St. Barbara Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Barbara was an early Christian martyr who lived in Greece. She was a convert to Christianity, and she showed great courage in refusing to renounce her faith. What a great example of dedication to God!
Join in praying this novena to ask for intercession from this holy woman!
About St. Barbara
St. Barbara was born in the mid-third century to wealthy pagan parents. Her mother died early in Barbara’s life. After his wife’s death, Barbara’s father made his life revolve around his only daughter.
Thinking he was protecting her, Barbara’s father locked her in a high tower. The only people he allowed her to see were pagan teachers.
During her time of seclusion, Barbara pondered God’s creation and came to realize that her father’s pagan religion was not true.
Barbara decided to dedicate her life to God, even though she couldn’t yet obtain baptism for herself. She also chose to consecrate herself to God as a virgin.
When her father began trying to arrange a marriage for her, she refused all the men he presented to her. Her father decided to allow her to leave the tower, hoping this would help her agree to the idea of marrying.
Barbara sought out other Christians, learned the teachings of the faith from them, and was baptized.
While Barbara was gone, her father had a bathhouse built for her. When Barbara saw that the bathhouse was to have two windows, she asked the builders to put in a third window, in honor of the Trinity. This bathhouse later became a place of many miraculous healings.
When Barbara told her father of her conversion, he angrily tried to strike her with a sword. She ran away, and her father tried to pursue her. But a hill sprang up to block his way. Barbara hid herself in a crevice of the hill so he could not see her.
Barbara’s father searched thoroughly for her and was unable to find her. When a shepherd who had seen her betrayed Barbara’s hiding spot to her father, her father brought her home. He beat her, starved her, and locked her up. Then he gave her over to the city’s prefect, who continued to torture her.
Barbara held fast to her faith and refused to renounce it. She prayed for strength, and Jesus appeared to her to heal her wounds.
Barbara was led throughout the city naked, along with another holy Christian woman. When Barbara prayed, an angel came and covered their nakedness. The angel also put out torches that were intended to burn Barbara.
Barbara was sentenced to die through beheading by her father. After he killed her, both her father and the prefect of the city who had tortured her were struck by lightning.
St. Barbara’s Feast Day: December 4th
Why Pray the St. Barbara Novena?
St. Barbara is the patron saint of armorers, artillerymen, and the Italian Navy. She is also the patron saint of mathematicians and architects, so you can seek her intercession if you work in one of these fields.
St. Barbara is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of fourteen saints whose intercession are often very effective in protection against disease.
Many people also seek St. Barbara’s intercession for protection from fire and explosions. She is also a great saint to turn to for prayers if you are in need of courage to hold fast to your faith amidst persecution.
You can, of course, pray the St. Barbara Novena for any intention!
St. Barbara Novena Prayers
St. Barbara Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate her deep devotion to You that never wavered.
St. Barbara, you were born in a pagan family and did not learn the truths of the faith as a child. But you desired ardently to know the truth. During your time of confinement in a tower, you pondered God’s creation and you came to realize that your father’s pagan religion was not the truth. Pray that I may spend more time thinking of You in my everyday life.
Even though your pagan father made it very difficult for you, you pursued baptism into the faith that you knew to be true. You did not let your father’s opposition stop you from becoming a Christian and serving God.
Pray for me, that I may always pursue holiness as you did, despite any obstacles. Pray that I will be courageous like you!
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the love and devotion to You that led her to pursue baptism despite her pagan father’s opposition.
St. Barbara, you did not have the benefit of an upbringing in the faith. Instead, you had to face direct opposition from you father when you desired to become a Christian. Despite his hostility to Christianity, you sought baptism and education in the faith.
Pray for me, that I will continue to seek You and pursue holiness despite the obstacles that exist in my life.
Even when you faced suffering and the threat of death for your newfound faith, you did not waver in your devotion to God. You courageously remained faithful even to the point of a death at the hand of your own father.
Pray for me, that I may serve God as devotedly as you did, no matter the cost.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate her love of You that never wavered, even when she was faced with brutal hostility from her own father.
St. Barbara, your father was deeply opposed to Christianity. You had to seek baptism and instruction in the Faith in secret. Your father’s opposition made your path to becoming a Christian very difficult, but you did not waver in your desire to be a Christian.
