Head Boldly Towards Christmas – Pray The Powerful St. Andrew Novena

Today starts the St. Andrew Christmas Novena

Father Lawrence Lew, OP via Flickr, licensed cc

I remember sitting in my living room amongst the torn paper, open boxes and piles of presents after the kids had opened their presents. All of that planning, all of that shopping, all of that anxiety was strewn around me. 

I felt shell-shocked. 

Of course, I was happy that my kids were happy with their gifts.  But something felt missing. 

I think when you’re mainly just happy that it’s over, something is wrong. If it’s going to be all that work, shouldn’t there be something more momentous than an inflated credit card balance? 

A few years later, I heard about the St. Andrew Christmas Novena. After a very lame attempt at praying the rigorous novena that year, I have poured my full effort into it every Christmas since then.

This isn’t a novena for sissies

This novena is over 50 words long, and some of them are a little archaic (vouchsafe??). That’s not counting the part in the middle where you have to add your personal intention. Add to that a repetition of 15 times a day, and it truly is a rigorous and ambitious prayer plan.

But it’s worth it.

In November 2021, I had severe arthritis in my left knee and a torn meniscus root in my right knee. I was basically not able to walk and was in a great deal of pain. One of my intentions with the novena was the complete healing of my knees. It took time and I certainly had to follow the recommendations of my doctor and do my physical therapy, but I am pain-free. I walk my dog a mile every morning and I can do 10 miles on my elliptical in about 30 minutes without problems.

I prayed for the safety of my children and they have all come through safe and healthy despite some pretty ambitious travel plans.

But most importantly, it’s worth it because in the end you have faithfully and fervently prayed for something with your whole heart and connected it to the moment of Christ’s birth – at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.

I don’t think you can do a better Christmas prep than that!

What is the Christmas Novena?

The Christmas Novena is a prayer that is said 15 times a day from the Feast of St. Andrew until Christmas Eve.

“It is piously believed that whoever recites the prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.”

Imprimature – Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York, New York February 6, 1897

Subscribers to my newsletter can have a free printable of the prayer. Sign up here. 

 It’s a great time to say the Christmas Novena!

Tips for praying the Novena

• So here’s my tip. Divide the 15 times into 3 times a day. I say five of them first thing in the morning, then I spread out five throughout the day while I’m working or teaching. The last five I do in the evening.
• Figure out how to word your special intention so that you can say it quickly and easily each time. For example, I pray for the health and safety of my husband, sister, children, godchildren, grandchildren, and their families.
• Don’t get behind! The first year I missed a few and then before I knew it, I felt like I hadn’t really put in the effort that this novena required. If I stick to my schedule and stay on top of it, I do manage to get it all done – 15 times a day until Christmas Eve.

So who was St. Andrew?

St. Andrew was St. Peter’s brother. St. Andrew actually heard of Jesus first and took his brother to meet him. What a wonderful example of the importance of Godly siblings in our lives and the positive influence they can have on us! November 30 is his feast day.


After Jesus ascended into heaven, the apostles scattered throughout the known world to spread the Gospel message. Andrew went to Greece where he was eventually martyred. Andrew felt that he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as our Lord, so his cross was set up diagonally like a big X. This type of cross is called “St. Andrew’s Cross.” (Andrew’s brother Peter also felt unworthy to be crucified as Jesus was and was consequently crucified upside down.)



Interestingly, when the power struggles between Rome and Constantinople were going on, a bit of lore surfaced that Andrew had actually founded the church in  Constantinople!  If that had been true it would have given some credence to the idea that Rome and Constantinople were equal in power, but this story seems to be sketchy.

The Legacy of St. Andrew

St. Andrew is to the Scottish what St. Patrick is to the Irish, although as far as we know, the saint never set a foot on the isle! There are two legends explaining this. The first is that St. Regulus had a dream to move the remains of St. Andrew to the far corners of the world for safekeeping. Apparently, he only got as far as the eastern shore of Scotland before he shipwrecked, and the spot where he came ashore is today’s St. Andrew’s.


The other legend is that the Bishop of Hexham brought the relics of St. Andrew to Scotland in 733. There was a religious center there at the time either founded by St. Rule or by a Pictish King Ungus who reigned from 731 to 761.


The Feast of St. Andrew sets the beginning of Advent! The first Sunday of Advent is always the Sunday closest to this feast day!

How to Celebrate St. Andrew’s Feast Day!

St. Andrew was the patron of fishermen so a fish dinner to celebrate would certainly be appropriate.

There were a few neat traditions associated with that. Apparently, an unmarried woman throws her shoe at the door on St. Andrew’s day to see if she will get married this year. If the toe points outward, the woman will be married and out of the house within a year!

If an unmarried woman can remove the skin from an apple without breaking it, she can throw it over her shoulder and the shape will reveal the initial of her future groom!

Resources

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Start the St. Andrew Novena Journal!

Novena Chaplet Beads

St. Andrew Novena Prayer book.

For more links and info, see below!
St. Andrew Catholics Online.
Catholic Culture – St. Andrew
St. Andrew’s Christmas Prayer 
traditional bannocks recipes from scotland biscuits cakes and sweets
Baking for Britain Blog.
What are Bannocks?

Tea Time with Scones and Bannocks.
St. Andrew’s connection to Scotland!
Coloring pages of Scotland!
Martyrdom of St. Andrew

Death of St. Andrew 
The Journeys of St. Andrew
Catholic cuisine
Scottish Short Bread
Gluten-free short bread
Fish craft
From Father Lawrence Lew, OP – from Flickr
Prayer to St. Andrew:

O glorious St. Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend, St. John, you remained with Jesus for that first day, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity. As you led your brother, St. Peter, to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to Him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for Him and dedication in His service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to Jesus. Amen.
Updated 2023