Traditional Catholic Novena

Novena to Saints Philip and James

Prayed for humility, pure love of God, apostolic friendship with Christ, and living faith.

Saints Philip and James is traditionally invoked as patron of apostles, humility, living faith, friendship with Christ, love of God.

9 daysFeast: April 240 of 9 days marked complete
Painting of Saints Philip and James

Saints Philip and James the Less, painting attributed to Veronese

Pray This Novena

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Begin the novena now, move one day at a time, and come back here whenever you are ready for the next day.

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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

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Day 1

Pray the principal prayer below for this day of the novena.

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Principal Prayer for Each Day

Pray this same prayer each day after the day's meditation.

Saints Philip and James, glorious patrons, who counted as dross the praise, and even the good esteem of men, obtain for me also, from my Lord and Savior, this fair virtue by your prayers.

How haughty are my thoughts, how contemptuous are my words, how ambitious are my works. Gain for me that low esteem of self with which you were gifted. Obtain for me a knowledge of my own nothingness, that I may rejoice when I am despised, and ever seek to be great only in the eyes of my God and Judge.

Your hearts were burning with love, but mine is all frozen towards God, and alive only for creatures. I love the world, which can never make me happy. My highest desire is to be well off here below. O my God, when shall I learn to love nothing else but Thee? Gain for me, O Philip and James, a pure love, a strong love, and an efficacious love, that, loving God here upon earth, I may enjoy the sight of Him, together with you and all saints, hereafter in heaven. Amen.

O Saint James and Saint Philip, you were called by Christ and became His friends and followers. Help me, too, to remain always in friendship with God and to follow Him wherever He calls me. St. James, you courageously preached the divinity of Jesus until your death as a martyr. Obtain for me from the Father of lights the great gift of a living faith in Jesus’ divinity which will inspire us to unstinting labor in the service of God and our fellow human beings and enable us to reach our heavenly home.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Saints Philip and James, pray for us!

Often said for

apostleshumilityliving faithfriendship with Christlove of God