St Nicodemus– 3rd August

Member of the Sanhedrin in Israel during the life of Jesus. He was a secret disciple of Christ, meeting him by night to avoid the wrath of the other members of the Sanhedrin, and eventually spoke out to that body to remind them that Jesus had a right to a hearing. With Saint Joseph of Arimathea he prepared Jesus’ body and placed him in the tomb. There was an apocryphal “gospel” that was purported to have been written by him; it is sometimes entitled the Acts of Pilate. Tradition says he was a martyr, though no details have survived. 

Prayer to Saint Nicodemus 

Merciful God, whose servant Nicodemus was a secret disciple of Christ, meeting him by night to avoid the wrath of the other members of the Sanhedrin, and eventually spoke out to that body to remind them that Jesus had a right to a hearing and with reverence and godly fear prepared the body of our Lord and Savior for burial, and laid it in his own tomb: Grant to us, your faithful people, grace and courage to love and serve Jesus with sincere devotion all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. 

Prayer of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite for the Nativity of Christ 

Jesus, Son of the Father without mother according to divinity, I glorify You the eternal one Who is above every cause and word. 

Jesus, Son of a Mother without father according to humanity, I glorify You Who became man for us. 

Jesus, Emmanuel unchanged, for You are the message-bearer of the great message of salvation, I thank You for Your great love for man. 

Jesus, spotless Lamb of God, I ever confess You, for I am the lost sheep. 

Jesus, most-compassionate Comforter, make the grace of Your Spirit to work within me. 

Jesus, new Adam, remove from me the old man, and establish in me the new. 

Jesus, You Who descended to earth, make me worthy to have my habitation in the heavens. 

Jesus, You Who took on human nature, make me a partaker in the grace of theosis. 

Jesus, my breath, come to visit me.