St. Anthony Novena – Jump to a Day
Born in Portugal in 1195, St. Anthony became a massively popular Franciscan friar who died in Padua, Italy, in 1231. He traveled extensively preaching the word of Christ in places like Morocco.
Despite living just 35 years, St. Anthony’s impact was far-reaching and significant. He was such a powerful preacher that he sometimes attracted crowds of 30,000 people.
He was also known as a great miracle worker, having more than a dozen miracles associated with him, both during his time on earth and from heaven.
To this day, countless Catholics ask for St. Anthony’s intercession, including most famously in moments when they’ve lost something or are looking for something, as well as through a St. Anthony novena.
St. Anthony Prayer
The simple St. Anthony prayer for a lost item has several variations but generally goes something like the following:
“Dear St. Anthony, please come around. Something is lost, and it cannot be found.”
A more general prayer, courtesy of the St. Anthony Shrine, is:
“St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find [name the item] which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.“
In advance of St. Anthony’s feast day on June 13, many people pray a novena to St. Anthony.
How to Pray the St. Anthony Novena
A novena is a form of prayer that takes place over nine consecutive days, with its roots dating back to the disciples and Pentecost.
There are different versions of a novena to St. Anthony, which has a long history in many countries.
One review submitted to Fortnightly Review, a Catholic publication that ran from the 1910s-1930s, shows the power of the St. Anthony Novena dating back a century:
“I have wonderful results from my last two Novenas for the restoration of my health; and I hope our Blessed Mother and St. Anthony will finish the good work they have already started.”
Testimonial, Fortnightly Review, 1926
In this version of the St. Anthony novena, we focus each day on a different intention close to St. Anthony as we also seek the personal intention to which we dedicate the novena.
Thanks for praying with us for the next nine days!
Novena to St. Anthony
Day 1
Begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today, and in a special way, as we begin this novena, give God thanks for the miracles, big and small, that He performed through you and the communion of saints, and pray that our eyes might be opened to God at work in my life.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and lift up travelers–those currently making a journey, those whose work requires them to be away from home often, those making pilgrimages, those vacationing, and those commuting. Through your intercession, may God bless them and help them feel His presence on their journeys, accompanying them as Jesus did to the travelers on the road to Emmaus.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and lift up in a special way sailors, fishermen, and all of those whose work brings them out onto the water, helping to provide us food, transportations or safety. Through your intercession may God grant them peaceful waters, calming any storms just as Jesus did in the Sea of Galilee.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and pray today especially for missionaries, those who leave the comforts of home, family and familiarity to spend time in strange or unfamiliar places in Your name, helping to spread the message of Your love for us and the salvation You offer.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and lift up in a special way priests, deacons, nuns and religious sisters. St. Anthony, pray that God may bless their ministries and help us to support their vocations. In parts of the world where they encounter hostility, we pray that God keep them safe. In parts of the world where they encounter indifference, grant them strength, courage and wisdom to set hearts ablaze for You. God, we ask you blessing in a special way on all Augistinians and Franciscans, two orders that St. Anthony served.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today while we think especially of the elderly among us, those who have nurtured our faith, that they receive the respect, care and kindness they deserve.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and lift up in a special way the poor among us. Pray, St. Anthony, for the least among us, those who lack the resources they need to thrive and those experiencing spiritual poverty. Pray that we may be instruments of God’s love here on earth, caring for our brothers and sisters in greatest need, and bringing the Light of Christ to all who struggle in darkness.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and lift up all of those who are lost–those who have fallen away, those who can’t find their way, and those struggling to discern where God is calling them. St. Anthony, through your extensive travels, you undoubtedly encountered many who were lost, in many ways, and were a light to guide them to Christ. We are lost at times today, too. Pray for us, that we may open our eyes to the path that leads us to Christ, and that we may guide others towards our loving Father as well.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glorious St. Anthony, renowned for your ability to aid in making miracles happen, you are close to God in heaven with all the angels and saints. Through you, we have better come to know the majesty, power and love of our God. We seek His favor and grace today and ask for your prayers for the pursuit of sainthood. Pray that the nine days of this novena will transform me long after today. Pray that I can have a fraction of the trust in God that you displayed your entire life. Pray for me this day and each day, that I may be more holy tomorrow than I am today.
We also come to you today with this special request weighing on my heart: (Share your personal intention here) Dearest St. Anthony, miracle worker and the one who always helps what is lost once again be found, I humbly come to you asking for your prayers. Strengthen my request through your intercession. Pray for me, that I might remain faithful to God even in the face of tremendous obstacles or hardships, completely trusting in Him, just as you did.
One Our Father…
One Hail Mary…
One Glory Be…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Anthony, pray for us.