St Gerard Novena
The St. Gerard novena is nine days of prayer asking the intercession of St. Gerard Majella, the patron saint of expectant mothers, for a safe pregnancy and delivery, for a hoped-for child, or for a mother and her baby. It follows the usual novena pattern of one short prayer each day for nine days in a row. St. Gerard Majella was born in 1726 in Muro Lucano, in southern Italy, and died on October 16, 1755, at the age of 29.
He was a lay brother of the Redemptorist order, not a priest, and he was known for serving the sick and the poor and for his devotion to the Eucharist. Pope Leo XIII beatified him in 1893, and Pope Pius X canonized him on December 11, 1904. His patronage is linked to a handkerchief tradition.
His feast day is October 16. If you want the ninth day to fall on his feast day, begin on October 8. Readers grieving a pregnancy loss can pray this novena too.
At Find A Prayer, we write original prayers like these. Praying a novena does not guarantee a result and does not replace medical care, so follow your doctor's or midwife's guidance. For the general approach to nine-day prayer, read how to pray a novena, and for the wider set of pregnancy novenas, see the general novena for pregnancy.
Opening Prayer for Each Day
Heavenly Father, You are the giver of life, and every child begins in Your care. Today I come to You in the company of St. Gerard Majella, a lay brother who served the sick and the poor and loved the Eucharist. I bring my hopes for this pregnancy, or for the mother and child I love, into Your hands. St. Gerard, pray with me as I begin this novena, and ask our Lord to hear what is in my heart. Amen.
Day 1: Bringing the Whole Hope to God
On this first day, I bring the whole hope to God without trimming it down to what feels safe to say. Philippians 4:6 invites us to let our requests be made known to God. Lord, You know the hope I carry, the longing I have not spoken aloud, and the worry I try to hide. I bring all of it to You today, the joy and the fear together. St. Gerard, lay brother who loved the Eucharist, pray with me that I may trust You with my whole heart. Amen. Refrain: Lord, I place my whole hope in Your hands.
Day 2: Trusting God's Timing
God keeps a timetable that I cannot see from where I stand. Luke 1:37 reminds us that nothing will be impossible with God. Father, I do not know the day when You will answer this prayer, and the waiting tires me. Teach me to rest in Your timing rather than my own schedule. St. Gerard, pray that I can wait with patience and without bitterness. Amen. Refrain: In Your time, Lord, and in Your way.
Day 3: Peace Instead of Fear
Philippians 4:6 asks us not to be anxious about anything and to bring our requests to God with thanksgiving. Today I try to turn each fearful thought into a request. Lord Jesus, quiet the fear that rises when I think of labor, of illness, or of loss. Replace my worst imaginings with the calm of knowing You are near. St. Gerard, pray that my anxious thoughts loosen their grip and that I may breathe in Your peace. Amen. Refrain: Lord, calm my fear and steady my heart.
Day 4: The Mother's Health
Praying for her health is a way of praying for the whole pregnancy. Our prayer does not replace her doctor's care, but it can accompany that care. Lord, You know every strain and ache the mother bears today. Give her strength for the work her body is doing, and ease whatever pain or weakness she feels. St. Gerard, pray for her health, and ask God to guide her doctors and midwives in their care. Amen. Refrain: Lord, strengthen the mother and keep her in Your care.
Day 5: The Child Known to God Before Birth
Psalm 139:13 says that God formed our inward parts and knitted us together in our mother's womb. The child is known to God before anyone else can see him or her. Today I ask God to hold this child in His care from the first day. Heavenly Father, You formed this child with care, and You know this little one by name. Hold the child close, and let no harm come to him or her. St. Gerard, patron of unborn children, pray with us that God keeps this child safe. Amen. Refrain: Lord, You formed this child; keep this child safe in Your hands.
Day 6: Safe Delivery and the People Who Care for the Mother
Today I pray for the safe delivery of mother and child, and for everyone who cares for her. Lord, You are with the mother when the hour of delivery comes. Give her courage, steady breath, and a safe birth for her and her child. Guide the hands and minds of everyone who cares for her, and keep them calm and attentive. St. Gerard, pray that the birth may be safe for both mother and child. Amen. Refrain: Lord, bring mother and child safely through the hour of birth.
Day 7: Asking St. Gerard to Pray with Us
Catholics ask a saint to pray with them, in the way you would ask a friend to pray for you. The prayer goes to God, and the saint joins the request. St. Gerard Majella is the patron of expectant mothers, childbirth, and unborn children, so I ask him to take up these petitions with me. Lord God, I turn to You first, because every good gift comes from You. St. Gerard Majella, patron of expectant mothers, childbirth, and unborn children, pray with me to the Lord. Join your prayers to mine for the mother, the child, and the family who waits. Amen. Refrain: St. Gerard, pray with me to the Lord.
