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A novena is usually prayed for nine consecutive days. The word "Novena" originated from the Latin word "novem" which means nine. It is usually done to pray for a special or urgent prayer intention or in preparation for a great feast day. However, a novena can also be spread over nine weeks, with each day of the Novena being said on any day depending on when the day of a particular saint or devotion falls. For example, Wednesday is the day traditionally associated with devotions to St. Joseph so a weekly novena in his honor is usually done on a Wednesday. Some novenas are also spread over nine months, with each day of the Novena being on a First Friday. Likewise, there is an hourly novena which is prayed for nine consecutive hours such as the Novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague. There are also novenas which are not restricted to 9 hours, days, weeks or months. Some are 30-day novenas 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. It is not hard to pray a novena. The instructions are simple. There are lots of novena cards or prayer booklets and many novenas can also be found online. Some novena prayers are so simple and all you have to do is pray a short prayer and at the end state your prayer intention. Some novenas are long and contain various prayers. Usually, there is an opening prayer and different prayers each day or week. Some also incorporate the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary and Glory Be, Act of Contrition and other traditional Catholic prayers. So anyone can pray a novena if he/she desires to. Examples of well-known novenas are those to the Mother of Perpetual Help and the Sacred Heart. Many people say that these novenas are efficacious. But whatever novena you are praying, remember to pray it from the heart. God always see what's inside our hearts and answers prayers in His own way and in His own time.
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For various novenas and prayers, go to St. Joseph's Site. If you're wondering why inspite of praying novenas and other 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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