Table of Contents
What is a Novena?Why is a Novena Prayed for Nine Days?
The History of Novenas
How to Pray a Novena
What If I Miss a Day?
The Divine Mercy Novena
The Surrender Novena
What is the Mary Undoer of Knots Novena?
What is the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?
What is the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help?
What is the Novena to St. Jude?
What is the Novena to the Holy Spirit?
What is the Novena to St. Joseph?
What is a Novena?
A novena is a nine-day prayer that you typically say to a specific saint for a special intention. Some novenas are said in one day, or over nine months, but typically you repeat them over nine consecutive days. Some people add on extra practices like fasting or acts of service to deepen their novena experience!
Why is a Novena Prayed for Nine Days?
The practice of praying a novena for nine days goes far back in both Jewish and Christian traditions. In the Bible, the number nine is associated with suffering, purification, and new beginnings. One of the first novenas was when Mary and the disciples waited and prayed for the Holy Spirit for nine days between the Ascension and Pentecost. When you pray a novena, you’re entering into a long and powerful tradition of praying for nine days!
The History of Novenas
We don’t know the full story behind the origin of novenas, but they were most likely popularized during the Middle Ages as a way to express devotion to saints. Novenas became a more formal prayer in the 17th century with the publication of prayer books that contained specific novenas for various intentions.
How to Pray a Novena
Praying a novena is especially powerful when you have an important intention. Here are some tips for how to pray a novena:
- Pick an intention for your novena, then find one that will help focus your prayer on that intention. You can find some examples further down.
- Set aside a specific time each day to pray the novena. It’s helpful to set a reminder on your phone or add it to your calendar ahead of time!
- Each day, find a quiet place to pray where you will not be disturbed.
- Follow the specific instructions for the novena you are praying, whether it involves reciting a set of prayers or meditating on a particular scripture passage.
- Repeat for nine days!
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What if I Miss a Day?
It’s not the end of the world if you miss praying a day of your novena! You can pray twice the following day to catch up or just extend to ten days.
What is The Divine Mercy Novena?
The Divine Mercy Novena is a special nine-day prayer to Jesus that was popularized by St. Faustina. This novena can be used any time, but most people pray it leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday, which falls on the Sunday after Easter.
What is the Surrender Novena?
The Surrender Novena is a special nine-day prayer based on the writings of Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart. The novena can be said any time of year and it will help you focus on surrendering yourself to God and trusting his will for your life.
What is the Mary Undoer of Knots Novena?
The Novena to Mary Undoer of Knots is a special nine-day prayer to Mary, especially for those difficulties and challenges in our lives that feel impossible to untangle. This novena can be said any time of the year when you are facing a particularly challenging circumstance and are searching for clarity and help to move forward.
What is the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?
The Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a special nine-day prayer and devotion to the heart of Jesus, which symbolizes his love and compassion for all people. This novena can be said any time of the year, but many people like to pray it leading up to the Feast of the Sacred Heart, which falls on the Friday after the Feast of Corpus Christi.
What is the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help?
The Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a special nine-day prayer to Mary, who provides comfort and assistance to those in need. This novena can be said any time of the year, but many people like to pray it on nine consecutive Wednesdays.
What is the Novena to St. Jude?
The Novena to St. Jude is a special nine-day prayer to St. Jude, who is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. This novena can be said any time of the year, but many people like to pray it especially in times of difficulty, crisis, or as a last resort.
What is the Novena to the Holy Spirit?
The Novena to the Holy Spirit is a special nine-day prayer to the Holy Spirit, who provides guidance, wisdom, and understanding to anyone who asks for it! This novena can be said any time of the year, but many people like to pray it leading up to Pentecost Sunday, which falls 50 days after Easter!
What is the Novena to St. Joseph?
The Novena to St. Joseph is a special nine-day prayer to St. Joseph, who is the patron saint of workers and the guardian of the Holy Family. This novena can be said any time of the year, but many people like to pray it leading up to his feast day on March 19th!
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