The Miraculous 54-Day Rosary Novena

The term “novena” is derived from the Latin word "novem," meaning "nine," a novena is nine days'
private or public devotion in the Catholic Church to obtain special graces. In some novenas, the same
prayer is said each day for nine days, or sometimes 9 times in one day; others may have (or add)
different prayers for each of the 9 prayer sessions.

Though they are not part of our liturgy and remain a "popular devotion" (a very few are prayed
paraliturgically), they've been prayed since the very beginning of the Church -- and before its official
beginning: Mary and the Apostles prayed from His Ascension to the Pentecost, a period of nine days
(Acts 1). The Christian and Jewish meaning of the number "9" entered into Christian thinking on the
matter, as "9" was associated with suffering, grief, and imperfection, making it a fitting number for
when "man's imperfection turned in prayer to God" (Catholic Encyclopedia). St. Jerome wrote that "the
number nine in Holy Writ is indicative of suffering and grief" (Ezechiel, vii, 24).

The Miraculous 54-Day Rosary Novena is actually one cycle of three Novenas followed by another cycle
of three Novenas (3 Novenas X 9 days each =27 days; 27 days X 2 cycles =54 days), which is said to make
it especially efficacious. The modalities of the prayer may vary. They normally follow the sequence of
Jesus and Mary's stations in life as presented in the classical mysteries of the Rosary.

Origin

It has its origins in a private revelation granted in 1884 to the family of Fortuna Agrelli, a girl who was so
seriously ill that her doctors had given up on her. She and her family began praying the Rosary, and saw
a vision of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei (The Virgin Mary sitting on a throne and holding the Christ
Child, with a Rosary in her hands, and accompanied by St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena).

Fortuna addressed Our Lady: "Queen of the Holy Rosary, be gracious to me, restore me to health! I have
already prayed to Thee in a novena, O Mary, but have not yet experienced Thy aid. I am so anxious to be
cured!" Our Lady is said to have replied: "Child, you have invoked me by various titles and have always
obtained favors from me. Now, since you have called Me by that title so pleasing to me, ‘Queen of the
Holy Rosary’, I can no longer refuse the favor you petition; for this name is most precious and dear to me.
Make three novenas, and you shall obtain all." The Queen of the Holy Rosary is said to have appeared
again, saying: "Whoever desires to obtain favors from me should make three novenas of the prayers of
the Rosary, and three novenas in thanksgiving."

Little Fortuna did exactly according to the indications of the Virgin and was miraculously cured. Since
then, many people have experienced the reality of the revelation and have obtained numberless graces
through this Novena. Very often people received a different grace, but never were their prayers
unheard; hence the novena is called "The Miraculous Novena".

Praying the Novena

1. Pray the Rosary (5 decades) once a day for 27 days in the spirit of petition. Start the entire cycle with
the Joyful Mysteries first, the Sorrowful Mysteries second, and ending with the Glorious Mysteries.
2. Then pray the Rosary (5 decades) once a day for 27 days in the spirit of thanksgiving, whether you
believe your petitions have been granted or not.

To do the novena properly one must pray the Rosary for 54 consecutive days, without missing a day, and
must pray the particular Mystery indicated for that day following the correct sequence. That is, the first
day of the novena always begins with the Joyful Mysteries (regardless of what day of the week the
novena is started); the second day, the Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed; and the third day of the novena,
the Glorious Mysteries are prayed. The fourth day of the novena begins again with the Joyful Mysteries
and continues on in that sequence throughout the 54 days of the novena (see chart below). If one wants
to include the Luminous Mysteries an addition of 18 days (9 for petition and 9 for thanksgiving) is
required.

Novena Record

I. In Petition

1. Joyful 2. 3. 4. Joyful 5. 6. 7. Joyful 8. 9.

Sorrowful Glorious Sorrowful Glorious Sorrowful Glorious
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious
19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.
Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious

II. In Thanksgiving

28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.

Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious
37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.
Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious
46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54.
Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious Joyful Sorrowful Glorious