St Andrew Christmas Novena
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena is a traditional Catholic devotion prayed from the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30) through Christmas Eve. It is prayed fifteen times a day — a demanding count that has kept the same devout rhythm for well over a century — while holding a specific intention.
Despite its name, the prayer is not addressed to St. Andrew; it is a meditation on the moment of the Incarnation, said to be first prayed by devout Catholics on his feast because that day marks the start of Advent's countdown. On this page you'll find the full prayer text, the tradition and history, guidance on how to pray it, and what to do if you miss a day.
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer (prayed 15 times a day)
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.
How to Pray the Novena
Start on November 30 (the Feast of St. Andrew) and pray through Christmas Eve. Each day, pray the prayer fifteen times. Many people break it into three sets of five — morning, midday, and evening — to make it feasible on ordinary weekdays. Hold a specific intention throughout the whole novena; you may pray one novena for one intention, or add several intentions to one novena.
A Short Opening Prayer for Each Day
Lord Jesus, as I begin these fifteen prayers today, place my intention in the piercing cold of Bethlehem, at the moment of Your birth. Let each repetition draw me deeper into the mystery of Your coming to us. Amen.
A Closing Prayer for Christmas Eve
Lord Jesus, on this last night of the novena I stand at the threshold of Your feast. Thank You for the coming You made in the piercing cold of Bethlehem, and for the coming You are making still — into the corners of my life that need You most. Whatever answer You give to what I have asked, I trust the Baby who was born for us. Amen.
A Family Version of the Novena Prayer (for household prayer at the Advent wreath)
Together at the wreath, one person reads the prayer once, then the family responds in unison for the next fourteen: "Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear our prayer and grant our desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen." Naming the family's intention aloud on the first day, and again on Christmas Eve, roots the novena in the household's own story.
A Short Reflection to Pray on St. Andrew's Feast (November 30) as You Begin
Lord Jesus, on this Feast of St. Andrew, the first of the apostles you called, I begin these twenty-five days of prayer. Like Andrew, I want to bring what I have to You and see You do what I cannot. In the piercing cold of Bethlehem You came for us; in this beginning cold of winter, come for the intention I lay in Your hands today. Amen.
A Short Advent Prayer to Pair with the Novena (for the four Sundays of Advent)
God of Advent, we are waiting again — as Mary waited, as Simeon waited, as the world waited for the promise You had made. Keep our hope alert. Keep our patience gentle. Keep our attention on the Child who is coming, and not on the many other things that would use our attention up. In the hour and moment we long for Him most, be near. Amen.
Scripture to pray
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.— Luke 2:6–7 (ESV)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.— John 1:14 (ESV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.— Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
Frequently asked questions
What is the St. Andrew Christmas Novena?
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena is a Catholic devotion prayed from November 30 (the Feast of St. Andrew) through December 24 (Christmas Eve). The same short prayer, a meditation on the moment of the Incarnation, is prayed fifteen times each day for the entire span. It is traditionally prayed for a specific intention.
How many times a day do you pray the St. Andrew Novena?
Fifteen times a day, every day from November 30 through December 24 — a total of 375 repetitions over the twenty-five days. Many people pray five times in the morning, five at midday, and five in the evening to make the count feasible.
When does the St. Andrew Christmas Novena start?
It starts on November 30, the Feast of St. Andrew, and ends on December 24, Christmas Eve — twenty-five days. Despite its name, it is not literally a nine-day "novena"; the name simply reflects that it begins on St. Andrew's feast. Some Catholics call it "the Christmas Anticipation Prayer" for that reason.
Is the St. Andrew Novena a prayer to St. Andrew?
No. The novena is addressed to God through the merits of Jesus and of Mary; St. Andrew is simply the saint on whose feast day the devotion traditionally begins. The prayer itself never addresses St. Andrew directly.
What if I miss a day of the St. Andrew Novena?
Traditional practice is to keep going and simply pray double, or make up the missed day the next time you pray. The devotion is not a magic count; its power comes from the daily return to the Incarnation with your intention in hand. Miss a day, pick it back up, keep going to Christmas Eve.
Can I pray the St. Andrew Christmas Novena for another person?
Yes. The novena is often prayed for someone else — a family member who has drifted from faith, a friend facing an illness, a couple hoping for a child, a soul close to death. Hold the person and their need silently while you pray each fifteen. Some Catholic families adopt a shared intention for the household and pray the novena together in front of an Advent wreath, adding names each week as new needs arise.
Is the St. Andrew Christmas Novena approved by the Catholic Church?
The prayer is a traditional private devotion rather than a liturgical text of the Mass — it has been prayed by devout Catholics for well over a century and is widely published in Catholic prayer books, novena collections, and Advent devotionals. Like the Rosary and the Angelus, it belongs to the Church's long tradition of popular Marian and Christological devotion. Praying it does not replace the Sunday obligation or the sacraments; it enriches Advent alongside them.
What is the difference between the St. Andrew Novena and a regular novena?
A traditional novena is nine days of prayer for a specific intention — the number nine echoes the nine days between the Ascension and Pentecost. The St. Andrew Christmas Novena is longer (twenty-five days, from St. Andrew's feast through Christmas Eve) and heavier (fifteen repetitions a day rather than one). Its name reflects the starting date, not a nine-day structure. Think of it as an Advent devotion in the shape of a novena, offered in the season the Church spends preparing for the coming of Christ.