Voice in the Wilderness
Novena to St. John the Baptist
Repentance, detachment, Christian mortification, holy speech, courage, and the conversion of souls.
St. John the Baptist is traditionally invoked as patron of repentance, holy courage, truthful speech, conversion of sinners.
Saint John the Baptist, Andrea del Sarto
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.
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: The Prophet in the Desert
Ask for grace to love recollection, penance, and a simpler life with God alone in view.
Pause here for your intention.
Daily Prayer
Pray this same prayer each day after the day's meditation.
O glorious St. John the Baptist, of those born of women the greatest of prophets; thou, though sanctified from thy mother's womb and most innocent, didst nevertheless will to retire into the desert, there to practise austerities and penance; obtain for us from our Lord the grace to be detached, at least in the affections of our hearts, from all earthly treasure, and to practise Christian mortification with interior recollection and a spirit of holy prayer.
Repeated prayer cue
Pray one Pater, one Ave, and one Gloria.
O most zealous Apostle, who, without working any miracle on others, but solely by the example of thy life of penance and the power of thy words, didst draw after thee crowds, in order to prepare them to worthily receive the Messiah, and listen to his heavenly teaching; grant that it may be given to us also, by the example of a holy life and the practice of good works, to lead many souls to God, and, above all, those who have been enveloped in the darkness of error and ignorance, and led astray by vice.
Repeated prayer cue
Pray one Pater, one Ave, and one Gloria.
Unconquered martyr, who for the honour of God and the salvation of souls, didst, with heroic constancy, and at the cost of life itself, withstand the impious Herod, reproving him openly for his bad and dissolute life; obtain for us a brave and generous heart, so that, overcoming all human respect, we may boldly profess our faith, and follow the teaching of our divine master Jesus Christ.
Repeated prayer cue
Pray one Pater, one Ave, and one Gloria.
V. Pray for us, St. John the Baptist.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. O God, Who hast made this day worthy of honour in the nativity of St. John, grant to Thy people the grace of spiritual joys, and direct the minds of all the faithful into the way of eternal salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Often said for