A novena is a traditional Catholic prayer that continues for nine days and is intended to ask for a particular favor or blessing or to give thanks for blessings received. June 27th is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and every year we begin a special novena to her starting on June 18th. Of course, Mary is always listening, so the novena can be prayed at any time of year.

June 27th is the feast day of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
To make the novena,
pray the following on each day for nine consecutive days prior to her feast day. 

Click on the button below for the prayer on each day.

Day 1 (June 18)Day 2 (June 19)Day 3 (June 20)Day 4 (June 21)Day 5 (June 22)Day 6 (June 23)Day 7 (June 24)Day 8 (June 25)Day 9 (June 26)

DAY ONE
JUNE 18

OPENING PRAYER 

O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
 
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions. 
 
Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN.

FIRST DAY 
Blessed forever be our God Who has made thee, O Mary, so powerful, so compassionate and so ready to help. What would become of us, poor sinners, without thee? With what face, after having so often deserved disgrace and punishment, could we go before our sovereign Judge, and ask of Him, not only pardon, but favors, and a share in eternal glory? Blessed be thou too, O clement Queen, for having so often interposed between divine justice and me, thy most unworthy client, for having turned away God's anger from me, and for having obtained for me so many graces. 
 
These graces are my desires for those I may and ought still to hope for from thy Perpetual Help. Hence for the time to come, whenever I feel more painfully the weight of my unworthiness, when all seems lost, and I am tempted even to despair, then especially, full of confidence, will I invoke thy blessed name. I will make my misery a claim on thy mercy. I will believe that if God lets me feel my weakness, it is to force me to cast myself into the arms of His mercy and upon thee, my sweet and only hope. Deign to remember this resolution in my time of need, and grant that I may be faithful to it, till my last breath. Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may never cease to have recourse to thee. AMEN. 

Recite 3 Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY TWO
JUNE 19 

OPENING PRAYER 
Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute you with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to you. I thank you for your maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through your wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to you with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech you now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of your divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
 
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions. 
 
Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate you and become more like to you in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with you enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN.

SECOND DAY 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O purest Mary! O sweetest Mary! Let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on you, for in all my temptations, in all my needs, I shall never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary! Mary! 
O what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what emotion fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you. I thank the Lord for having given you, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Recite three Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us. 

DAY THREE
JUNE 20 

OPENING PRAYER 
O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
  
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions. 
  
Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN.

THIRD DAY
O Lady of Perpetual Help, you are the dispenser of all the gifts which God grants to us miserable sinners, and for this end He has made you so powerful, so rich, and so bountiful in order that you may help us in our misery. 

You are the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners who have recourse to you. Come to my aid, dearest Mother, for I recommend myself to you. In your hands I place my eternal salvation and to you I entrust my soul. Count me among your most devoted servants; take me under your protection, and it is enough for me. 

For if you protect me, dear Mother, I fear nothing: not from my sins, because you will obtain for me the pardon of them, nor from the devils, because you are more powerful than all hell together, nor even from Jesus, my Judge, because by one prayer from you, He will be appeased. 

But one thing I fear—that in the hour of temptation I may through negligence fail to have recourse to you and thus perish miserably. Obtain for me, therefore, the pardon of my sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace to have recourse to you, O Lady of Perpetual Help.   

Recite three Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY FOUR
JUNE 21 

OPENING PRAYER 
O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions.

Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN. 
 
FOURTH DAY
To thee, then, O Hope of the wretched, I, a miserable sinner, address myself. I hope that by the merits of JESUS CHRIST and through thy intercession I shall be saved. Such is my confidence, O Mary, that were eternal salvation in my own hands I would place it in thine; for I trust more in thy mercy and protection than in all my own endeavors. My Mother and my Hope, abandon me not as I deserve.

Be Moved to pity. Help me and save me; let all see that thy goodness surpasses the number and the malice of my sins. It is testified throughout the Church that no one under thy protection can ever perish. Should then all others forget me, do not thou, O our Lady of Perpetual Help. Say to GOD, that I am thy servant, that thou defend me and I shall be saved. I wish to live and die saying that next to GOD thou art my chief Hope. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, next to JESUS my only hope, grant that I may always hope in thee. AMEN.   

Recite three Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY FIVE
JUNE 22 

OPENING PRAYER 

O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
  
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions. 
  
Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN.

