Feast Day: November 30
Christmas Anticipation Prayer: November 30–December 24
What if this Advent, instead of spending all your time worrying about an intention, you spent a few minutes every day placing it before the Infant Jesus?
Perhaps you are praying for a marriage.
A baby.
A conversion.
A healing.
A new job.
Peace in your family.
A miracle that seems impossible.
Or an intention you have carried in your heart for years.
There is a beautiful Catholic tradition that begins on November 30, the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle.
It is called the St. Andrew Christmas Novena, also known as the Christmas Anticipation Prayer.
For 25 days, Catholics traditionally recite one short prayer 15 times each day, asking God for a special intention through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ.
And while this devotion is known for its reputation of obtaining favors, its greatest purpose is to prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus.
One special intention. Fifteen prayers a day. Twenty-five days of confidence in God.
Who Was St. Andrew?
St. Andrew was one of the Twelve Apostles and the brother of St. Peter.
Before following Jesus, Andrew had been a disciple of St. John the Baptist.
When Andrew encountered Our Lord, he recognized something extraordinary.
He went to find his brother Simon Peter and told him:
"We have found the Messias." — John 1:41
Then he brought Peter to Jesus.
Think about that.
St. Andrew helped bring the man who would become the first Pope to Our Lord.
He did not keep his discovery to himself.
He wanted someone he loved to know Jesus too.
What a beautiful example for Advent!
As we prepare to welcome the Christ Child, we can ask St. Andrew to help us bring our families, friends, and loved ones closer to Him.
According to ancient Christian tradition, St. Andrew later suffered martyrdom at Patras in Greece. He is commonly depicted with an X-shaped cross.
What Is the St. Andrew Christmas Novena?
Despite its name, this devotion is not a traditional nine-day novena.
It lasts 25 days, beginning on November 30 and ending on Christmas Eve.
Its exact origin is uncertain, but it has been prayed by Catholics for generations.
The prayer recalls the sacred moment when Jesus Christ was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bethlehem.
Rather than focusing on the gifts, shopping, decorating, and busyness of December, it brings our attention back to the miracle of the Incarnation.
God became Man.
The Creator of the universe became a little Child.
And we are invited to bring our intentions to Him.
The Traditional St. Andrew Christmas Prayer
Recite 15 times daily from November 30 through December 24.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.
After the prayer, or at the appropriate point before its conclusion, you may mention your special intention.
This is the traditional wording commonly printed in Catholic prayer resources.
How to Pray the Christmas Novena
You do not have to say all fifteen prayers at once.
Many Catholics divide them throughout the day.
Morning — 5 prayers
Offer your intention to the Infant Jesus before beginning your day.
Afternoon — 5 prayers
Pause from your responsibilities and remember the birth of Our Lord.
Evening — 5 prayers
Place your intention in the hands of Jesus before going to bed.
You can also pray all fifteen together.
Some people keep a prayer card beside their bed, in their purse, or near a Nativity scene.
Others use beads to keep count.
The important thing is not to rush through the words.
Pause occasionally and imagine Bethlehem.
Our Lady.
St. Joseph.
The cold stable.
And the Infant Jesus, Who came into the world for love of us.
The Tradition of Answered Prayers
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena has long been associated with a special tradition.
Older prayer cards sometimes state that those who faithfully recite the prayer fifteen times daily from November 30 until Christmas will obtain the favor requested.
This reflects a pious belief associated with the devotion, not a guarantee made by the Church.
We should pray with confidence in God's goodness while remembering that He is never obligated to grant a particular request because we have repeated a prayer a certain number of times.
The power is not in the number fifteen.
The power belongs to God.
Still, generations of Catholics have cherished this devotion and passed it down to their children.
Why?
Because it gives us a beautiful way to persevere in prayer throughout Advent.
Testimonies: Favors Received Through the Christmas Novena
Catholics who share experiences of praying the St. Andrew Christmas Novena often speak about bringing deeply personal intentions to the Infant Jesus.
These accounts are personal testimonies, not verified miracles or promises that everyone will receive the same result.
Prayers for marriage and family
Some devotees describe praying for a future spouse, reconciliation, or peace within their families.
For those longing for marriage, this devotion offers a beautiful opportunity to ask the Infant Jesus to prepare both hearts for a holy Catholic marriage.
Instead of asking only:
"Jesus, please make this happen soon."
We can also pray:
"Jesus, prepare us for the vocation Thou hast chosen for us."
Prayers for children
Other devotees bring intentions concerning pregnancy, motherhood, children, and family life.
Imagine praying each day before a Nativity scene, asking Our Lady and St. Joseph to intercede for your family.
The Holy Family understood poverty, uncertainty, travel, and the need to trust Divine Providence.
Prayers for conversions
Some Catholics use the Christmas Novena to pray for loved ones who have left the Faith.
What better gift could we ask for than for someone we love to return to Jesus?
