If you’ve been around Catholic spaces during Advent, you’ve probably seen the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena floating around. It’s that short little prayer you’re supposed to say 15 times a day from November 30 (the Feast of Saint Andrew) until Christmas Eve.
I’ll be honest… when I first heard “15 times a day,” I thought, Okay, that’s intense.
But then I actually prayed it—and something surprised me. This prayer is simple, beautiful, and somehow settles right into your heart like a steady rhythm. It becomes less of a task and more of a breath. And that’s exactly the point.
Why is it called the Saint Andrew Novena?
Traditionally it begins on Saint Andrew’s feast day, but the novena itself doesn’t ask for his intercession. Instead, it focuses our hearts on the mystery of the Incarnation—Jesus coming to us as a tiny Child in Bethlehem. It’s a prayer of longing and preparation, almost like a little spiritual countdown to Christmas.
The Prayer
Here it is, in all its beauty:
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 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 Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
Isn’t that lovely? The imagery alone—midnight, Bethlehem, piercing cold—pulls you right into that silent, holy night.
Why 15 Times a Day?
Tradition says that repeating it 15 times helps us hold the prayer in our hearts all day long. It’s not “magic”—it’s devotion. It’s letting our souls whisper the same longing over and over:
Come, Lord Jesus. I am making room for You.
And honestly? It’s easier than it sounds.
Say five in the morning, five in the afternoon, five before bed.
Or set it as your lock screen.
Or pray it every time you sit at a red light.
Little moments add up.
What makes this novena so powerful?
Because it’s all about desire.
You bring one intention—your deepest, most hidden need—and place it right in the Nativity scene, right at His feet. And you ask Jesus, with the help of His Mother, to come into that intention with the same love and tenderness that He brought into the world on Christmas night.
And isn’t that what Advent is?
Longing for Him.
Preparing a place for Him.
Letting Him step into the cold places of our lives and make them warm again.
How to Pray It This Year
Here’s my simple recommendation:
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Choose one intention. Just one.
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Pray the novena from Nov. 30 through Dec. 24.
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Anchor it to your day—set reminders if you need them.
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Let the words become a quiet background rhythm to your Advent.
And don’t stress if you miss a few. This isn’t a test. It’s a mother—Mary—inviting you to steady your heart and wait with her for Jesus.
A Final Thought
Saint Andrew is the Apostle who brought his brother, Saint Peter, to Jesus. That’s his whole heart—drawing people to the Lord. So maybe it’s fitting that the novena that bears his name does exactly that: it brings us closer to Christ just when we need Him most.
If you’ve never prayed this novena before, this might be the year to begin.
And if you have… you know the peace it brings.
Either way, I hope it blesses you and prepares your heart for Him.
Come, Lord Jesus.
