Providence.

The Little Crown or Chaplet Of St Cajetan

Seventh Day of the Novena in honour of St Cajetan, Patron Saint of the unemployed and job seekers

Daily Preparatory Prayer

Omnipotent and Eternal God, who crowned St Cajetan with abundant heavenly favours because of his trust and dependence on your Divine Providence and rejection of worldly things; graciously grant that we who beseech the help of your Providence may be helped in our necessities through his holy intercession.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Seventh Day

O Glorious St Cajetan, whose profound humility caused you to renounce your position at the papal court and to consider yourself unworthy of the Priesthood which you received, grant that we may flee from the sin of pride and may instead gain God's mercy and blessings through sincere humility and contrition of heart. Amen

conclude with the final prayers

(Pray Three Our Fathers in honour of the Most Holy Trinity)

Concluding Daily Prayers

A Prayer Composed By St Cajetan

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, from Thy dwelling in heaven on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our transgressions. Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the cross. Give ear, O Lord. Be appeased, O Lord. Hearken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God; for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.

Most Holy Lord, protector of those who trust in you and without whom nothing good or holy exists; copiously shed your mercy upon us that following St Cajetan's example, we may use our worldly possessions in such a way that we do not lose sight of the eternal things of Heaven.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!

Gozos de San Cayetano



"Gozos" de San Cayetano, publicado en Valencia, Siglo XVIII



¿Qué es un Gozo?

Los Gozos, Goigs o Gojos, son composiciones poéticas populares que se cantan en honor de la Virgen, Cristo o los santos. Se cantan en el marco de un acto religioso importante como es una Misa de fiesta mayor , una procesión o bendición de una imagen, etc,... Su finalidad consiste en dar gracias por bienes recibidos o como plegaria para una petición de protección contra los males.

De carácter oral o escrito , su origen arranca en la Edad Media y se plasman en muchos casos en documentos de gran valor artístico.

Sixth Day of the Novena in honour of St Cajetan, Patron Saint of the unemployed and job seekers

The vision of the heart of St Cajetan

Daily Preparatory Prayer

Omnipotent and Eternal God, who crowned St Cajetan with abundant heavenly favours because of his trust and dependance on your Divine Providence and rejection of worldly things; graciously grant that we who beseech the help of your Providence may be helped in our necessities through his holy intercession.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Fifth Day

O Glorious St Cajetan, whose heart was so full of love for God and charity for your fellow man, that whilst praying you were favoured with a vision of it flying up to Heaven on golden wings, and who always remained ever vigilant against sin, our mortal enemy; grant that imitating you we may reject sin and come to love God and our neighbour with all our hearts. Amen

conclude with the final prayers

(Pray Three Our Fathers in honour of the Most Holy Trinity)

Concluding Daily Prayers

A Prayer Composed By St Cajetan

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, from Thy dwelling in heaven on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our transgressions. Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the cross. Give ear, O Lord. Be appeased, O Lord. Hearken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God; for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.

Most Holy Lord, protector of those who trust in you and without whom nothing good or holy exists; copiously shed your mercy upon us that following St Cajetan's example, we may use our worldly possessions in such a way that we do not lose sight of the eternal things of Heaven.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!

Fifth Day of the Novena in honour of St Cajetan, Patron Saint of the unemployed and job seekers

St Cajetan renounces worldly riches

Daily Preparatory Prayer

Omnipotent and Eternal God, who crowned St Cajetan with abundant heavenly favours because of his trust and dependance on your Divine Providence and rejection of worldly things; graciously grant that we who beseech the help of your Providence may be helped in our necessities through his holy intercession.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Fifth Day

O glorious St Cajetan, whose life was such a shining example of the virtue of hope, that you rejected all noble dignities and the help offered by those in power, preferring to free yourself from wordly things and to rely on Divine Providence alone to sustain yourself and your Theatine brothers; grant that we may live with the unshakeable hope that by the merits of Christ Jesus we may attain Eternal Life, and the confidence that God will provide us with the things of this world which are necessary to live with honour and dignity. Amen

conclude with the final prayers

(Pray Three Our Fathers in honour of the Most Holy Trinity)

Concluding Daily Prayers

A Prayer Composed By St Cajetan

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, from Thy dwelling in heaven on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our transgressions. Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the cross. Give ear, O Lord. Be appeased, O Lord. Hearken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God; for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.

