Christmas Novena (Advent Novena)
A beautiful nine-day prayer to prepare your heart for the birth of Jesus Christ. This traditional novena helps us reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation and grow in spiritual virtues.
About the Christmas Novena
The Christmas Novena, also known as the St. Andrew Christmas Novena, is a traditional nine-day prayer that helps us prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus Christ. This novena is typically prayed from December 16th to December 24th, leading up to Christmas Day.
This novena focuses on the theological virtues (faith, hope, and love) and other important virtues that help us prepare our hearts to receive the newborn King. Each day we pray for different aspects of our spiritual preparation: joy, hope, love, humility, purity, obedience, poverty, peace, and gratitude.
Whether you're praying this novena during the traditional Advent season or at any other time of year, it's a powerful way to deepen your understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation and grow in holiness.
Daily Prayers
Joy
Pray for joy as we prepare for the birth of our Savior, the greatest cause for joy the world has ever known.
Hope
Pray for hope in God's promises and His plan for salvation through the birth of Jesus.
Love
Pray for love to grow in our hearts and to love God and neighbor more perfectly.
Humility
Pray for humility, following the example of the humble birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Purity
Pray for purity of heart and mind, like the pure Virgin Mary, Mother of God.
Obedience
Pray for obedience to God's will, as Jesus was obedient to the Father.
Poverty
Pray for detachment from material things, following Jesus' example of poverty.
Peace
Pray for peace in your heart and in the world, as the angels proclaimed at Jesus' birth.
Gratitude
Pray with gratitude for the gift of Jesus Christ and the joy of Christmas.
How to Make an Excellent Novena
Pray with Joy
Approach this novena with joy in your heart. Remember that you are preparing for the birth of your Savior, which is the greatest cause for joy.
State Your Intentions
Take time to state your specific intentions during the prayer. Bring your needs, hopes, and desires to the infant Jesus.
Pray in Union with Mary
Remember that you are praying in union with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Ask for her intercession and guidance during this novena.
Reflect on the Incarnation
Take time to reflect on the mystery of the incarnation - God becoming man. This should fill your heart with awe and wonder.
The Three Theological Virtues
Faith
Believe in the mystery of the Incarnation and trust in God's plan for salvation.
Hope
Hope in God's promises and His plan for our eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.
Love
Love God with all our hearts and love our neighbor as ourselves, following Jesus' example.
What is the Christmas Novena?
The Christmas Novena is a spiritual preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It helps us to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation and prepare our hearts to receive the newborn King.
Elements of Christmas Preparation
This novena helps us to:
- • Prepare our hearts spiritually for Christmas
- • Reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation
- • Grow in the theological virtues
- • Deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ
- • Experience the true joy of Christmas