A novena is a traditional Catholic prayer method in which a series of prayers is offered each day for nine successive days. They are offered as a sacrifice and show of devotion when the "pray-er" is asking for something specific. They aren't magic, just a way of increasing your talks with God. A novena may be carried on in common in church, but the more popular form of the novena is private. Many novenas have been approved and Indulgenced by the Holy See, most designed as preparation for feasts. In its earliest form, the novena was designed as a prayer for the repose of the soul of a deceased person.