Most Holy Lord, protector of those who trust in you and without whom nothing good or holy exists; copiously shed your mercy upon us that following St Cajetan's example, we may use our worldly possessions in such a way that we do not lose sight of the eternal things of Heaven.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

A. Vaccaro "El Desinteres de San Cayetano"

Museo Del Prado

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!





A relic of St Cajetan's Cope



A relic of St Cajetan's Cope

(the piece of cloth in the centre of the reliquary)

This is a tiny piece of the cope which St Cajetan wore whilst exercising his priestly ministry and is a very precious and tangible link to the Saint who turned his life into a exercise of trust in God and service to his fellow man.

Definition of a"Cope"

(Known in Latin as pluviale or cappa), a vestment which may most conveniently be described as a long liturgical mantle, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. As existing monuments show, whether we look at pictorial representations or at the copes of early date which still survive, there has been remarkably little change in the character of the vestment from the earliest ages. Then as now it was made of a piece of silk or cloth of semicircular shape, and, as it is important to note, it differed from the earlier form of chasuble only in this, that in the chasuble the straight edges were sewn together in front while in the cope they were left open. The most conspicuous external modification which the cope has undergone, during the past thousand years and more, lies in a certain divergence in the shape of the hood, a feature which, after all, is not in any way an essential part of the vestment. In some early examples we find only a triangular hood, which was no doubt intended to of practical utility in covering the head in processions, etc. But with the lapse of time the hood has into a mere ornamental appendage, and it is quite commonly represented by a sort of shield of embroidery, artificially stiffened and sometimes adorned with a fringe, the whole being fastened by buttons or by some other device to the back below the broad orphrey which usually forms an upper border to the whole. The fact that in many early chasubles, as depicted in the drawings of the eighth and ninth centuries, we see clear traces of a primitive hood, thus bearing out the explicit statement upon the point of Isidore of Seville, strongly confirms the view that in their origin cope and chasuble were identical, the chasuble being only a cope with its edges sewn together.

A 15th century embroidered cope from Italy





Fourth Day of the Novena in honour of St Cajetan, Patron Saint of the unemployed and job seekers



An 18th century baroque wooden bust
of St Cajetan from Sicily



Daily Preparatory Prayer

Omnipotent and Eternal God, who crowned St Cajetan with abundant heavenly favours because of his trust and dependance on your Divine Providence and rejection of worldly things; graciously grant that we who beseech the help of your Providence may be helped in our necessities through his holy intercession.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Fourth Day

O Glorious St Cajetan, whose life was spent in passionate defence of the Faith against the errors of heresy and falsehood; grant that we may come to fully understand the inestimable value of faith, without which it is impossible to come close to God, and that we may firmly and swiftly reject all the subtle persuasions of error and falsehood. Amen

conclude with the final prayers

(Pray Three Our Fathers in honour of the Most Holy Trinity)

Concluding Daily Prayers

A Prayer Composed By St Cajetan

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, from Thy dwelling in heaven on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Thy Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our transgressions. Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to Thee from the cross. Give ear, O Lord. Be appeased, O Lord. Hearken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God; for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.

Most Holy Lord, protector of those who trust in you and without whom nothing good or holy exists; copiously shed your mercy upon us that following St Cajetan's example, we may use our worldly possessions in such a way that we do not lose sight of the eternal things of Heaven.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen



O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Providence,

give us your miraculous assistance each and every day!