FIFTH DAY
O MARY, mother of all creatures, the most noble, the most sublime, the most pure, the most beautiful, the most holy, thou art loved preeminently by all the elect and by GOD Himself Who has more love for thee alone than for all men, and angels together. But I would wish to see all mankind love thee and love thee exceedingly. Obtain for me this love which I so much desire for others and which is a sure sign of predestination. But above all obtain for me the grace to love JESUS CHRIST, thy Divine Son, whom above all I am so much bound to love, as infinitely amiable in Himself, as having so much love for me, and Whom thou so ardently desires to see loved by all. This is the grace I seek for most, and above every other good. Thou canst obtain it for me, O Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and cease not to pray until thou sees a great love for JESUS enkindled in my soul, or rather cease not to pray until thou sees me united with thyself in loving Him with a pure and endless love in Paradise. AMEN.   

Recite 3 Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY SIX
JUNE 23 

OPENING PRAYER 

O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
 
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions. 
 
Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN.

SIXTH DAY 
O Most Tender and Compassionate of mothers, turn thine eyes of mercy upon me and lend a gracious ear to my humble prayer. Since thou art more ready to give than to receive, thou wilt find in me a fitting subject for thy bounty. It is true, I have deserved rather that thou should spurn me on account of the ingratitude I have hitherto shown to GOD for His benefits: yet thou art ever ready to listen to those who pray to thee, and thou regard our misery and our confidence rather than our merits. No one is more miserable than I am, and yet never have I doubted thy goodness. Incline then towards me that heart of thine so full of grace. O Mother of GOD and of men, grant me a share in those rich graces which GOD has given to thee for the whole world’s benefit. I have constant need of thy help, which thou on thy part hast a still greater desire to supply. I would that all the beatings of my heart were so many acts of love for thee, of confidence in thee, and of prayer to thee, for myself and for all who are dear to me, Mayest thou have the glory one day of seeing me saved through thy intercession. O Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in thee I hope, I shall not be confounded. AMEN.   

Recite 3 Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY SEVEN
JUNE 24 

OPENING PRAYER 

O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
 
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions. 
 
Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN.

SEVENTH DAY 
Most Holy Mother of our Savior, thou alone hast loved Him worthily, for thou hast not loved Him in word only, but in deed and in truth; thou hast given the great proof that this love demands, for thou hast loved us with a love which next to His own, never had an equal and which brought thee to sacrifice for our happiness all that He made thine own, even thy JESUS Himself. I can never be dear to thee unless I also love my neighbor with a sincere and generous love. Help me to do so, O Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Obtain for me a heart like to that of JESUS and thy own, so that I may be meek and humble, patient, compassionate, more ready to forgive than to take offense, and to give than to receive; that thus I may keep my eyes ever open to my own faults, and may close them to those of my neighbor; that I may put up with everything rather than cause pain to another; that severe to myself, I may be full of indulgence towards others, that I may love them in JESUS, and JESUS in them; that by my prayers, my good advice, and good example, I may strive to draw them for their salvation to JESUS and to thee. AMEN. 

Recite 3 Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY EIGHT
JUNE 25 

OPENING PRAYER 
O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions.

Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN. 
  
EIGHTH DAY 
O Mary, Lily of the Valley and Mirror of Purity, blessed be GOD, Whose infinite goodness has given us in thee so powerful a means of deliverance from the slavery of that deadly vice which, more than any other, causes the eternal ruins of souls. How many hast thou, O Virgin most pure, preserved in innocence through life! How many, after having long been slaves of their shameful passions, have through thee recovered their freedom! I beseech thee then, preserve me continually and all who belong to me from the attacks of this vice. Obtain for me, Mother Mary, by thy holy Virginity and by thy Immaculate Conception, that I may be pure in body and soul. Thou ever defendest all those who confide in thy Perpetual Help, and who invoke thee in the hour of danger: grant then, that in no day I may omit to honor thee, and to pray to thee. May I bear thee in mind, especially when the enemy of my salvation assails me. This is the grace I ask of thee, and I desire always to ask of thee: obtain it for me and I shall be secure. By thy holy Virginity and thy Immaculate Conception obtain for me, O Mother of Perpetual Help, purity of body and soul. AMEN.   

Recite 3 Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

DAY NINE
JUNE 26 

OPENING PRAYER 
O Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself and all I have to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Our Lady of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena. 
 
INTENTIONS: For the repose of all souls. For your own intentions.

Obtain for me also, dearest Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. AMEN. 
 
