A novena is a public or private prayer that is prayed nine times – nine days, one day per week for nine weeks, at the beginning of the hour for nine hours, or so. The word novena is Latin, meaning “nine.”
Typically, there are four types of novena:
- Mourning, as during the nine days following a death
- Preparation, as nine days of prayer before a major feast such as Christmas, Easter, or Pentecost
- Prayer, as for a particular intention
- Penance, as for forgiveness either before or after the Sacrament of Reconciliation
There is no particular formula for a novena; there are a variety of different formats for novena prayers. Sometimes a novena is simply the praying of a particular prayer nine times. Some novenas, particularly public prayers, include Scripture readings, reflections, litanies, or hymns. There is no wrong way to pray a novena.
There is much information on the Internet regarding novenas, and there are a number of available novena prayer books.
The Novena to the Holy Spirit is one of the oldest known novenas. It has traditionally been prayed in recollection of the time Mary and the Apostles spent in prayer between Jesus’ Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is an expression of the desire of the faithful to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. While this novena is most often prayed between Ascension and Pentecost, it may be prayed at any time of the year.
Over the next nine days, pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit with CatholicFamilyFaith.com
