Novenas

Prayerful HandsA novena is a prayers said for nine consecutive days, asking the Lord for special graces, or Mary and the saints for their intercession in request of special graces.

The practice of praying novenas is derived from the Bible. After Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told his disciples to pray together and await "the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4). The Apostles, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and other followers of Jesus prayed together for nine days (Acts 1:14) and after that the Holy Spirit descended on them on the day of Pentecost. The word novena is derived from the Latin word "novem", meaning nine.