Novenas Prayer
By: Abby Scharpf, Jack Maher, Kam Compton, and Markus Lyons
What is the Novenas prayer?
A Novena is a series of prayers that are said for nine straight days, normally said as a prayer of petition but sometimes as a prayer of thanksgiving. The nine days recall the nine days that the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary spent in prayer between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday.
This is a example of a Prayer Booklet someone might use during the nine days of Novenas.
This is what might be inside your Prayer Booklet a picture of who that prayer is for and a prayer you can say honoring them.
This is and example of a Novenas prayer for Saint Rita.
History behind the Novenas Prayer
It is not clarified what the origin of the Novena is because the Old Testament doesn't indicate any nine-day celebrations among the Jewish. However, in the New Testament the Lord gives the Apostles a Great Commission, to await the coming of the Holy Spirt. Nine days later the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. This is the time period that is believed to be the Novenas Prayer.
Instructions for the Novenas Prayer
Basically the Novenas Prayer is praying for nine consecutive days. Some people do this by using Prayer booklets, Reciting the Rosary, or even small prayers throughout the day. There are certain prayers you can say but mainly people pray addressed to; Jesus, The Blessed Trinity or any Individual Person, The blessed Virgin Mary, Saints, or Angles.
Why?
Why would someone want to particaipate in the Novenas Prayer? People normally pray the Novenas Prayer to obtain special graces, but sometimes to give thanks as well.