How to Pray the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes
By Our Lady of Lourdes Devotion Team
A novena is one of the most beautiful and time-honored forms of prayer in the Catholic tradition. The word comes from the Latin novem, meaning nine, and refers to nine consecutive days of prayer offered for a specific intention or as an act of devotion. The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes is among the most beloved novenas in the Church, prayed by millions of faithful around the world.
What Is a Novena?
The practice of praying for nine days has deep roots in Sacred Scripture and Church history. After the Ascension of Jesus, the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary gathered in the Upper Room and prayed together for nine days until the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This is widely considered the first novena.
Over the centuries, the Church has embraced the novena as a powerful form of intercessory prayer. A novena can be prayed for any intention — healing, guidance, gratitude, or the conversion of a loved one. The key is perseverance and trust that God hears our prayers, especially through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes
The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes holds a special place among Marian devotions. It draws its spiritual power from the apparitions at Lourdes, where Our Lady appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times in 1858. During these apparitions, the Blessed Virgin called for prayer and penance, and a miraculous spring emerged from the Grotto that has been a source of healing for countless pilgrims.
Many faithful pray this novena in the days leading up to the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11, beginning on February 2. However, you may begin the novena at any time you feel called to seek Our Lady's intercession.
You can pray along using our Novena Tracker tool, which guides you through each day with the full prayer text and daily reflections, and saves your progress automatically.
How to Pray the Novena: Step by Step
Step 1: Prepare Your Heart
Before beginning the novena, take a moment of silence. Place yourself in the presence of God. You may light a candle, hold a rosary, or sit before an image of Our Lady of Lourdes. Formulate your intention clearly in your heart — what are you bringing to Our Lady?
Step 2: Pray the Daily Novena Prayer
The traditional novena prayer, as published by EWTN, is prayed each day for nine consecutive days:
O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the Grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and physical. I come, therefore, with complete confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. Through gratitude for your favors, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that I may one day share your glory. Amen.
Follow the prayer with one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
Step 3: Read the Daily Reflection
Each day of the novena focuses on a particular virtue or theme from the Lourdes story: Faith, Hope, Charity, Penance, Prayer, Humility, Healing, Perseverance, and Consecration. Reflecting on these themes helps deepen the spiritual fruit of the novena.
Step 4: Close with Personal Intentions
After the structured prayer, spend a few minutes in silence. Offer your personal intentions to Our Lady. Trust that she hears you and will intercede with her Son on your behalf.
When to Pray This Novena
While you can begin the novena at any time, here are some particularly meaningful occasions:
- **Before the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11):** Begin on February 2 to finish on February 10, the eve of the feast. Check our [Feast Day Countdown](/tools/feast-day-countdown/) to see how many days remain until the feast.
- **When seeking healing:** Lourdes is known throughout the world as a place of healing. If you or a loved one are facing illness, this novena is a powerful way to seek Our Lady's intercession.
- **During times of doubt or difficulty:** Our Lady told Bernadette, "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next." The novena can bring peace and perspective during trials.
- **For the conversion of a loved one:** Our Lady asked for prayer for sinners. This novena is a beautiful way to entrust a loved one to her care.
Tips for a Fruitful Novena
- **Pray at the same time each day.** Consistency helps build the habit of prayer and shows dedication to the devotion.
- **Find a quiet space.** Even a few minutes of silence before and after the prayer makes a difference.
- **Keep a journal.** Write down your intentions and any graces or insights you receive during the nine days.
- **Pray with others.** Consider inviting family members or friends to join you. A shared novena strengthens community and faith.
- **Trust in God's timing.** The answer to your prayer may not come in the way or time you expect. Trust that Our Lady knows what is best for you.
You may also find it helpful to explore our Healing Prayer Selector if your novena intention relates to healing, or to pray the Interactive Rosary alongside the novena for additional devotion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I miss a day of the novena?
Traditionally, a novena is prayed on nine consecutive days. If you miss a day, some choose to start over from the beginning, while others simply continue from where they left off. The most important thing is sincerity — Our Lady understands our human limitations.
Can I pray the novena for more than one intention?
Yes. You may bring multiple intentions to Our Lady. Simply hold all of them in your heart as you pray each day.
Do I need to pray the novena in a church?
No. You can pray the novena anywhere — at home, during your commute, in a chapel, or even outdoors. What matters is the disposition of your heart, not your location.
Where does this novena prayer come from?
The novena prayer text used here comes from EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network), one of the most trusted Catholic media sources in the world. The prayer has been prayed by the faithful for generations.
Begin Your Novena Today
The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes is a beautiful way to draw closer to the Blessed Virgin Mary and entrust your deepest needs to her maternal care. Whether you are seeking healing, guidance, or simply a deeper faith, this nine-day journey of prayer can bear abundant spiritual fruit.
Ready to begin? Use our Novena Tracker to pray the novena with daily guidance, the full prayer text, reflections, and automatic progress tracking.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.