The Novena prayer has been used by countless Catholics throughout the years to ask for special graces, favors, and petitions. A novena is a prayer method in which we pray for the same petition or devotion for nine days in a row. Below is a guide on how to pray a novena prayer, common novenas, and the history of Catholic Novena prayers. “Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.” - St. John Vianney What is a Novena Prayer? A novena prayer is a unique way to pray for a specific intention or grace, such as for a loved one, healing, forgiveness, clarity with a major decision, and so on. A novena is a nine-day period of private or public prayer to obtain special graces, request special favors, or make special petitions. (The term novena is derived from the Latin novem, which means