You will have heard of the Novena to the Virgen del Carmen, being a common religious ritual in Spain. For centuries, it has been practiced the most in coastal towns and cities. This is due to the seafaring tradition, since the Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of sailors
If you want to know when and how it is done, here we will explain each step in detail.
When is the novena to the Virgen del Carmen made?
Catholics around the world began to pray for her nine days before the celebration of the Fiesta del Carmen on July 16.
Why is the novena to the Virgen del Carmen made?
Also known as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is one of the many requests of the Virgin Mary. According to tradition, on July 16, 1251, Saint Simon Stock, superior of the Carmelite Order, prayed for his persecuted religion. Suddenly, the habit of carrying the Order in the hand of the Virgin appeared to him and he handed her a scapular.
After this miracle, the devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel grew. and Carmelite spirituality it spread throughout the world and was promoted by the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Carmelite Order).
Curiosity about the novena to the Virgen del Carmen:
In Spain, she is the patron saint of sailors. And in Colombia she is known as the patron saint of drivers, the national public forces (navy, police, army and air force) and firefighters.
Every year, del 7 al 16 de julio, the novena is held in honor of the Blessed Virgin preparing to celebrate the party. In this space, believers are grateful for everything provided. They are asked to protect people, their work and their work environment.
How is the novena to the Virgen del Carmen made?
In this section we will explain what guidelines you have to follow for each day. All days have the common beginning of the sentence and the end:
By the sign of the holy cross, from our enemies, deliver us, Lord, our God. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
- act of contrition for every day
My God and my Lord, prostrate before your Sovereign Majesty, with all my being, with all my soul and all my heart I adore you, I confess, I bless, I praise and I glorify you. I recognize you for my God and my Lord. In you I believe, in you I hope and in you I trust you will forgive me my sins, and give your grace and perseverance in it, and the glory that you have offered to those who persevere in your love. I love you above all things. To you I confess my utmost ingratitude and all my faults and sins, of all of which I repent and I ask you to kindly grant me forgiveness.
My condolences, my God, for having offended you, for being who you are. I firmly propose, helped by your divine grace, to never sin again, to stay away from occasions of offending you, to confess, to make amends for my faults and to try to serve and please you in everything.
Forgive me, Lord, so that with a clean and pure soul I may praise the Blessed Virgin, your Mother and my Lady, and obtain through her powerful intercession the special grace that I ask for in this Novena, if it is to be for your greater honor and glory, and benefit of my soul. Amen.
- Final prayer for every day
Blessed Virgin of Carmen; I wish that everyone, without exception, be sheltered under the protective shadow of your holy Scapular, that everyone be united to you, my Mother, by the close and loving ties of this your dear Badge. O beauty of Carmel! Look at us prostrate reverently before your sacred image, and grant us benign your loving protection. I recommend to you the needs of our Most Holy Father, the Pope, and those of the Catholic Church, our Mother, as well as those of my nation and those of the whole world, my own and those of my relatives and friends. Look with compassionate eyes at so many poor sinners, heretics and schismatics as they offend your divine Son, and as many infidels as they groan in the darkness of paganism. May everyone convert and love you, my Mother, as I wish to love you now and for all eternity. So be it.
