The Christmas Novena, also known as the Saint Andrew Novena, as it begins on his Feast (Nov. 30), is a good way to prepare for Christmas and remind us of our intentions during Advent.

The Novena consists of saying the below prayer 15 times daily from the Feast of Saint Andrew (Nov. 30) to Christmas. I remember the joy I had on Christmas while reciting the prayer the first time I devoted myself to praying this Novena prayer. How beautiful it is to place ourselves humbly before the Manger of Our Lord on Christmas in the silence of the night. What joy!

The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena 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 piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, 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.

Novena to the Immaculate Conception

Prayer to the Immaculate Conception

O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for Thy Son, we beseech Thee that, as by the foreseen death of this, Thy Son, Thou didst preserve her from all stain, so too Thou wouldst permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto Thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Day 2:

O Mary, ever blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Queen of angels and of saints, we salute thee with the most profound veneration and filial devotion as we contemplate thy holy Immaculate Conception. We thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that we have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all our necessities we have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence. O Mother of Mercy, we beseech thee now to hear our prayer and to obtain for us of thy Divine Son the favor that we so earnestly request in this novena…

(State your intention)

O Mary, the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, thou hadst influence with thy Divine Son whilst upon this earth; thou hast the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of this petition, if it be the Divine Will. Amen.

N.B. Please prayerfully consider donating to the Books 4 Seminarians campaign: HERE. Those who give over $150 will receive a free copy of the book of meditations on the Passion and your choice of one of my hardcover publications: Devotion to the Blessed Virgin or Flowers of the Passion