Novena to Mary Help of Christians
Nine days of prayer with Mary Helper, powerful Help of Christians and defender of the Church. His party is held May 24; the ninth is traditionally prayed of 15-23 Maybut it can be done at any time.
How you pray every day: the entry verse → the preparatory prayer for every day → three Avemarias, Gloria and the jaculatory → the prayer of the day that corresponds → three Avemarias y Gloria → end the final prayers for every day.
Entrance verse
V. Virgen Sacratísima, dígnate permitirme que te alabe.
R. Give me strength against your enemies.
Preparatory prayer for every day
O Almighty and Merciful God, who in defense of the Christian people admirably established in the Blessed Virgin Mary a perpetual help: grant us, we pray, that, strengthened by such protection, in this life we may, fighting, in death obtain victory over the evil enemy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Three Hail Marys, Glory Be, and the short prayer: "Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us." Then, the prayer of the day.
The nine days
Day one
O Mary, powerful Help of Christians, who, trusting in your mercy, come to your throne full of confidence! Hear the prayers of your children who, supplicating, implore your powerful patronage, so that we may flee from sin and the occasions of sin.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Second day
O Most Holy Mary, Mother of goodness and mercy! You who always delivered the Christian people, with your powerful patronage, from the assaults and snares of the enemy, protect our souls, we beseech you, from the attacks of the devil, the world, and the flesh, so that we may achieve complete victory over the enemies of our salvation.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Third day
O most powerful Queen of Heaven, who alone triumphed over the heresies that tried to tear so many children from the bosom of our Mother the Church! Help us, O Mary, to keep our faith firm and our hearts pure, in the midst of so many snares, so that we may not be contaminated by the poison of so many perverse doctrines.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Fourth day
O sweetest Mother Mary, you who are Queen of Martyrs for the heroic acts of valor and fortitude you practiced on earth! Deign to instill in our hearts the strength necessary to remain constant in your service, so that, overcoming all human respect, we may fulfill our religious duties without shame and always behave as your devoted children until death.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Fifth day
My dear Mother, you who in the triumph of Pope Pius VII showed your effective patronage, you spread your protective mantle over the whole Church and especially over its august head the Supreme Pontiff: defend him at all times from the attacks of the enemies, deliver him from afflictions, assist him always so that he may steer the little ship of Saint Peter to the port of salvation, triumphing over the raging waves that threaten to submerge it.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Sixth day
O Mary, Queen of the Apostles! Take under your protection the sacred ministers and all the faithful of the Catholic Church: obtain for them a spirit of unity, of perfect obedience to the Roman Pontiff and of fervent zeal for the salvation of souls; especially we beseech you to extend your loving assistance to the missionaries, so that they may succeed in drawing all souls to the true faith of Jesus Christ, to form of the whole world one flock under the guidance of one Shepherd.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Seventh day
Do not be indifferent, O Mother of Mercy, to the sufferings of the Church, despised in her doctrine and her Sacraments. Do not allow the most precious blood of your divine Son to be shed in vain; enlighten the blind who persecute her, strengthen the weak who do not defend her. May your power shine forth on earth, O Mary; may religion be glorified and heeded, may divine and ecclesiastical law be observed, so that all may praise you and humanity may attain eternal joys.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Eighth day
O Mary, Mother of God and our most loving Mother, of You it has been said: all power has been given to You on earth and in heaven; You appear before the throne of the Most High, not as one who asks, but as one who commands. To You we cry out from the depths of our misery; drive away all evil from us. Under Your protection we place our possessions, our hearts, souls, faculties, senses, life, and all that we have; be our refuge and our defense throughout our lives.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Ninth day
O most merciful Mother! You who at all times truly showed yourself to be the Helper of Christians, assist us with your most powerful patronage in life and especially in the terrible moment of death, and obtain for us final perseverance. Ah! Do not leave us for a single instant, until we happily sing your glories and the mercies of your Son in heaven, forever and ever.
Three Hail Marys and Glory Be · End with the closing prayers for every day
Closing prayers for every day
Invocation. Oh Maria! A powerful, great and illustrious Virgin, a defender of the Church... to seek the help of Christians, terrible as an army ordered in battle... You alone have triumphed in all the heresy in the world. O Mother, in our troubles, in our struggles, in our troubles, deliver us from the enemy, and in the hour of our death, take us to Paradise. Amen.
He pleads with Mary Helper. In need of a special favor, and in trust in your goodness, I resort to You, the powerful Help of Christians. Knowing of the innumerable graces that you give to your devotees daily, I have always put all my trust in You; and today, humbly prostrated to your plants, I pray you, with all the fervor of my soul, to remedy my need... (Please ask for the grace you want).
I know well, dear Mother, that I deserve nothing; and I even fear that my sins may be an obstacle to your goodness. But you can, sweetest Lady, deliver me from this pitiful state and make me serve you and your divine Son faithfully, so that I too may experience the wondrous efficacy of your holy help.