Christmas Novena

[mommaof3]

Hi everyone! I know someone out there will be able to answer this for me. I would like to say the Christmas Novena and have heard several ways of doing it,can someone fill me in on the right way. Does it begin today or tomorrow Dec 1? Also do you say it once or 15 times in a day? Thank you all and may God bless you this season.

 

[StephanieC]

My mother-in-law just emailed me about this! It actually began today (Nov.30) but of course I think you should just jump right in. The description does say 15 times a day. I’m guessing you can just say it hourly upon waking? Not sure, though.

Christmas Anticipation Prayer

Beginning on St. Andrew the Apostle’s feast day, November 30, the following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for His coming.

Hail and blessed be the hour and 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 prayer and grant my desires,
[here mention your request]
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and of His blessed Mother. Amen.

 

[The_Reginator]

I came across a reference to the Christmas Anticipation Prayer on Scott P. Richert’s Catholicism blog. catholicism.about.com/bio/Scott-P-Richert-25677.htm

So I searched Catholic Answers to find out more.

*Here’s the instructions from Mr. Richert:

The novena is not actually addressed to Saint Andrew but to God Himself, asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can say the prayer all 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary (perhaps five times at each meal).

Prayed as a family, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is a very good way to help focus the attention of your children on the Advent season. Be sure to bookmark this page and return every day until you have the prayer memorized!*