How to work with St Expedite
SO WHO IS ST EXPEDITE?
St Expedite is known as the saint for urgent matters, and also the patron saint against procrastination. When he was alive, he was a Roman centurion who converted to Christianity in about 300 AD (and was killed for being Christian not long after that). Legend has it that once he decided to convert to Christianity the Devil appeared to him in the form of a crow, telling him to delay his conversion until "tomorrow". St Expedite, being a swift & decisive man of his word, crushed the crow underfoot and proclaimed "HODIE!" - meaning "today". That gives a good indication of how much St Expedite values immediate action, and earned his rep.
St Expedite is what's known as a folk saint - meaning that the Catholic Church doesn't officially recognise him, but people from many cultures & traditions - from Catholicism to Hoodoo - have appealed to him for assistance for hundreds of years. He's got a very solid following, especially in South America.
WHAT'S HIS VIBE?
St Expedite is a saint of action, urgency & directness. He can - and often does - deliver miraculous results, sometimes in ways that seem completely improbable. I've walked into the ER of a major hospital to find it completely empty after asking his help for a friend to be treated urgently (have you ever seen an empty ER?)!. I've seen a court case unexpectedly finish early after the defendant asked for his help - the complainant simply said they didn't have any more to say (they seemed as baffled as the judge!) And I've had application outcomes granted in my favour within hours of asking for his help, after weeks of delay. If you get his attention, and he decides to work on your behalf, the results can be spectacular.
St Expedite comes with a warning though. He is known as a 'hot spirit', meaning that he's quick to anger and easy to offend. But it's easy to guess what his triggers are - basically, don't delay in coming through on your end of the bargain! If you have promised him something in return for his assistance - and he delivers on his side - then you need to get your side sorted ASAP. He doesn't brook any excuses for delays, so take that into account when promising offerings to him. Make sure you have them on hand, or can procure them immediately when he comes through for you.
Lastly, St Expedite loves to be publicly revered! One of the most common ways that he is thanked for his assistance is for the petitioner to publicly thank him for his deeds to increase his renown.
WHAT HE HELPS WITH
The areas he is traditionally asked to for assistance are: urgent financial needs, getting situations wrapped up quickly & favourably, and emergencies of any sort. He's also considered the patron saint against procrastination. So if you need money in a hurry, help getting a fast resolution, or assistance with busting through procrastination he can help.
Bear this in mind though: St Expedite is famous for providing swift assistance in urgent matters. It's where he excels, so if you need something NOW or IMMEDIATELY or TODAY he's your guy. But if you want your result in a week or month’s time, he may lose interest. Think of his as the patron saint of ADHD. He can pull off crazy cool stuff in a tight timeline, but as soon as there's a longer window his attention drifts.
ALTAR SET UP
To work with St Expedite you'll need to have an altar set up. Some people have permanent altar spaces dedicated to him, but I personally set mine up as needed due to lack of space. His colour is red, so a red altar cloth is a really easy way to set the mood. A candle (preferably red) and a glass of water are appropriate as very simple offerings. People generally include an image or statue of him too. Other altar items which catch his attention are: coins, red roses, palm fronds, Christian iconography, such as a crucifix. Talismanic items such as one of my St Expedite pendants are great to include. Ritual oils dedicated to St Expedite are also a good choice - if you don't have any on hand then hot & sweet essential oils like cinnamon & ginger are also great. He has an affinity for trinity - things come in threes - three coins, three candles, three roses, etc. The day associated with St Expedite is Wednesday, so setting up the altar on a Wednesday or working with him on a Wednesday is ideal.
HOW TO PETITION HIM
There are hundreds of petitions/prayers to St Expedite on the interwebs. They'll generally include a structured prayer to petition him, and then you insert your own specific request & offerings at the appropriate places. They will use the format of "I ask that you _________, and in return I will offer you _______". Hunt around to find one that feels right to you. Once you’ve found one that you want to use, here’s what you need to bear in mind when petitioning (asking) St Expedite to help you:
Be specific - ask him for exactly what you need, and give a very clear timeframe by which you need it
Make it compelling - don't expect him to consider your request urgent & important if you read it out like a grocery list. Tell him why you urgently need it, why it's so important to you and the good that it will bring to the world & those around you. Give him reasons to get involved.
Write it down - Do yourself a favour & keep a record of exactly what you asked for, and exactly what you promised. You'll be surprised how often you'll refer back to it later. Think of it as a contract & treat it accordingly, and you won't get yourself into trouble.
Be generous - St Expedite works on a quid pro quo basis, which means that he helps you in return for a gift (offering). So make it a good one! The most basic offerings are candles & water, but his favourites are red wine and pound cake. The more demanding the request, the more generous the offering should be. If I'm asking for something very important I'll bake him a whole pound cake. It might sound over the top - the ingredients are expensive & it's also time consuming. But consider this: the most moving gifts are those which incur personal cost or demonstrate significant effort.
Put down a deposit, pay on delivery - It's common practice to make offerings to St Expedite in two parts - the first part to get his attention (the deposit), and the second part when he comes through with assistance (payment upon delivery). I make my first offering simple - water & a candle when I set up his altar - and then my second offering far more enticing, like wine and/or pound cake. You do not need to give the offering promised unless he delivers the result you asked for. No result, no payment. It might sound harsh but it's the way he rolls!
Be prompt - When St Expedite does deliver, do not delay in thanking him and giving him the offerings you've promised (see above: hot spirit!). Take the need for expediency into account when promising your offerings - make sure you have them on hand or can acquire them & give them swiftly once you have the result you've asked for.
Give him a should out! -This is considered part of the payment when working with St Expedite, and most petitions to St Expedite include this as a promise. Publicly acknowledging and thanking him is a really powerful gift in itself, particularly with the reach that some of us have on social media. He loves to be publicly recognised. Remember to be prompt. ;)
DISCLAIMER
As with all things magical, YMMV (your mileage may vary!). There are always multiple factors at play - personal alignment with a particular spirit, timing, the structure of the request itself, astrological weather, etc. Results aren't guaranteed by pushing the right buttons in the right order. It's magic, not science ;)
My own experience with magic has been like tuning in an AM radio station with an analogue dial. Sometimes the signal comes through crisp & clear. Other times it doesn't matter how many times you turn the dial back and forth, you can't get rid of the static. Don't let a lack of success in your first (or any) petition deter you from making others. Beginner's luck is a common phenomenon, but persistence almost always pays off.