- Pray a novena over a period of 9 days (or 9 hours, weeks, or months) or simply say a single prayer 9 times.
- Set an intention to pray—for the soul of a deceased person, preparation for an important day, a request from God, or forgiveness—and select a corresponding novena.
- Pray the novena by following that particular novena’s prescribed daily prayers—it may be a single short prayer every day, or several unique prayers over the course of 9 days.
- Pray alone or with a group, and perform other pious acts like attending mass and confession in order to strengthen your prayer.
What is a novena?
A novena is a prayer that you perform every day for 9 days. “Novena” stems from the Latin word “novem,” which means 9. Novenas can also last 9 hours, 9 weeks, 9 months. Alternatively, repeat the same prayer 9 times. What’s important is that you pray for 9 of something. Novenas aren’t 9 days of nonstop prayer, but rather a prayer said once a day for 9 days. Many novenas begin on or coincide with certain days, like feast days or church holidays, but you can pray a novena at any time. The novena is different from an octave, which is an 8-day set of prayers with a generally more festive feeling than a novena, usually before Christmas or Easter.
A novena is a specific set of prayers for a specific intention. There are many different novenas you can pray, and each one focuses on a different petition. Each novena has a different set of prayers to help you focus on your intention, and each novena might fall into one of 4 general types: Mourning novenas for a deceased person, in the hopes their soul will reach heaven. Preparation novenas for an important day or occasion, like receiving a sacrament. Petition novenas ask God for something, like courage, grace, or hope. Penance novenas ask forgiveness for a wrongdoing after going to Confession.
The novena began with the apostles at Pentecost. After Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his apostles to pray together. The apostles gathered and prayed for 9 days, and on the ninth day they experienced the miracle of Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit descended as tongues of flame. This was the first novena, and was where the tradition began.
How do you pray a novena?
Identify your intention and select a corresponding novena. Think about what you’re praying for—asking God for something, praying for someone, celebrating a holy day, etc.—and choose a novena that corresponds with your intention. Visit a website like EWTN to browse a list of novenas, and choose one that appeals to you and is relevant to your intention.
Dedicate your time and keep up with the schedule. The novena you select will have a suggested schedule for your prayer, often with a specific prayer for each of the 9 days of the novena. Set an alarm or a reminder so that you don’t forget to pray each day, week, month, or however long you’ve chosen to perform the novena. You don’t have to pray at the same time each day, but it’s helpful to stay consistent and place yourself in a meditative state of mind. Pray a novena once every hour over the course of 9 hours for a shorter, more concentrated alternative. Choose a 9-hour period where you will be free at the same time every hour to say your prayer. If you miss a day or a prayer, don’t worry! Your novena is still meaningful and valid. Simply perform the missed prayer to catch up, move the missed prayer to the end, or say an extra prayer to make up for it.
Pray privately or with a group at your church. Oftentimes, novenas are prayed alone and in private. When a particular intention concerns a larger group of people, though, you may choose to pray the novena together. Public novenas are usually organized by a church. They can be spoken for specific purposes or in preparation of specific feast days. Your church may ask you to come to church each day, or pray the novena at home at the same time as other congregants.
Perform other pious acts, like attending mass. Some novenas include attending mass as part of their prescribed prayers, but you can incorporate mass attendance, confession, acts of charity, and other pious acts into any novena. Your novena is a time to immerse yourself in prayer, and supplementing your prayers with other holy activities can help you to better focus yourself on God.
Remember that a novena doesn’t guarantee results. At least, not necessarily the results you expect. Many people become disappointed if it appears their novena prayers went unanswered, but a novena isn’t a shortcut to getting what you want. Instead, it’s a way to make your wants, needs, and intentions known to God, and to trust that he’ll do what’s needed, whatever that looks like.
Example Novena Prayers
Pray the Novena to St. Jude to ask for help in difficult situations. St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, and many people pray to him when seeking aid in times of desperation, such as serious illness or financial trouble. Pray the simple St. Jude Novena over 9 days, or simply 9 times: “May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, and loved in all the tabernacles until the end of time. Amen. May the most Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised and glorified now and forever. Amen. St. Jude pray for us and hear our prayers. Amen. Blessed be the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Blessed be the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Blessed be St. Jude Thaddeus, in all the world and for all Eternity. [Now recite an “Our Father” and a “Hail Mary.”] Dear Apostle and Martyr for Christ, you left us an Epistle in the New Testament. With good reason many invoke you when illness is at a desperate stage. We now recommend to your kindness [name of person for whom you’re praying] who is in a critical condition. May the cure of this patient increase his/her faith and love for the Lord of Life, for the glory of our merciful God. Amen.” Many people also pray the Novena to the Virgin Mary, Untier of Knots in times of difficulty.
Say the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Novena to ask for forgiveness. Perform the Holy Rosary Novena by praying the rosary once a day for 9 days. This novena asks Mary to intercede on your behalf for forgiveness for sins, and also offers an opportunity to ask for other special requests. After praying each rosary, recite the following prayer: “My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: [Mention your request]. I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God's holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul. I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.”
Pray the Divine Mercy Novena of Chaplets to ask for grace for others. The Divine Mercy Novena asks God to grant grace and mercy to other people. It originated when St. Faustina received a vision in which God told her to offer 9 different intentions, which include grace for sinners, for faithful souls, for nonbelievers, and for priests, among others. Each day of this novena has a different prayer and intention. Pray each of the 9 unique prayers over the course of 9 days.
Offer the Novena for Workers and Unemployed to ask for career help. The Novena for Workers focuses its prayers to St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers. It’s often prayed by those seeking work, or who live in poverty, in order to receive aid in their job prospects and financial hardships. Perform this novena by reading the daily meditations and reciting the unique prayers for each of the 9 days.
Pray the Christmas Novena during the holidays. The Christmas Novena helps you prepare for the birth of Jesus. Over its 9 days, it meditates on the incarnation of Jesus on Earth, and his journey toward his crucifixion and ascension. Participate in this novena to show appreciation to God and to celebrate the season with your family. The Christmas Novena consists of 9 different meditations and prayers to perform over 9 days.
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