Oh, novenas. Catholics know them. We (sometimes) love them. We can also fail at keeping up with them. Once we get used to them, we can get addicted to praying them. Prayed over 9 consecutive days, novenas (from the Latin word “novem” meaning “nine”) are usually done for big intentions weighing heavily on a person’s mind.
Read more: Do You Know About the Original Novena?
Sometimes intentions are considered whoppers. That’s when people try out “novenas” that last longer than just the typical 9 days. These novenas are considered some of the most powerful yet hardest to get through.
Do you have a massive intention that you want to pull the big guns out for? Here are four of the longest and most powerful “novenas” you can try.
25 day Saint Andrew Christmas novena
This novena begins on the feast of Saint Andrew (November 30th) and ends on Christmas Eve. The prayer for this novena is recited 15 times per day for 25 days leading up to Christmas.
Much like the feast of Saint Andrew (which signals the beginning of Advent and the liturgical new year; on whatever Sunday is closest to the feast day), the purpose of this novena is to prepare our hearts for the birth of Christ. Folks who pray this novena hoping for a Christmas miracle; the gift of what they most desire from the baby Jesus.
30 day Saint Joseph novena
The novena to Saint Joseph can be prayed at any time of the year but many pray it either 30 days before or starting on one of his feast days. Those who do this novena usually look for help in their homes, with their children, during employment searches, for healing, or for conversions.
If you’re wondering why this novena is 30 days long, it is said that each day of the novena celebrates one of the 30 years that St. Joseph was (traditionally) alive prior to his death; to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
54 day Rosary novenas
You can pray this Rosary novena at any time. However, it’s recommended to start it on All Saints’ Day, ending on Christmas Eve.
There are two versions of the novena. One includes the Luminous mysteries and the other that keeps the 15 traditional mysteries. It is up to the person praying the novena to choose which version they’d like to use.
This novena is broken up into two parts – 27 days (or three 9-day novena equivalents) of Petition and 27 days of Thanksgiving. Catholics know the Rosary novena is one of the most difficult yet most rewarding novenas one can do.
9 month novena for impossible requests
The Annunciation/Impossible Requests novena begins on the feast of the Annunciation (March 25th) and ends on Christmas Day. This novena is saved for intentions that are – as the name suggestions – deemed impossible. This novena is prayed in honor of the 9 months that the Blessed Virgin Mary carried Jesus in her womb. Just like the miracle that was the birth of Our Savior, those who pray this daunting novena do so in hopes that the impossible will become possible.
Worried that you may forget a day or two? Check out this website, which will deliver the prayer to your e-mail inbox every day.
As with all prayers, there must be the disclaimer that even though these novenas are powerful and miraculous, results may vary. Sometimes we may really want one thing but get another thing. When this happens, it’s important to remember that God will give us what we need more often than what we want. He knows what is best for us so if you receive an answer that isn’t the one you were expecting, it’s because God has something better in store for us. Have patience, trust in God, and keep on praying.
