In the Roman Catholic tradition, a novena is a series of prayers which are said over the course of nine days. The goal of going through a novena is to ask for grace, and to deepen one's spiritual connection with God. Although the practice of the novena originated in the Catholic community, similar prayers are also said in other Christian sects.
A novena may be said for oneself, usually as a request for assistance of some form or another, or on behalf of someone else. A classic example of a novena is a prayer asking for a sick relative to be healed. In devout communities, people may say novenas for strangers, or say “I'll make a novena for you†upon hearing of someone else's troubles.
The word “novena†comes from the Latin word for “nine.†The number nine has classically been associated with sorrow in the Christian Church, and the first novena is believed to have been said by the Virgin Mary on behalf of her Son while He suffered on the cross. Several Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures also associated symbolic meaning with the number nine and with making prayers in sets of nine, and this tradition may have been incorporated into the Christian faith by converts who clung to old beliefs.
A novena may be said for oneself, usually as a request for assistance of some form or another, or on behalf of someone else. A classic example of a novena is a prayer asking for a sick relative to be healed. In devout communities, people may say novenas for strangers, or say “I'll make a novena for you†upon hearing of someone else's troubles.
The word “novena†comes from the Latin word for “nine.†The number nine has classically been associated with sorrow in the Christian Church, and the first novena is believed to have been said by the Virgin Mary on behalf of her Son while He suffered on the cross. Several Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures also associated symbolic meaning with the number nine and with making prayers in sets of nine, and this tradition may have been incorporated into the Christian faith by converts who clung to old beliefs.