Day 8: Surrender and Gratitude
Surrender does not mean giving up hope. It means placing the outcome in God's hands while still asking with a whole heart. Gracious Father, I thank You for the gift of this child, or for the hope of one, and for every sign of Your care along the way. Where I want control, help me surrender, and where I feel grief or uncertainty, help me trust You. St. Gerard, pray that I may rest in God's will and give thanks in all things. Amen. Refrain: Thank You, Lord, and I place my hope in Your will.
Day 9: Entrusting the Outcome to God
On the last day, the nine days of prayer are complete, and the outcome rests with God. Entrusting a child to God does not stop us from acting with care. Prayer and medical care can go together, and Philippians 4:6 asks us to bring every request to God. Eternal Father, I have spent these nine days placing my hopes, my fears, and my body in Your hands. You know what lies ahead, and I give You the outcome. St. Gerard, present this novena to Jesus, and ask Jesus to give me the grace to accept God's holy will with faith. Amen. Refrain: Into Your hands, Lord, I entrust this child and this hope.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for these nine days of prayer and for the example of St. Gerard Majella, who loved the sick, the poor, and the Eucharist. We ask that the mother and child be kept safe, that You grant the hoped-for child according to Your will, and that all who wait be given peace. St. Gerard, patron of expectant mothers, childbirth, and unborn children, pray for us now and at the hour of birth. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Short Prayer to St. Gerard
St. Gerard Majella, patron of expectant mothers, pray for us, that mother and child may come safely through. Amen.
Scripture to pray
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.— Psalm 139:13 (ESV)
For nothing will be impossible with God.— Luke 1:37 (ESV)
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.— Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
Frequently asked questions
What is the St. Gerard novena?
The St. Gerard novena is nine consecutive days of prayer that asks the intercession of St. Gerard Majella, the patron saint of expectant mothers, for a safe pregnancy and delivery, for a hoped-for child, or for a mother and her baby. You pray once each day, using that day's reflection, prayer, and refrain. Intercession means asking St. Gerard to pray with you, since prayer is always addressed to God. The novena does not guarantee any particular outcome.
Who is St. Gerard Majella?
St. Gerard Majella was born in 1726 in Muro Lucano, in southern Italy, and died on October 16, 1755, at the age of 29. He was a lay brother of the Redemptorist order, not a priest, and he was known for serving the sick and the poor and for his devotion to the Eucharist. Pope Leo XIII beatified him in 1893. Pope Pius X canonized him on December 11, 1904, and his feast day is October 16.
Why is St. Gerard the patron saint of expectant mothers?
St. Gerard Majella is the patron saint of expectant mothers, childbirth, and unborn children. The tradition behind this patronage holds that while he stayed at a family's home, Gerard left behind a handkerchief. A young woman of the household ran after him to return it, and he told her to keep it because it might be useful to her someday. Years later, during a dangerous labor, she asked for that handkerchief, and the tradition says she and her child came through safely. This is a devotional tradition handed down in the Catholic Church, not a matter of doctrine.
When should I pray the St. Gerard novena?
You pray it for nine consecutive days. If you want the ninth day to fall on his feast day, October 16, begin on October 8, because October 8 through October 16 is nine days. Pray each day in order, since a novena is nine consecutive days of prayer.
Can I pray the St. Gerard novena to conceive?
Yes, the novena asks for a hoped-for child, so you can pray it while you are hoping to conceive. Philippians 4:6 invites you to bring your requests to God in prayer with thanksgiving, and the novena gives you a daily way to do that. The novena does not promise conception, so follow your doctor's or midwife's guidance about your health.
Can I pray this novena for someone else, like a daughter or friend?
Yes, you can pray the novena for a daughter, a friend, or anyone who is expecting a child. Intercession is asking a saint to pray with you, so you may name that person in your prayer. The prayers are addressed to God, and St. Gerard joins the request.
Does the novena guarantee a safe pregnancy?
No, the St. Gerard novena does not guarantee a safe pregnancy or any particular outcome. Prayer is addressed to God, and no saint grants a request by their own power. A novena also does not replace medical care, so follow your doctor's or midwife's guidance throughout the pregnancy.
What if I have lost a pregnancy?
Readers who have lost a pregnancy can pray this novena too. Day 8 and Day 9 focus on surrender, gratitude, and entrusting the outcome to God. Philippians 4:6 asks that your requests be made known to God.