The Annunciation of Mary, or Incarnation is also known as Little Christmas. This is when Jesus became flesh in Mary's womb and it is celebrated, as a Solemnity, on March 25th. A novena is a prayer said for 9 days. Below is the official novena for the Annunciation from the Raccolta, with which a person can obtain a plenary indulgence. There are prayers to be repeated each of the 9 days; and then a short specific prayer for each day. At the end of the Novena one must say a prayer for the Pope.
FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION.
PRAYERS for EACH DAY of the Novena:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, who hast taught the hearts of Thy faithful people by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant us in the same Spirit to relish what is right, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
V. All fair art thou, O Mary.
R. All fair art thou, O Mary.
V. The original stain is not in thee.
R. The original stain is not in thee.
V. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem.
R. Thou art the joy of Israel.
V. Thou art the honour of our people.
R. Thou art the advocate of sinners.
V. O Mary.
R. O Mary.
V. Virgin most prudent.
R. Mother most clement.
V. Pray for us.
B. Intercede for us to our Lord Jesus Christ.
V. In thy Conception, O Virgin, thou was immaculate.
R. Pray for us to the Father, whose Son was born of thee.
Let us pray.
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 every stain of sin, to grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so may come to Thee.
O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all the faithful, graciously look down upon Thy servant N., whom Thou host chosen to be the pastor of Thy Church; and grant him, we beseech Thee, both by word and example, so to direct those over whom Thou hast placed him, that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may attain eternal life.
O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all holiness, listen to the pious prayers of thy Church, and grant that what we ask in faith we may effectually obtain. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Day 1. I venerate and I admire thee, most holy Virgin Mary, as the humblest of all the creatures of God in the very day of thy Annunciation, when God himself exalted thee to the most sublime dignity of His own Mother. O mighty Virgin, enable me, wretched sinner that I am, to know the depths of my own nothingness, and at once with all my heart to humble myself before all men.
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 2. Mary, most holy Virgin, when thou wast saluted by Gabriel the archangel, and the message from God was conveyed to thee, and thou wast exalted by God above all the choirs of the angels, then thou didst confess thyself the handmaid of the Lord. O, obtain for me true humility and angelic purity, enabling me so to live on earth that I may ever be worthy of the blessing of God.
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 3. O Virgin ever blest, I rejoice with thee because by thy sole fiat, uttered by thee so lowlily, thou didst draw down from the bosom of the Eternal Father the Divine Word into thine own pure bosom. Draw, then, ever my heart to God; and with God draw grace into my heart, that I may ever bless thy Fiat (Be it done), and cry with devotion, “O mighty Fiat! O efficacious Fiat! O Fiat be venerated above all Fiats.” (St. Thom. de Villan.)
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 4. O Virgin Mary, on the day of thy Annunciation thou wast found by Gabriel the archangel on the watch, quick to do God’s will, and correspond with the desires of the Most holy Trinity for the redemption of man, waiting thy assent in order to redeem the world. Enable me in every good and bad fortune to turn to God with resignation and say, Be it unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 5. Most holy Mary, I well understand that thy obedience made the union between thy God and thee more intimate than shall ever again be possible for any other creature. * I am confounded to see how sin hath separated me from God. Help me, then, kind Mother, truly to do penance for my sins, that thy own loving Jesus may yet once more live in me and I in Him.
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 6. Most holy Mary, thou wast troubled by reason of thy modesty when Gabriel the archangel stood be fore thee in thy house; but I, when I come before thee, am troubled because of my great pride; wherefore do thou, in thy incomparable humility, “which brought forth God for men, reopened Paradise, and let the captive souls go free from hell beneath,” * draw me, I pray thee, out of the deep pit of my sins, and enable me to save my soul.
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 7. Most holy Virgin, though I have an unhallowed tongue, 1 have the boldness to salute thee all hours of the day: “Hail, hail, Mary, full of grace.”
I pray thee, from my heart, to replenish my soul with a little of that grace wherewith the Holy Spirit, when he overshadowed thee, filled thee to the full.
Hail Mary prayer.
Day 8. Most holy Mary, I know by faith that the great God who has been ever with thee from thy Conception, is, by his Incarnation in thy purest womb, made still more closely one with thee; make it thy care, I pray thee, that I may ever be one heart and soul with that same dear Lord Jesus, by means of His sanctifying grace.
Ave Maria.
ix. Most holy Mary, pour out upon my heart and soul the heavenly blessing, as thou thyself wast ever blest of God among all women; for I have this sure hope, that if, my dear Mother, thou shalt bless me while I live, then when I die I shall be blest of God in the everlasting glory of heaven.
Hail Mary prayer.
V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Let us pray.
O God, who by the message of an angel didst will that Thy Divine Word should take flesh of the blessed Virgin Mary; grant unto us Thy suppliants, that we, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee.
Indulgences:
To all faithful Christians who, in private or public, in church or in their own houses, shall keep any of the following Novenas, in preparation for the principal feasts of most holy Mary, Pope Pius VII., at the prayer of several holy persons, granted, by Rescripts issued through his Eminence the Cardinal-Vicar, Aug. 4 and Nov. 24, 1808, and Jan. 11, 1800 (all of which are kept in the Segretaria of the Vicariate) -
i. An indulgence of 300 days, daily.
ii. A plenary indulgence to all who shall assist at this Novena every day, and who shall afterwards, either on the Feast-day itself, to which each Novena respectively has reference, or on some one day in its Octave, after Confession and Communion, pray to our Lord and to the Blessed Virgin according to the pious intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
Source: http://www.liturgialatina.org/raccolta/novenas.htm
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