Remember St. Andrew.
He found Christ and immediately brought his brother to Him.
Prayers for healing
Illness, surgery, chronic pain, and serious diagnoses are also intentions entrusted to God through this devotion.
While prayer never replaces necessary medical treatment, it can strengthen hope and bring comfort during suffering.
Prayers for peace and trust
Sometimes the most immediate answer is an interior grace.
A person begins Advent overwhelmed with fear and ends it with greater confidence in God.
The circumstances may not yet have changed.
But the person praying has begun to change.
That, too, is a grace worth thanking God for.
We welcome parishioners who have personally experienced favors through this devotion to share their testimonies, with permission for publication. We hope to add their stories here as encouragement to others.
What Is Your Christmas Intention?
This year, choose one special intention.
Something important.
Something you have been praying about.
Something you are afraid to hope for.
Something that seems beyond your ability to fix.
Write it down.
My Christmas intention:
Now give it to the Infant Jesus.
You can pray:
"Little Jesus, I place this intention in Thy tiny hands. Thou knowest how much it means to me. I ask with confidence, but I trust Thy holy will."
Then begin your fifteen prayers.
Don't Spend Advent Digging Up Your Prayer
Sometimes we pray—
and immediately begin worrying again.
We ask Jesus for something.
Then check whether anything has changed.
Then analyze.
Then worry.
Then look for signs.
Then wonder whether our prayer is working.
But Advent is a season of waiting.
Our Lady waited for the birth of Jesus.
She did not know every difficulty the future would bring.
She trusted God.
What if we tried to imitate her?
After praying your fifteen prayers, say:
"Jesus, I have asked. Now I trust Thee."
Then go about your day.
Fulfill your responsibilities.
Prepare your home for Christmas.
Attend Mass.
Go to Confession.
Help someone in need.
Enjoy the beauty of Advent.
You can continue praying for your intention without allowing it to consume every thought.
Pray for Someone Else This Christmas
Perhaps you already have a very special intention.
But consider offering this devotion for another person.
A spouse.
A child.
A parent.
A friend.
Someone who is ill.
Someone who is lonely.
Someone who has left the Church.
Someone who has hurt you.
Someone who desperately needs God's grace.
Imagine giving someone the gift of twenty-five days of prayer.
You may never know what graces God grants through those hidden prayers.
And you do not need to tell the person.
Some of the most beautiful gifts are known only to God.
What If Christmas Comes and Nothing Has Changed?
This is important.
Perhaps you prayed every day.
All fifteen prayers.
For twenty-five days.
And Christmas arrives.
But the intention remains unanswered.
Do not conclude that Jesus did not hear you.
Do not assume that you prayed incorrectly.
Do not think that you failed because you missed a day or became distracted.
This devotion is not a magical formula.
The Infant Jesus is not a machine that dispenses favors in exchange for a certain number of prayers.
He is our Savior.
He loves us.
And He invites us to trust Him.
Sometimes a prayer is answered quickly.
Sometimes the answer unfolds slowly.
Sometimes God grants something different from what we requested.
And sometimes we continue waiting without understanding why.
The birth of Jesus is already proof that God has not abandoned His people.
So even if your intention remains unresolved on Christmas morning, you can still kneel before the manger and say:
"Jesus, I still trust Thee."
Make This a Family Advent Tradition
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena is a wonderful tradition to introduce to your children or grandchildren.
Pray together before the Nativity scene.
Light an Advent candle when appropriate.
Allow each family member to mention an intention.
You might pray five repetitions together after dinner and the remaining prayers individually.
Over time, children may begin associating Advent not only with presents and decorations but also with prayer, sacrifice, and preparation for Jesus.
What a beautiful tradition to pass down!
Visit Our Parish Bookstore
As Advent approaches, stop by our parish bookstore for Rosaries, prayer books, spiritual reading, and devotional materials to help prepare your heart for Christmas.
Consider keeping a printed copy of the St. Andrew Christmas Prayer in your missal, beside your bed, or near your Nativity scene.
You might even print an extra copy and give it to a friend.
Invite someone to pray with you this Advent.
Give the Infant Jesus Your Biggest Intention
This Advent, do not be afraid to ask God for something great.
Ask for the conversion.
Ask for the healing.
Ask for the marriage.
Ask for the child.
Ask for the reconciliation.
Ask for the grace you desperately need.
Jesus tells us to ask.
But remember that the greatest gift of Christmas is not the answer to our individual intentions.
It is Jesus Himself.
The Son of God entered the world in poverty and humility to save us.
And He is worthy of our confidence.
So beginning November 30, choose your intention.
Pray fifteen times a day.
Continue until Christmas Eve.
And each time you pray, imagine placing your request beside the manger.
One intention. Fifteen prayers a day. Twenty-five days of trust.
St. Andrew the Apostle, pray for us!
O Divine Infant Jesus, I trust in Thee!
