The Christmas novena, as it is now known, begins on December 16, nine days before Christmas, and ends on Christmas Eve. Father Vachetta left us the heritage of a lovely Advent tradition and his work continues to prepare hearts for the coming of Christ through the prophecies, psalms and Gospels.
It's called the novena, the novena de aguinaldos. Technically speaking, a novena is a series of prayers, a Catholic practice where you pray for nine days straight. This particular novena was written by a friar in the 1700s, and over time, it's become a Colombian Christmas tradition.
The nine-day prayer begins on Dec. 16 and concludes on Christmas Eve. Drawing from the Psalms and Old Testament prophecies foretelling the coming of the Messiah, the novena includes a daily Scripture reading, a meditation, an antiphon, the Magnificat, intercessions, and a closing prayer.
novena, in Christianity, a term designating a spiritual devotion consisting of the recitation of a set form of prayer for nine consecutive days, in petition for a divine favour or in preparation for a liturgical feast or as participation in an important event such as a Year of Jubilee.
A novena (from the Latin novem, “nine”) is a prayer, or set of prayers, prayed for nine days, hours, weeks or even months. It is often prayed for a specific intention or grace and may be directed to particular saints for their intercession.
(LIVE) DAY - 9, Preparation for Christmas; 25 Biblical Characters | Sat | 9 Dec 2023 | DRCColombo
Why do people pray for 9 days?
The practice of offering a novena is based upon the nine days that the Blessed Virgin Mary and the apostles spent in Jerusalem from the Ascension until Pentecost in prayerful preparation for the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The Easter Season is fifty days.
A novena (from Latin: novem, "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks.
Simply pray the novena prayer that corresponds with each day for nine days straight. Some novenas repeat the same prayer each day (those are great ones to start with!), while others have a specific prayer for each day of the novena. I personally like to bring one specific prayer intention into the novena.
Father Vachetta decided to give them the gift of a novena--a prayer going deep into the spirit of Advent, leaving one inspired with inexpressible joy. So Father Vachetta began to write his nine-day prayer, to stir the hearts of his parishioners to eagerly await the coming of Christ.
9 Days for Life is an annual novena for the protection of human life. Each day's intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.
Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day, We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
Where is the novena or 9 days of Christmas celebrated?
On Friday, December 14, fourth grade Spanish students introduced their peers to La Novena de Aguinaldos. This prayer service, dating from the 1700s, continues to be celebrated throughout the country of Colombia for the nine days leading up to Christmas with children playing leading roles.
“Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day and the many blessings You've given us. Grant us a restful night of sleep as we await the celebration of the birth of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.” “Dear God, we know that the greatest gift we have ever received is Jesus.
Nine days after someone dies, you come together, have a celebration, share food and play music. If the person was particularly religious, there might be prayers and hymns.
Carlo Antonio Vacchetta (1665-1747), and Italian Vincentian living in Turin, has received the credit of composing the novena, his work following on centuries of tradition.
For us, too, novenas can be times of persevering prayer for special needs and of preparation for solemn feasts. Novenas also can help us to focus our intentions so that we can more effectively give thanks for God's response to our needs — whatever they are — placing ever greater trust in the Lord Jesus.
It is piously believed that whoever recites the St. Andrew Christmas novena prayer FIFTEEN times each day from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) until Christmas Eve will obtain the favor requested.
Succinctly, a novena ia a nine-day period of private or public prayer to obtain special graces, to implore special favors, or make special petitions. (Novena is derived from the Latin novem, meaning nine.) As the definition suggests, the novena has always had more of a sense of urgency and neediness.
These three powerful morning prayers are the prayers of thanksgiving, the Lord's Prayer, and the prayer of Jabez. Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, the Bible tells us to enter his gates with thanksgiving, and Jabez prayed to God and God granted him his request.
Joseph novenas out there, but this is my favorite one. Here's an excerpt: Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, foster father of Jesus Christ, obtain for me a pure, humble, and charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the Divine Will.
Novenas are an ancient tradition that goes back to the days of the Apostles. Jesus told His disciples to pray together after His ascension into heaven, so they went to an upper room along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, (Acts 1:14) and joined constantly in prayer for nine days.
By the seventh day God finished the work he had been doing. So on the seventh day he rested from all of his work. God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day. He made it holy because on that day he rested.
The origins of novenas can be traced back to the early Christian Church. The Apostles themselves practiced a form of novena when they gathered in the upper room for nine days after the Ascension of Jesus, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
