How to pray a novena, and what to do if you miss a day
Tradition traces the novena to the nine days Mary and the apostles prayed together between the Ascension and Pentecost. You keep one intention in your heart and pray the same prayer once a day for nine days.
What to pray each day
Five to ten minutes a day is enough.
- 1. Bring your intention to mind, or say it aloud
- 2. Read the short reflection for the day
- 3. Pray the novena prayer
- 4. Close with an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be
If you miss a day
Tradition says to start again from Day 1. But the heart of a novena is steady trust, not a perfect count. If you simply forgot one day, continue; if you want a fresh start, begin again.
| Situation | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Forgot one day | Continue; no need to pray twice the next day |
| Several days have passed | Restart from Day 1 |
| Timed for a feast day | It's fine to finish a day late |
In Novenly
If you miss a day, Novenly asks next time whether to continue or restart from Day 1. Nine progress dots always show where you are, and you can pray several novenas at once.
Novenly's prayers are written by Novenly in the spirit of traditional Catholic devotions. They are not official liturgical texts; follow your parish's guidance too.
Let Novenly keep your place, Day 1 to Day 9
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