NOVENA PRAYERS

...PRAYING UNCEASINGLY.

The word novena is derived from a Latin word, "Novem" meaning "Nine". It is an ancient tradition of devotional prayers in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers, consecutively said for nine days or weeks.

During a novena, the devotees make petitions, seek favours, or obtain graces by adoring Christ and asking for the intercession of the mother of God, or the Saints of the faith.

Individuals may express love and honour by kneeling, burning candles or placing flowers before the Person represented by the Statue.

In some Christian communities, the popularity of novenas are waned, while in others like Africa, Latin America and the Philippines, novena traditions are popular and include devotional rituals such as Congregational prayers, statue decorations, hymn singing with music, as well as community fiesta events over beverages, refreshments or processions.

Novenas are most often prayed by members of the Roman Catholic Church as well as Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Lutherans. In addition. novenas have also been used in an ecumenical Christian context,such as those promulgated by premier christian Radio, in an effort to pray for Church renewal.

The Prayers are often derived from devotional prayer books, or consist of the recitation of the Holy Rosary, or of short prayers through the day.

Novena prayers are customarily printed in small booklets and the novena is often dedicated to a specific Angel, Saint, or a specific title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or it invokes one of the personages of the Holy Trinity.

In the Catholic tradition, much used novena prayers include doctrinal statements, in addition to a personal petitions. The doctrinal part of the prayers are studied by its ecclesiastical staff, like formal translations of Christian Scriptures, and officially declared to be free of doctrinal errors with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.

Under listed are some of the popular Novenas in the Catholic Church...

JESUS' NOVENAS

DIVINE INFANT JESUS NOVENA, JANUARY 5-13, FEAST DAY - JANUARY 14

DIVINE MERCY NOVENA, FEAST DAY - FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER

SACRED HEART NOVENA, FEAST DAY: 19 DAYS AFTER PENTECOST

THE ASCENSION - FEAST DAY -- FORTY DAYS AFTER EASTER

CHRIST THE UNIVERSAL KING NOVENA - FEAST DAY -- LAST SUNDAY OF THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR

THE CHRISTMAS NOVENA - DECEMBER 16 - 24, FEAST DAY - DECEMBER 25

THE HOLY FAMILY NOVENA - FEAST DAY - FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

OUR LADY'S NOVENAS

OUR LADY OF  PONTMAIN NOVENA - JANUARY 8-16, FEAST DAY: JANUARY 17

OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, JANUARY 15 - 23, FEAST DAY: JANUARY 25

OUR LADY OF LOURDES' NOVENA, FEBRUARY 2 - 10, FEAST DAY: FEBRUARY 11

ANNUNCIATION NOVENA, MARCH 16 - 24, FEAST DAY: MARCH 25

MARY VIRGIN OF REVELATION NOVENA, APRIL 3 - 11, FEAST DAY: APRIL 12

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL NOVENA, APRIL 17 - 25, FEAST DAY: APRIL 26

OUR LADY OF FATIMA NOVENA, MAY 4 - 12, FEAST DAY -- MAY 13

OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS NOVENA, MAY 15 - 23, FEAST DAY: MAY 24

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP NOVENA, JUNE 18 - 26, FEAST DAY: JUNE 27

OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE NOVENA, JUNE 30 - JULY 8, FEAST DAY: JULY 9

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL NOVENA, JULY 7 - 15, FEAST DAY: JULY 16

THE ASSUMPTION NOVENA, AUGUST 6 - 14, FEAST DAY: AUGUST 15

OUR LADY OF KNOCK NOVENA, AUGUST 12 - 20, FEAST DAY: AUGUST 21

QUEENSHIP OF MARY NOVENA, AUGUST 13-21, FEAST DAY - AUGUST 22

NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY NOVENA, AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 7, FEAST DAY - SEPTEMBER 8

OUR LADY OF SORROWS NOVENA, SEPTEMBER 6 - SEPTEMBER 14, FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 15

OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE NOVENA, SEPTEMBER 10-18, FEAST DAY - SEPTEMBER 19

