Significance

• "Novena" originates from the Latin word "novem," which means "nine" and stands for the customary number of consecutive hours or days required to complete a novena. The Christian faith equates the number "9" with suffering and hardship. Most people say novenas to request divine help with their burdens or on behalf of someone else who is suffering.
  
  

Types

• Novenas are usually directed to saints, and can be prayed individually or as a group. Some novenas are date-specific in relation to saints' feast days or to religious holidays like Easter and Christmas. For example, a novena to Saint Patrick would begin on March 8 and end on March 16, the day before Saint Patrick's Day.
  
  

Answers With Roses

• Catholics pray to a hierarchy of saints for historical reasons and based on reported responses. Some who make novenas to Saint Therese of Lisieux, or "The Little Flower," report receiving one or more actual roses in answer to their prayers, and as a sign that their requests will be granted. In other cases, those who pray say there is a sudden, inexplicable scent of roses where there are no physical roses present. The rose symbol stems from Therese's own words about sending a shower of roses from heaven.
  
  

Acknowledgment

• Saint Jude Thaddeus was one of Jesus Christ's 12 apostles, and he is a revered choice for novenas because of his stature. Catholics call him the patron saint of hopeless cases, such as terminal illness. Devotees traditionally express their thanks in print for favors granted. Printed accounts appear frequently in newspaper "Letters to the Editor" columns.
  
  

Time Frame

• "Storm Novenas" or "Flying Novenas" are traditionally said to The Infant Jesus of Prague, usually in cases of extreme urgency, when time is critical. The term alludes to storming heaven. Devotees say these special novena prayers at the start of each of nine consecutive hours. In some instances, they spend the complete nine hours traveling to nine churches to pray.
  
  

Considerations

• Novenas are an integral part of the Catholic faith. However, there are no restrictions on who can say a novena, and nothing to prevent non-Catholics from doing so if they wish. The only prerequisite is willingness to believe in the power of prayer.