First day: Fruits of virtues and good deeds
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Holy Mary, who was figured in that little cloud that the great Prophet of God, Elijah, saw rising from the sea, and with its rain copiously fertilized the earth, signifying the purest fecundity with which you gave the world to your beloved Son Jesus. , for the universal remedy of our souls: I beg you, Lady, to obtain from your majesty copious rains of aid, so that my soul bears abundant fruits of virtues and good works, so that by serving you with perfection in this life, I deserve to enjoy you in the eternal. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Second day: Light to know his infinite goodness and love him with all my soul
Oh! Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Holy Mary, because of your unique love for the Carmelites, you favored them with your familiar treatment and sweet conversations, enlightening them with the lights of your teaching and example that they happily enjoyed. I beg you, Lady, to assist me with special protection, reaching me from your blessed Son Jesus light to know his infinite goodness and love him with all my soul; to know my faults and mourn them to know how I should behave in order to serve him with all perfection; and so that my treatment and conversation are always for your greatest honor and glory and the edification of my neighbors. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Third day: He always loved, adored and praised by me
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Holy Mary, who deigned to accept with singular love the filial gift of the Carmelites, who among all mortals were the first to build a temple in your honor on Mount Carmel, where they fervently attended to give you worship and praise. I beg you, Lady, reach for my soul, be it a living temple of the Majesty of God, adorned with all virtues, where He dwells always loved, adored and praised by me, without ever being occupied by the disordered affections of the temporal and earthly. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Fourth day: Worthily may I also be called your son
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who to show your very special love to the Carmelites honored them with the sweet name of your children and brothers, encouraging their trust with such singular favor, to seek in you, as in a loving Mother, the remedy, the consolation and protection in all their needs and afflictions, moving them to imitate your exalted virtues. I beg you, Lady, look at me, as a loving Mother and obtain for me the grace to imitate you, so that I can worthily be called your son, and that my name be inscribed in the book of predestination of the children of God and brothers of my Lord Jesus Christ. So Madam, I humbly beseech you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Fifth day: With stillness and peace always live in the holy service of God
Oh! Virgen del Carmen, Most Holy Mary, who to defend the Carmelites, your children, when they tried to extinguish the sacred Religion of Carmel, always showing the love and singular predilection with which you protect them, you sent the Supreme Pontiff, Honorius III, to receive them benignly and confirm its institute, giving it as a sign that this was your will and that of your divine Son, the sudden death of two who especially contradicted it. I beg you, Lady, defend me from all my enemies of soul and body, so that with quietude and peace I always live in the holy service of God and yours. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Sixth day: Live always as a true Christian and brother lover of the holy scapular
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Holy Mary, who to mark the Carmelites as your special children, you enriched them with the unique garment of the holy scapular, linking in it so many graces and favors for those who devoutly wear it and fulfilling their obligations, seek to live so that by imitating your virtues, they show that they are your children. I beg you, Lady, to obtain for me the grace to always live as a true Christian and lover of the holy scapular, so that I deserve to achieve the fruits of this beautiful devotion. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Seventh day: Finding safety in trials and dangers
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Holy Mary, who in your holy Scapular gave to those who devoutly wear it, a firm shield to defend themselves from all the dangers of this world and from the snares of the devil, accrediting this truth with so many and so unique miracles. I beg you, Lady, to be my powerful defense in this mortal life, so that in all tribulations and dangers I find security, and in temptations come out victorious, always achieving your special assistance to achieve it. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Eighth day: Ampares and consoles at the hour of my death
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who exercise your special protection at the hour of death for those who devoutly wear your holy scapular, so that through true penance they may leave this life in the grace of God and free themselves from the pains of hell. I beg you, Lady, to assist me, protect and console me at the hour of my death, and obtain for me true penance, perfect contrition for all my sins, burning love of God and an ardent desire to see and enjoy him, so that my soul does not perish. nor condemn, but go safely to the eternal happiness of glory. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
Ninth day: Fulfill my obligations as a Christian and the devotion of the Holy Scapular
Oh! Virgin of Mount Carmel, Most Holy Mary, who, extending your love to the Carmelites, even after death, as the most pious Mother of those who wear your holy scapular, consoles their souls when they are in Purgatory, and with your prayers you get them out as soon as possible. those pains, to go to enjoy God, our Lord, in glory. I beg you, Lady, reach me from the divine Majesty of him, I fulfill the obligations of a Christian and the devotion of the holy scapular, so that I achieve this most unique favor. So, Lady, I humbly beg you, saying La Salve.
Ask for the particular grace that you want to achieve in this Novena.
I hope that this information has been useful to you, and that you can fulfill the novena to the Virgen del Carmen.