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Praying a Novena

How do you pray a novena? The word Novena comes from the Latin word novem which means nine. So a novena is generally prayed for nine consecutive days " most often in preparation for a great feast day, or for a special prayer request or need.

Not all novenas, however, are done on nine consecutive days as there are others which are prayed weekly for nine weeks. The day of the week when the novena is prayed depends on the day associated with a devotion to a particular saint. A good example is a weekly novena to St. Joseph which is usually done on a Wednesday since this is the day traditionally allotted for devotions to him.

Novenas can also be done over nine months and this is usually on the First Friday of each month. There is likewise a novena done for nine consecutive hours only and an example is the novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague.

In addition are novenas which are not necessarily done in nine hours, days, weeks or months like the 30-day novena to St. Joseph.

Praying novenas has its reference in the Holy Bible. In Acts 1:14, Jesus told His followers to pray together in the upper room and so the apostles along with the Blessed Mother and other disciples of Jesus prayed for nine consecutive days until the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit or Pentecost.

Praying a novena is simple. Instructions are provided in novena prayer booklets and even online. Some are so simple that all you have to do is pray a short prayer, mention your prayer intention and pray it again the following day up to nine days.

There are also long novenas, containing an opening prayer and a different prayer for each day or week of the novena. Some also include the Lord's Prayer (Our Father), Hail Mary and Glory Be, and other traditional Catholic prayers.

Because of its simplicity, anyone who wants to can say a novena. The popular novenas are those of the Mother of Perpetual Help and the Sacred Heart. A lot of prayers are said to have been granted after or during the praying of the aforementioned novenas. But remember that whatever novena you're praying, pray it from the heart. God looks inside our hearts and answers prayers in His own time, in His own way.

Article Source: http://www.articleadventure.com

For different novenas and prayers, visit St. Joseph's Site. If you're wondering why inspite of praying novenas and other types of prayers, still your prayers are not granted, click here to know why and what to do for your prayers to be granted.

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