Traditional Catholic Novena
Pope St. Leo the Great Novena
Prayed for strong Catholic faith, clear doctrine, courage in public confusion, and protection of the Church.
Pope St. Leo the Great is traditionally invoked as patron of popes, theologians, clear doctrine, defense of the faith, the Church.
Pope Saint Leo the Great, devotional portrait
Pray This Novena
Start with day 1
Begin the novena now, move one day at a time, and come back here whenever you are ready for the next day.
Your prayer progress and private intention stay only on this device unless you clear them. How to pray a novena.
Day 1 of 9
The same principal prayer is used each day. Choose the day you are on, pray the main prayer below, and mark the day complete when you finish.
Private intention
This stays only on this device and appears at the intention moment in the prayer.
Day 1 of 9
Not marked complete yet.
Tap any day to jump straight to it. Blue days are already marked complete on this device.
Day 1
Pray the principal prayer below for this day of the novena.
Principal Prayer for Each Day
Pray this same prayer each day after the day's meditation.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Glory be to thee, O Jesus, Lion of the Tribe of Judah! that hast raised up in thy Church a Lion to defend her in those dark times, when holy Faith was most exposed to danger.
Thou charged Peter with confirming his Brethren (St. Luke, xxii. 32.); and we have seen Leo, in whom Peter lived, fulfill this office with sovereign authority.
We have heard the acclamation of the holy Council, which, in admiration at the heavenly teachings of Leo, proclaimed the signal favour thou conferred on thy Flock, when thou commanded Peter to feed both Sheep and Lambs.
O holy Pontiff Leo! thou worthily represented Peter in his Chair, whence thy apostolic teaching ceased not to flow, ever beautiful in its truth and majesty.
The Church of thine own day honored thee as the great Teacher of Faith; and the Church of every succeeding age has recognized thee as one of the most learned Doctors and preachers of the divine Word.
From thy throne in heaven, where now thou reign, pour forth upon us the understanding of the great Mystery which thou was called on to defend. Under thy inspired pen, this mystery grows clear; we see how sublimely it harmonizes with all other mysteries; and Faith delights at gaining so close a view of the divine object of its belief. Oh! strengthen this Faith within us.
The Incarnate Word is blasphemed in these our own times; avenge his glory, by sending us men of thy zeal and learning.
Pause here for the grace you are asking.
Thou triumphed over barbarian invaders: Attila acknowledged the influence of thy sanctity and eloquence, by withdrawing his troops from the Christian land they infested.
In these our days, there have risen up new barbarians, civilized barbarians, who would persuade us that religion should be eliminated from education and that the State, in its laws and institutions, should simply ignore our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh! help us by thy powerful intercession, for our danger is extreme.
Pause here for your intention.
Pope St Leo the Great, pray for us!
Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Often said for