Pray that I will not waver in my desire to be a strong and faithful Christian!
When your father learned of your conversion, he was very angry. He tried to kill you himself, and he pursued you when you ran from him. It was ultimately your father who beheaded you. Even though his hostility must have pained you deeply, you remained firm in your commitment to God.
Pray that I may be as firm in my faith as you were and that God will comfort me when my family hurts me and despises me because of my faith.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the devotion and love for You that she showed even during her time of seclusion in a tower.
St. Barbara, your father locked you in a high tower, wrongly thinking that this would protect you. He allowed you to see only pagan teachers while you were imprisoned there. But instead of wallowing in your suffering, you used your time in seclusion to ponder God’s creation and seek the truth.
Pray that I will not wallow in my sorrow or suffering, but that I will also use my time to think of the Lord.
As soon as you were free of your imprisonment, you immediately sought to become a Christian. You did not let your father’s hostility toward Christianity keep you from worshiping God.
Pray for me, that my love of God may never grow faint, no matter what obstacles I may encounter.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the openness to Your will that she showed in consecrating herself to You as a virgin and refusing to marry.
St. Barbara, you felt called to not only become a Christian, but to serve God more fully as well. Though you must have known you would face opposition from your father, you decided to consecrate yourself to God as a virgin.
I also face opposition in my life; people and things that make it more difficult to follow God’s will for my life. Pray for me in this struggle.
Your father presented many men to you as possible husbands. Despite his efforts to convince you to marry, you remained steadfast in your desire to belong wholly to God, as you felt He was calling you to do.
Pray for me, that I may be as steadfast in my desire to serve God as you were.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the holiness and devotion to You that she showed throughout her life.
St. Barbara, while you were seeking to be baptized and to be instructed in the faith, you father built a beautiful bathhouse for you. When you saw this bathhouse, you wished it to resemble the Trinity and asked that a third window be added. This bathhouse later became a sight of many miraculous healings for those who were suffering.
Pray that I will remember the Trinity as I go about my everyday life.
St. Barbara, you are honored by many as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers against disease. Your intercession has helped bring about many miraculous healings for those who ask for your help.
Pray for me, that I may imitate the deep holiness with which you lived your life.
Please pray for my healing and for the healing of those closest to me. God knows exactly what and how each of us needs to be healed; pray for us all.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the fortitude she showed in remaining faithful to You despite the threat of suffering and death.
St. Barbara, you faced great opposition to your desire to become Christian. Your own father was hostile to Christianity, and you knew that the laws of your society could even have you killed for your faith.
Despite this opposition, you readily embarked on the journey to join Christ’s Church. When you faced suffering and the possibility of death for your faith, you did not waver. You refused to renounce your faith, even to the point of death.
Pray for me, that I may have the fortitude to do what is right in my life, no matter what obstacles I may face.
Pray that I will overcome my fear of judgements of those close to me and within my society.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate her strength in holding fast to her faith, despite great suffering and persecution.
St. Barbara, you did not live in a society that viewed Christianity favorably. Your own father was deeply hostile to the faith. You knew that being baptized and becoming a faithful Christian could lead to your persecution. But you willingly decided to devote your life to Christ.
Pray that I will decide to devote my life to Christ, and pray that I will have what I need in my heart and mind to do it.
Despite beatings, torture, starvation, and imprisonment, you refused to renounce your faith. You prayed for strength, and God gave you the grace to persevere. You held fast to your love of God even to the point of death.
Pray for me, that I may be as steadfast in my faith and love of God as you were. Pray that God will give me the grace to persevere as He gave you.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Barbara Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your martyr, St. Barbara, as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the strong courage she showed in refusing to renounce her faith despite torture and great suffering.
St. Barbara, you knew that your decision to become a Christian could cause you much suffering at the hands of those in your society who hated Christians. Your own father tried to strike you with a sword when he learned of your conversion. When he turned you over to the prefect of the city, you underwent great sufferings.
You had the opportunity to escape your sufferings by renouncing your faith. But you did not give in. Instead, you faced your sufferings and ultimately your death with great courage and faith.
Pray for me, that I may be as courageous in holding fast to my faith as you were. Pray that I won’t let my fears stop me from following Christ and following your example.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Barbara, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.