St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Elizabeth of Schonau was a German nun who lived in the 1100s. She was a member of the Benedictine religious order. She was also an abbess.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau experienced mystical visions. You can use this novena to seek intercession from this holy mystic in many aspects of your life.
About St. Elizabeth of Schonau
St. Elizabeth of Schonau was born around the year 1129 in the area that is now Germany. She received her education from the double monastery of Schonau at Nassau. Little is known about her childhood except that she often performed pious works from the time she was young.
When Elizabeth was about eighteen years old, she became a professed Benedictine nun. As a Benedictine nun, she practiced many works of mortification.
During this time, Elizabeth also suffered from physical and mental problems, including anxiety and depression. St. Hildegard of Bingen wrote to Elizabeth and advised her to practice prudence in her asceticism for the sake of her health.
In 1152, Elizabeth began to receive mystical visions. She often experienced these visions at Mass on Holy Days and Sundays, during the praying of the Divine Office, or after reading the lives of the saints.
In Elizabeth’s visions, she often saw the Blessed Virgin Mary, an angel, or the saint whose feast it was that day. She also had visions of Christ’s Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. She sometimes saw visions of other scenes from Scripture as well.
Elizabeth’s abbot, Hildelin, told her to record her visions. She was hesitant to do so because she feared that others might doubt their legitimacy. She even feared that she herself could have been deceived about their legitimacy. Nonetheless, she obeyed her abbot’s command.
Elizabeth’s brother, Eckebert, was also a Benedictine. He assisted her in recording her visions. Three books of her visions were recorded.
Many people sought advice and counsel from Elizabeth. On one occasion, a monk from another abbey met with her in an attempt to understand her visions. He asked if she would write to him. She wrote him and his fellow monks a letter filled with spiritual advice. She stressed the importance of focusing on God rather than on worldly affairs, and she discussed the importance of the abbot’s authority and guidance over the other monks.
In 1157, Elizabeth was made abbess of the nuns in her convent. She was devoted to proper observation of the Rule of St. Benedict, and she led her convent with great zeal.
Elizabeth died in 1164. She was initially buried in the abbey church of St. Florin, but her bones were later reburied in a special chapel during the 1400s. This chapel was destroyed by a large fire in 1723 and was never rebuilt.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau’s Feast Day: June 18th
Why Pray the St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena?
St. Elizabeth of Schonau is the patron saint against temptations. You can pray the St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena if you are struggling with temptations. Or you can use this novena to seek St. Elizabeth of Schonau’s intercession for someone you know who is struggling with temptations.
You can also pray the St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena if you struggle with anxiety or depression, since she struggled with anxiety and depression. Or you can pray this novena for someone you know who struggles with anxiety or depression.
You can pray the St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena for any intention!
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena Prayers
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, we know few details about your childhood except that you often performed pious works from the time you were a young girl. Throughout the rest of your life, you piously served God as a Benedictine nun and an abbess.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in true piety.
Pray for us, that we may grow in every virtue we need for holiness. Pray that we may serve God faithfully in every circumstance in our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you followed God’s call to serve Him in the religious life. When you were eighteen years old, you took your vows as a Benedictine nun. You faithfully carried out the duties of your vocation as a nun for the rest of your life.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may inspire more men and women to serve Him in the religious and priestly vocations.
Pray for us, that we may always answer God’s call generously in our lives. Pray that we may grow in holiness and love of God at every opportunity He gives us.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you were educated by Benedictine nuns in your childhood. You later answered God’s call to serve Him as a Benedictine nun. You served God faithfully as a Benedictine for the rest of your life.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that all members of the Benedictine religious order may be holy servants of God.
Pray for us, that we may do all we can to grow closer to God. Pray that we may carry out the duties of our vocation faithfully each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you practiced many works of mortification during your time as a Benedictine nun. Though you suffered greatly from mental and physical ailments, you did not waver in your practice of penitential works.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in a holy spirit of penance.
Pray for us, that we may always make use of all the helps God gives us for our salvation. Pray that we may always put serving God above all else in our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you suffered from physical and mental ailments during your time as a Benedictine nun. Though depression and anxiety made your life as a nun difficult, you served God faithfully for the rest of your life.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may bless and assist all who suffer from anxiety or depression.
Pray for us, that we may never allow any sufferings to deter us from serving God. Pray that we may truly strive to live saintly lives, no matter what difficulties we might face.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you were instructed to use prudence in your practices of mortification as you suffered from physical and mental ailments. Throughout your life as a mystic and as an abbess, you continued to practice the virtue of prudence.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in the prudence we need for holiness.
Pray for us, that we may strive to grow in every virtue we need for holiness. Pray that we may take every opportunity God gives us to advance in virtue.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you were hesitant to record your visions because you feared that others might doubt their legitimacy. But when your abbot commanded you to record them, you obeyed.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in the obedience we need for holiness.
Pray for us, that we may grow to deeper submission to God’s will each day of our lives. Pray that we may always do all we can to serve God faithfully in every circumstance.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you submitted to the authority of your abbot and recorded your visions. When others later came to you seeking spiritual advice, you wrote to them about the importance of an abbot’s authority.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we and all people may grow in submission to the authority of the Church.
Pray for us, that we may always seek to do God’s will in every circumstance. Pray that we may grow in love for God and His Church each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Elizabeth of Schonau Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for giving us St. Elizabeth of Schonau as an example of holiness. Please hear the prayers she brings to You on our behalf.
St. Elizabeth, you were made abbess of your convent. As the abbess, you were devoted to the proper observation of the Rule of St. Benedict. You led your convent with great zeal.
We ask you to take all of our petitions before the throne of God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may bless and assist all religious superiors.
Pray for us, that we may always be eager to serve God in whatever ways He calls us to. Pray that we may always offer to God all that we do each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Elizabeth of Schonau, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.