The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena: A Prayer for Advent

As Advent begins, many Catholics take up a very old Christmas devotion: the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena. It begins on 30 November, the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, and is prayed every day until Christmas.

What is the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena?

It is a short prayer of preparation for the birth of Jesus. The same prayer is said fifteen times a day, from 30 November until Christmas Eve on 24 December. Strictly speaking a novena lasts nine days, but this devotion runs for about twenty-five. Its origins are uncertain, but it has been handed down in many families for generations, and it is simple enough for a child to learn.

The prayer

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, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Many people pray it for a particular intention, such as a family member, a friend who is ill, or a special need. Others simply offer it in thanksgiving for the coming of Christ.

How to fit fifteen prayers into a busy day

• Say five in the morning, five in the afternoon and five in the evening.
• Use a rosary to keep count, or tuck a small card in a pocket or on the kitchen windowsill.
• Pray it together as a family at the dinner table or beside the Advent wreath.
• If you miss a day, do not worry. Simply carry on where you left off.

Making it part of Advent

The novena fits well alongside the rest of the season. Our guide Advent at Home: A Simple Guide to the Four Weeks describes the four weeks, and How to Pray a Novena: A Simple Guide explains the general way of praying a novena. A small space for prayer helps too, and How to Create a Prayer Corner at Home shows how to set one up.

A rosary is a good companion for counting the prayers, such as our Carlo Acutis Rosary Beads (€7), with a silver crucifix.

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