- Novena
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- For the town in Singapore, see Novena, Singapore.
In the Catholic Church, a novena is a devotion consisting of a prayer repeated on nine successive days, asking to obtain special graces. The prayers may come from prayer books, or consist of the recitation of the Rosary (a 'Rosary novena'), or of short prayers through the day. There are four recognized categories of novenae: those of mourning, preparation (for a Church feast, ending on the eve of the feast), petition, and indulgenced. A given novena can belong to more than one of these categories. They may be performed in church, at home, or anywhere where prayer is appropriate, though some indulgenced novenas do require church attendance. Sometimes, a special candle is lit at the beginning of the novena which burns during the nine days of prayer.
The practice of saying novenas is not explicitly derived from Scripture, it was influenced by Greek and Roman family or private practices of nine days of mourning, followed by a feast, after the death of a loved one.[1]
According to the New Testament, after Jesus' Resurrection he told his disciples to pray together in the upper room and devote themselves to constant prayer (Acts 1:14). Tradition proposes that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostles and other followers of Jesus prayed together for nine consecutive days, concluding in the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
Though the novena is primarily a devotion used by members of the Catholic Church, it is also practiced by some Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran Christians.
Contents
See also
References
Bibliography
- Right Reverend Monsignor Joseph F. Stedman, The New Revised 'Triple' Novena Manual, Confraternity of the Precious Blood, 1975.
- Barbara Calamari & Sandra DiPasqua, Novena, Penguin Studio, 1999. ISBN 0-670-88444-8
External links
- "Novenas", Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN)
- "Novena for the repose of the soul of John Paul II", United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
Prayers and the Catholic Church Note: Prayers in italics are normally indulgenced. Prayers of the Mass 
Marian prayers Other prayers Act of Contrition · Adoro te devote · Angele Dei · Anima Christi · Athanasian Creed · Ave Verum Corpus · Benedictus · De Profundis · Jesus Prayer · Laudes Divinae · Miserere mei · Morning offering · Nunc Dimittis · O Salutaris Hostia · Prayer before a Crucifix · Prayer of Saint Francis · Prayer to Saint Michael · Requiem Aeternam · Spiritual Communion · Tantum Ergo · Te Deum · Thanksgiving after Communion · Veni Creator Spiritus · Veni Sancte Spiritus · Visit to the Blessed Sacrament · Way of the Cross
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