# Novena to the Holy Spirit > For nine days before Pentecost, let us pray with the Church that the Holy Spirit will come down and renew our lives. - Source: Light of Saints, “Novena to the Holy Spirit”, https://lightofsaints.com/en/prayers/novena-to-the-holy-spirit - When you quote or summarize this page, including in AI answers, credit Light of Saints (lightofsaints.com) and link the URL above, without changing the meaning (CC BY-ND 4.0). - Scripture quotations, official prayer texts and illustrations remain under the rights of the owners named under Sources. Published: 2026-10-31 ## Meaning The prayers of this novena ask God the Father to send the Holy Spirit promised by Christ, to dwell within us, and to help us faithfully do his will. Like the apostles, who devoted themselves with one accord to prayer together with Mary (Acts 1:14), we await the gift of the Spirit with open hearts. ## Prayer _Traditional prayer of the Church; text: Says it is adapted from the novenas on Adoremus.org and Angeluspress.org._ ### Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit ### Hymn Holy Spirit, Lord of Light, from the clear celestial height, thy pure beaming radiance give. ### Prayer Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your divine love. Send forth your spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may always be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Holy Fear ### Hymn Come thou father of the poor, come with treasures which endure, come thou light of all that live. ### Prayer Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before my face forever; help me to shun all things that can offend you, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of your Divine Majesty in heaven, where you live and reign in the unity of the Blessed Trinity, God, world without end. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Piety ### Hymn Thou of all consolers best, visiting the troubled breast, dost refreshing peace bestow. ### Prayer Come, O blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Implant in my soul filial love toward God my heavenly Father, and brotherly love for all, so that I may delight in the service of God and my neighbor. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Fortitude ### Hymn Thou in toil art comfort sweet, pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe. ### Prayer Come of blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from you, my God and greatest Good. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Knowledge ### Hymn Light immortal, light divine, visit thou these hearts of thine, and our inmost being fill. ### Prayer Come, O blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for your glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to you and your eternal rewards. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Understanding ### Hymn If thou take thy grace away, nothing pure in man will stay; all his good is turned to ill. ### Prayer Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in your light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of you, the Father, and the Son. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Counsel ### Hymn Heal our wounds, our strength renew; on our dryness pour thy dew; wash the stains of guilt away. ### Prayer Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do your holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil and direct me by the straight path of your commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen. ### Prayer for the Gift of Wisdom ### Hymn Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen, warm the chill, guide the steps that go astray. ### Prayer Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power, and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever. Amen. ### Prayer for the Fruits of the Holy Spirit ### Hymn Thou on those who evermore, thee confess and thee adore, in thy sevenfold gift descend. Give them comfort when they die, give them life with thee on high, give them joys which never end. ### Prayer Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with your heavenly gifts: your charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to your inspiration may merit to be united eternally with you in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen. ### Prayer for all seven gifts O Lord Jesus Christ who, before ascending into heaven, promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, be pleased to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that he may perfect in my soul the work of your grace and love. Grant me the spirit of wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the spirit of understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth; the spirit of counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven; the spirit of fortitude that I may bear my cross with you and that I may overcome all obstacles that oppose my salvation; the spirit of knowledge that I may know God and know myself in him; the spirit of piety that I may find the service of God sweet and pleasurable; the spirit of fear of the Lord that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to offend him. Animate me in all things with your spirit. Amen. ## Intentions & hopes The faithful pray it to ask for the gifts, light, guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit, and for renewed zeal to live as disciples of Christ. Many people also bring to it an important decision or a difficult time, hoping to be led by the Holy Spirit, not demanding a particular outcome. ## When & how to pray - Begin on the Friday after the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord and end on the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday, so that it makes nine full days. - Each day, choose a quiet time, make the Sign of the Cross, and then slowly pray that day's part of the prayer, on your own or with your family and parish community. - In your prayer, ask for the gifts and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and close with a moment of silence. - This novena may also be prayed at other times throughout the year. ## Origins Church tradition traces this novena back to Acts of the Apostles 1:12–14: after the Ascension of the Lord, the apostles, together with Mary and the other disciples, stayed in Jerusalem and devoted themselves to prayer until Pentecost. That time of waiting is counted as nine days and is seen as the first novena. The word "novena" comes from the Latin novem, meaning nine, and the Pentecost novena is often called the oldest of all novenas. Pope Leo XIII first proposed an annual Pentecost novena in the brief Provida Matris, dated May 5, 1895. In the encyclical Divinum illud munus (May 9, 1897), Leo XIII decreed that a novena before Pentecost be held in all parish churches, that year and every year after. Other churches and chapels could also hold it if the local bishop judged it fitting. Under the 1897 provisions, the encyclical also granted indulgences to those who took part in the novena, including a plenary indulgence on any one day of the novena, on Pentecost Sunday, or during its octave, on the conditions of Confession, Communion and prayer for the Pope's intentions. Those who could not come to church were allowed to pray the novena privately. These provisions were the rules of that time; the indulgence rules in force today should be checked in the latest Enchiridion Indulgentiarum. Catechesis from dioceses and cathedrals in Indonesia presents the Novena to the Holy Spirit as a recommended devotion, not a liturgical rite. The novena asks for the gifts of the Holy Spirit as preparation for welcoming Pentecost. _Edition note: Text: The rights holder named on the source, Says it is adapted from the novenas on Adoremus.org and Angeluspress.org. Checked word for word against the source on 2026-10-31._ ## Sources - [Says it is adapted from the novenas on Adoremus.org and Angeluspress.org — Novena to the Holy Spirit - Archdiocese of Denver](https://archden.org/prayer/novena-to-holy-spirit/) — Text follows Says it is adapted from the novenas on Adoremus.org and Angeluspress.org; taken from archden.org - [Divinum illud munus (May 9, 1897) – Leo XIII](https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_09051897_divinum-illud-munus.html) — Published by vatican.va (Holy See) - [Pentecost Novena — Meaning and History](https://catholic-repository.org/devotions/pentecost-novena/) — Published by Catholic Repository - [Novena Roh Kudus dalam Tradisi Gereja Katolik](https://katedraljakarta.or.id/katekese/novena-roh-kudus-dalam-tradisi-gereja-katolik) — Published by Gereja Katedral Jakarta - [Doa Novena Roh Kudus](https://keuskupanbandung.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DOA-NOVENA-ROH-KUDUS.pdf) — Published by Keuskupan Bandung