NINTH DAY 
O Mary, if — as St. Peter says — death is terrible even for the just, how much more so will it be for a sinner who has many times deserved hell. So when I think of that moment on which my eternity most depends, I begin exceedingly to fear and to tremble. O Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in thee alone is my hope, for thou are the advocate of sinners and patron of the dying. I place myself from henceforth in thy blessed hands, to thee I entrust the care of my sinful soul: dispose of me, do with me as thou pleasest, but preserve me from an evil death. Reject, if thou wilt, all my other prayers, provided thou hearest this one for a good death; or may a peaceful and holy death be the crowning answer to all the prayers I address to thee henceforth to the end of my days. And when my last hour shall come, grant, O my good Mother, that I may worthily receive all the help the Holy Church affords to the dying: And be thou pleased thyself to come then to my aid, to encourage, console and defend me from the assaults of Satan, and that thy name, with that of JESUS, may be my last thought, and my last sigh, so that I may go to heaven to sing thy mercies. Come, O Lady of Perpetual Help, to help me at the hour of my death. AMEN.   

Recite 3 Hail Marys for the favor you seek to obtain. 
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

Thank you for praying with us during the
Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in preparation for the Feast Day.

Pray Our Lady's Chaplet 

The Chaplet of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is prayed on the regular Rosary. 

How to pray the Chaplet of Our Lady of Perpetual Help 
Make the Sign of the Cross, say: Glory be, say three Hail Mary’s on each of the next three beads, after which say the Creed. 
(Each decade has one prayer for the larger bead and another prayer that is said 10 times for the smaller beads.) 

On the smaller beads: “O Mary, help us!” 

On the larger beads: “O Our Lady of Perpetual Help, listen to our pleading souls. You can help us in our needs. Mary, with hope, we call on you.” 

When completing each decade, say: “Mary has helped us, Mary wants to help us, Mary can help us. Mary will help us.” 

Upon completing the Chaplet, say the following prayer:
“We fly to your patronage, O Holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us!”

Symbolism in the Icon of
Our Lady (Mother) of Perpetual Help 

Please refer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the left.  Let us take a moment to examine the icon.  We can view symbology in nearly every aspect.  

As we first look, Mary is central.  She initially captures our eyes, and our focus.  Then we notice Jesus – she directs our attention to Him. 
 
The blue of Our Lady’s mantle is a shade of “lapis lazuli.” It is recognized as precious, and used to produce the pigment color “ultramarine.” Gold leaf also communicates the precious value of the icon and its message.  It also serves as a reminder of the heavenly realm.

We can see some Greek inscriptions written.  These are abbreviations which stand for, if we read them from left to right: 

Mother of God 
Michael the Archangel 
Gabriel the Archangel 
Jesus Christ

The Archangels are shown bearing the instruments of Our Lord’s passion. 
Michael is holding a spear, or lance.  He additionally carries a sponge and urn of gall.  Gabriel bears a Cross and nails. 
 
The Infant Jesus’ fear and anguish is indicated by the sandal we observe slipping from his foot.  Showing His heel is a reference to the promise God makes in Genesis 3:15.

If we study the eye lines and the inclination of heads - Mary is looking straight at us, and with her arms, invites us to focus not on her, but on her Son.  He is our salvation.  Mary’s head is inclined toward Jesus, in reverence of His divinity.  Jesus is portrayed as a child, but His face has greater maturity.  This is an indication of His dual nature. Mary’s mouth is small.  This can be viewed as an admonishment to be silent before the presence of God.  Mary’s head bears a star.   She leads us, as the Star of the Sea and our Morning Star who will lead us to Christ.

The hands of the Icon speak to us.  Mary’s hands are in contact with Jesus.  Her hand between his two hands is a symbol of her will conformed to His.  His two hands grasping hers as he faces the dread Cross are an example for us to seek her comfort and protection, which, mysteriously, comes from His own inner strength.
 
We view Jesus’ clothing as green and gold.  This symbolizes both earth and heaven OR humanity and divinity, another indicative of His duality.  Green can also be viewed as Creation, Gold symbolizing Resurrection. And, the Red of His sash is for the Passion. So, there are references to all of His mysteries for us: Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection.  
 
More than merely a striking picture, the Icon gives us much to recognize and contemplate.
 
Sources: 
www.maryprayforus.org/icon guide/ 
www.iconoflove.org 
Wikipedia – Our Lady of Perpetual Help 

With the utmost thanks, and sincerest of appreciation, to Father Paul Nguyen, OMV.