Novena
A novena is a nine-day period of private or public prayer, traditionally offered for a specific intention or in preparation for a feast, modeled on the nine days the Apostles spent in prayer between Christ's Ascension and Pentecost. Many Catholics pray a novena to a particular saint when facing a specific need.
Rooted in the Apostles' Own Waiting
The nine-day pattern of a novena traces back to the nine days the Apostles and Mary spent in prayer in the upper room between Christ's Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Early Christians adapted that same nine-day rhythm into a general form of intensive prayer for a specific need.
How Novenas Are Prayed Today
A novena can be prayed entirely alone, with a family, or as part of an organized parish devotion, and can be repeated for an ongoing need or prayed once for a single occasion. Many are addressed to a particular saint whose life connects naturally to the request — Saint Jude for seemingly hopeless situations, for example, or Saint Anthony for lost items and safe travel.
Related Prayers
Frequently Asked Questions
Do novenas have to start on a specific day?
Not necessarily, though some traditional novenas — like those preceding a major feast such as Christmas or Pentecost — are tied to a fixed nine-day countdown, while personal novenas for an intention can begin any day.
Is a novena a guarantee that a prayer will be answered exactly as asked?
No. A novena is an act of sustained trust and petition, not a formula — Catholic teaching holds that God answers prayer according to his own wisdom, which sometimes differs from what was specifically requested.