OUR LADY OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY NOVENA, SEPTEMBER 28 -OCTOBER 6, FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 7

NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 7, FEAST DAY - DECEMBER 8

MARY MOTHER OF GOD NOVENA, DECEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 31, FEAST DAY - JANUARY 1

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY NOVENA, SATURDAY AFTER THE FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART

NOVENA TO SAINTS

SAINT AGNES OF ROME NOVENA, JANUARY 12 - 20, FEAST DAY: JANUARY 21

SAINT  FRANCIS DE SALES NOVENA, JANUARY 15 -23, FEAST DAY: JANUARY 24

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS NOVENA, JANUARY 19 - 27, FEAST DAY: JANUARY 28

SAINT JOHN BOSCO NOVENA, JANUARY 22-30, FEAST DAY: JANUARY 31

SAINT JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY NOVENA -- MARCH 10 - 18, FEAST DAY: MARCH 19

SAINT GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA NOVENA -- APRIL 19 - 27, FEAST DAY: APRIL 28

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA NOVENA -- APRIL 20 - 28, FEAST DAY : APRIL 29

SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER NOVENA --APRIL 22 - 30, FEAST DAY: MAY 1

SAINT CORONA NOVENA -- MAY 5 - MAY 13, FEAST DAY: MAY 14

SAINT RITA OF CASCIA NOVENA, MAY 13 - 21, FEAST DAY: MAY 22

SAINT JOAN OF ARC NOVENA, MAY 21-29: FEAST DAY - MAY 30 

SAINT BONIFACE OF TARSUS NOVENA, MAY 27 - JUNE 4, FEAST DAY: JUNE 5

SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA NOVENA, JUNE 4 - 12, FEAST DAY: JUNE 13

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST NOVENA, JUNE 15 - 23, FEAST DAY: JUNE 24

SAINT JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA DE BALAGUER NOVENA, JUNE 17 -25, FEAST DAY: JUNE 26

SAINT MARIA GORETTI NOVENA, JUNE 27 - JULY 5, FEAST DAY: JULY 6

SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN NOVENA, JULY 14 - 22, FEAST DAY: JULY 23

SAINT ANNE NOVENA, JULY 17 - 25, FEAST DAY: JULY 26

SAINT DOMINIC GUZMAN NOVENA, JULY 30 - AUGUST 7, FEAST DAY: AUGUST 8

SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI NOVENA, AUGUST 2-10, FEAST DAY- AUGUST 11

SAINT PHILOMINA NOVENA, AUGUST 2-10, FEAST DAY - AUGUST 11

SAINT MONICA NOVENA, AUGUST 18-26, FEAST DAY - AUGUST 27

SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO NOVENA, AUGUST 19 - 27, FEAST DAY - AUGUST 28

SAINT JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO NOVENA, SEPTEMBER 9-17, FEAST DAY - SEPTEMBER 18

SAINT MATTHEW THE APOSTLE NOVENA, SEPTEMBER 12-20, FEAST DAY - SEPTEMBER 21

SAINT PIO OF PIETRELCINA NOVENA - SEPTEMBER 14 - 22, FEAST DAY - SEPTEMBER 23

SAINT MICHAEL, RAPHAEL AND GABRIEL NOVENA - SEPTEMBER 20-28, FEAST DAY - SEPTEMBER 29

SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX NOVENA- SEPTEMBER 22-30, FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 1

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI NOVENA - SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 3; FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 4

SAINT TERESA OF AVILA NOVENA - OCTOBER 6-14, FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 15

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II NOVENA - OCTORER 13-21, FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 22

SAINT JUDE THADDEUS NOVENA - OCTOBER 19-27, FEAST DAY - OCTOBER 28

ALL SAINTS' NOVENA - OCTOBER 23 - 31; FEAST DAY- NOVEMBER 1

SAINT GERTRUDE THE GREAT NOVENA - NOVEMBER 7 - 15; FEAST DAY - NOVEMBER 16

OTHER NOVENAS

PENTECOST NOVENA, 10 DAYS BEFORE PENTECOST, FEAST DAY: PENTECOST SUNDAY