The Christmas Novena

Beginning on November 30th, St Andrew the Apostle's feast day, it is tradition to pray the following beautiful prayer 15 times a day. Normally a novena is a nine day prayer, however sometimes the term is used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days. This prayer is often called the "Christmas Novena" or the "Christmas Anticipation Prayer" because it is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) until Christmas.

The Novena is not actually addressed to St. Andrew but to God Himself asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can pray the prayer 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary, (perhaps five times at each meal). Prayed as a family, this novena is a great way to help focus the attention of your children on the Advent Season.

Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment

in which the Son of God was born

of the most pure Virgin Mary,

at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.

In that hour vouchsafe,

I beseech Thee, O My God,

to hear my prayers and grant my desires

(here mention your request)

through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ

and of His blessed Mother.

Amen.

(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day, from the feast of St. Andrew (30th of November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

Imprimatur

MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York

New York, February 6, 1897