The Novena of Maria de los Dolores, Manila, 1905, is "for obtaining
what is desired in any affair of the soul or for the good of the body."
The Novena of San Vicente de Ferrer "altho it can be made in the home,
it is much better to do it in the church because there he who asks
shall receive and he who looks shall find, as the Lord himself said"
(p. 5 of the Novena, Manila, 1917).
San Ramon Nonato is: "Patron of the work of the laborers and their
livestock; wonderful antidote against pestilence; universal refuge for
the cure of all diseases and pains; singular protector of the women who
invoke him in their dangerous hours of giving birth, and of the sterile
ones who seek the comfort of his protection." This is what is said in
the frontispiece of his novena, Manila 1918. "By merely invoking his
name or by adoring his saintly relic, and by drinking the water where
it is passed, the saint can accomplish thousands of wonders" (p. 6).
"I," says one devout woman, "have such faith in and experience with,
San Ramon that whatsoever I ask God thru him was always secured or
obtained, and for the sake of truth, I swear and confirm the same"
(Novena, p. 15).
A form of great persuasive virtue to obtain the divine will and to win
from it what is desired is to pray the Trisagio. It seems that during
a period of great geologic and meteorologic commotions experienced
in Constantinople in the year 447 (Trisagio Serafico, Manila, 1889,
p. 7), it happened that "a child of tender age was carried to the
winds, all those encamped being eye witnesses, until he could be
seen no more. After a long time he returned to earth in the same
manner that he went up and stated in the presence of the Patriarch,
of the Emperor, and of the wondering multitude, that he heard the
angels sing this concert: 'Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal,
have mercy upon us.' (Santo Dios, santo fuerte, santo inmortal, tened
misericordia de nosotros.)" The child immediately thereafter died. The
Emperor ordered that all should repeat this sacred canticle and that
moment the earthquakes ceased and the meteorological disturbances
stopped. Hence, "the use of the Trisagio as a form for invoking the
Holy Trinity in dangerous fatal times" (p. 78). Among other things
the following is tacitly asked in the Trisagio: "Of thy ire and anger,
Lord and triune free us. Of the snares, nearness of the demon; of all
ire, hate and bad will; of all plagues or epidemics, hunger, storms;
of our enemies and their machinations free us" (pp. 20-21).