Very little of his life is certain. He was a bishop of Tongeren in what is now Belgium, he took part in the great arguments of his century about who Christ is, and he died at Maastricht, where he is buried. The devotion to him is older and steadier than the records.
Historical Context
He is also one of the “Ice Saints,” the bishops and martyrs whose feasts fall in mid-May. Farmers in northern Europe would not trust the weather until their days had passed, because a late frost was still possible. That is why some prayers to him also ask for protection from frost.
A Prayer to St Servatius for Leg and Foot Pain
St Servatius, pilgrims have walked to you
on legs that hurt for sixteen hundred years.
Mine hurt now.
Ask the Lord to ease this pain,
to steady my steps and strengthen what is weak.
Give my doctors wisdom and me patience.
And if I must walk slowly for a while,
let me walk toward God all the same.
Amen.
A Prayer for Rheumatism and Stiff Joints
Lord, my joints ache in the morning
and the cold gets into everything.
Through the prayers of St Servatius,
loosen what is stiff and soothe what is swollen.
Let me move freely enough to do the work you give me,
and teach me to bear what does not go away.
Amen.
A Novena to St Servatius
A novena is a prayer said on nine days in a row. To end on his feast, begin on 5 May. Each day, pray the prayer for leg and foot pain above, then an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be, and name your intention. You can pray a novena to him at any time of year, not only in May.
Best Times for This Prayer
- Before surgery on a knee, hip, ankle or foot.
- During physiotherapy or recovery from a leg injury.
- On cold mornings when arthritis or rheumatism is worst.
- From 5 to 13 May, as a novena ending on his feast.
- Before a pilgrimage or long walk.
Scripture Connection
“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” — Hebrews 12:12–13
The writer means it about faith, but he chose the body’s language: weak knees, lame feet, a straight path. For someone whose legs are failing, it is a verse that holds both meanings at once, and asks for healing in both.
Related prayers
For a family member who is ill, see the Healing Prayer for My Brother or the Healing Prayer for My Dad. The weather side of the Ice Saints is on the Prayer for Good Weather page.