Novena for the Immaculate Conception

The novena for the feast of the Immaculate Conception runs from November 29 to December 7: the same preparatory prayer each day, a different prayer for each day, and the Tota pulchra or the Litany of Loreto.

Feast
December 8
Start
November 29
Length
9 days

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Begin each day

Preparatory Prayer of the Novena for the Immaculate Conception

Virgin most pure, conceived without sin, all fair and stainless in thy Conception; glorious Mary, full of grace, Mother of my God, Queen of Angels and of men, I humbly venerate thee as Mother of my Saviour, who, though He was God, taught me by his own veneration, reverence, and obedience to thee, the honour and homage that are due to thee. Vouchsafe, I pray thee, to accept this Novena which I dedicate to thee. Thou art the safe refuge of the penitent sinner; it is very fitting, then, that I should have recourse to thee. Thou art the Mother of Compassion; then wilt thou surely be moved with pity for my many miseries. Thou art my best hope after Jesus; thou canst not but accept the loving confidence that I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy son, that so I may dare to cry unto thee: Show thyself a mother.

Hail Mary nine times, and Glory Be once.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Day by day

Novena for the Immaculate Conception, First Day (November 29)

Behold me at thy sacred feet, O Immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee, because from all eternity thou wast elected to be the Mother of the Eternal Word, and wast preserved stainless from the taint of original sin. I praise and bless the Most Holy Trinity, who poured out upon thy soul in thy Conception the treasure of that privilege. I humbly pray thee to obtain for me grace effectually to overcome the sad effects produced in my soul by original sin; make me wholly victorious over them, that I may never cease to love my God.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Second Day (November 30)

Mary, unsullied lily of purity, I rejoice with thee, because from the first moment of thy Conception thou wast filled with grace, and hadst given unto thee the perfect use of reason. I thank and adore the ever blessed Trinity, who gave thee those high gifts. Behold me at thy feet overwhelmed with shame to see myself so poor in grace. O Thou who wast filled full of heavenly grace, grant me a portion of that same grace, and make me a partaker in the treasures of thy Immaculate Conception.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Third Day (December 1)

Mary, mystic rose of purity, I rejoice with thee at the glorious triumph thou didst gain over the serpent by thy Immaculate Conception, in that thou wast conceived without original sin. I thank and praise with my whole heart the ever blessed Trinity, who granted thee that glorious privilege; and I pray thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every snare of the great enemy, and never to stain my soul with mortal sin. Be thou always mine aid, and enable me with thy protection to obtain the victory over all the enemies of man's eternal welfare.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Fourth Day (December 2)

Mary Immaculate Virgin, mirror of holy purity, I rejoice exceedingly to see how from thy Immaculate Conception there were infused into thy soul the most sublime and perfect virtues with all the gifts of the most Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the ever blessed Trinity who bestowed upon thee these high privileges, and I beseech thee, gracious Mother, obtain for me grace to practise every Christian virtue, and so to become worthy to receive the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Fifth Day (December 3)

Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee in that the mystery of thy Immaculate Conception was the beginning of salvation to the human race, and was the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the ever blessed Trinity who did so magnify and glorify thy person. I entreat thee to obtain for me grace so to profit by the death and passion of thy dear Son, that his Precious Blood may not have been shed upon the Cross for me in vain, but that after a holy life I may be saved.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Sixth Day (December 4)

Mary Immaculate, brilliant star of purity, I rejoice with thee, because thy Immaculate Conception brought exceeding joy to all the angels of Paradise. I thank and bless the ever blessed Trinity, who enriched thee with this privilege. Enable me also one day to take part in this heavenly joy, praising and blessing thee in the company of angels, world without end. Amen.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Seventh Day (December 5)

Mary Immaculate, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and I am filled with admiration at beholding thee confirmed in grace and rendered sinless from the first moment of thy Conception. I thank and praise the ever blessed Trinity, who elected thee alone from all mankind for this special privilege. Holiest Virgin, obtain for me so entire and lasting a hatred of sin, the worst of all evils, that I may rather die than ever again commit a mortal sin.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Eighth Day (December 6)

Mary, Virgin, sun without stain, I congratulate thee and I rejoice with thee, because God gave thee in thy Conception a greater and more abundant grace than He gave to all his angels and his saints together, even when their merits were most exalted. I thank and admire the immense beneficence of the ever blessed Trinity, who hath dispensed to thee alone this privilege. Oh, enable me too to correspond with the grace of God, and never more to receive it in vain; change my heart, and help me to begin in earnest a new life.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Novena for the Immaculate Conception, Ninth Day (December 7)

Immaculate Mary, living light of holiness, model of purity, Virgin and Mother, as soon as thou wast conceived, thou didst profoundly adore thy God, giving him thanks, because by means of thee the ancient curse was blotted out, and blessing was again come upon the sinful sons of Adam. Let this blessing kindle in my heart love towards God; and do thou inflame my heart still more and more, that I may ever love Him constantly on earth, and afterwards eternally enjoy Him in heaven, there to thank and praise Him more and more fervently for all the wondrous privileges conferred on thee, and to rejoice with thee for thy high crown of glory.

From the Raccolta (1910)

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To close

Tota Pulchra Es (All Fair Art Thou, O Mary)

℣.All fair art thou, O Mary.℟.All fair art thou, O Mary.℣.The original stain is not in thee.℟.The original stain is not in thee.℣.Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.℟.Thou art the joy of Israel.℣.Thou art the honour of our people.℟.Thou art the advocate of sinners.℣.O Mary.℟.O Mary.℣.Virgin most prudent.℟.Mother most clement.℣.Pray for us.℟.Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.

℣.In thy conception, O Virgin, thou wast immaculate.℟.Pray for us to the Father, whose Son was born of thee.

O God, who through the Immaculate Conception of a Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for thy Son, we beseech Thee, who by the death of that Son, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from all stain of sin, to grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so may come to Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Latin

℣.Tota pulchra es, Maria.℟.Tota pulchra es, Maria.℣.Et macula originalis non est in te.℟.Et macula originalis non est in te.℣.Tu gloria Jerusalem.℟.Tu laetitia Israel.℣.Tu honorificentia populi nostri.℟.Tu advocata peccatorum.℣.O Maria.℟.O Maria.℣.Virgo prudentissima.℟.Mater clementissima.℣.Ora pro nobis.℟.Intercede pro nobis ad Dominum Jesum Christum.

℣.In Conceptione tua, Virgo, immaculata fuisti.℟.Ora pro nobis Patrem, cujus Filium peperisti.

Deus, qui per Immaculatam Virginis Conceptionem dignum Filio tuo habitaculum praeparasti: quaesumus, ut qui ex morte ejusdem Filii tui praevisa eam ab omni labe praeservasti, nos quoque mundos ejus intercessione ad te pervenire concedas. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Latin from the Raccolta (1910)

From the Raccolta (1910)

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Questions

When should I start this novena?

To finish on the feast (December 8), start November 29. You can also make it at any other time for a particular intention.

How do I pray it?

Each day, pray the opening prayer, the prayer for that day, then name your intention. Many people add an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.

What if I miss a day?

Customs differ. Many people simply pray the missed day's prayer as soon as they can and carry on; others start again. The tracker on this page lets you tick off each day so you can see where you are.