St. Emma Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Emma was a holy laywoman. She lived in the 10th and 11th century in the area that is now Germany. She was a married woman and was later widowed.
St. Emma carried out a lot of charitable work during her life. You can use this novena to seek intercession from this holy woman in your life!
About St. Emma
St. Emma was born around the year 975. Her parents were Saxons and were members of the nobility. They were descendents of a legendary king who had once fought against Charlemagne.
Emma had a brother who became a bishop. Little is known for certain about Emma’s childhood or early life, but legend says that she struggled with a tendency toward anger when she was young.
When Emma was of a suitable age for marriage, she married the son of a duke. Her husband’s name was Liudger. The two of them had only one child, a son named Imad. Imad became a priest and was eventually made a bishop.
In 1008, Emma had a church built. She dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, and it eventually became a popular sight of pilgrimages.
In 1011, Emma’s husband traveled to Russia. During the trip, he contracted an illness and died. After suffering from the tragedy of losing her husband unexpectedly, Emma withdrew to her estate. Her temperament became much more mild, and she became more devoted to her Faith.
Emma had great material wealth, so she decided to support the Church with it. She also gave the Church some of her land.
Throughout the rest of her life, Emma continued to give very generously to the Church. She had several small parish churches built in Bremen. She also used her fortune to care for the poor. She came to be very well-known for her generosity toward the poor.
One legend holds that Emma generously chose to give some meadow land to the town of Bremen in 1032, but that her brother-in-law was displeased with her generous gift. He mockingly suggested that she give only as much land as a man could walk through in a day. Emma agreed, and he then chose a man who had no legs to be the person to walk through the land.
This legless man had such miraculous strength and endurance that he was able to make his way through a huge amount of land in the appointed amount of time.
After Emma’s death, she was buried at the cathedral in Bremen. Her tomb was one of the biggest tombs in the cemetery. When her tomb was later opened, all of her body had turned to dust except her right hand. She had used her right hand during her lifetime to give generously to the poor and to the Church.
St. Emma’s Feast Day: December 3rd
Why Pray the St. Emma Novena?
St. Emma does not have an official patronage, but you can seek her intercession in many circumstances. You can pray the St. Emma Novena if you are a widow, since she was widowed. Or you can use this novena to seek St. Emma’s intercession for someone you know who has been widowed.
You can also pray the St. Emma Novena if you are trying to grow in charity or to practice more charitable works, since she was very charitable with her material wealth. Or you can pray the St. Emma Novena for someone you know who is trying to grow in charity.
You can pray the St. Emma Novena for any intention!
St. Emma Novena Prayers
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, we know very little about your early life except that you were born into a noble family. But had a brother who eventually became a bishop, and you yourself seem to have received a strong foundation in the Faith during your early life with your family.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that all families may be full of holiness and love!
Pray for us, that we may always do all we can to serve God worthily each day. Pray that we may take every opportunity God gives us to grow in holiness.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you were married to the son of a duke when you were of a suitable age for marriage. Though we know little about your marriage, we know that you bore a son and were able to form him in the Faith so that he later became a priest and bishop.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that all marriages may be loving and holy!
Pray for us, that we may always be eager to serve God in whatever ways He calls us to. Pray that we may do all we can to grow in holiness each day.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, your husband died unexpectedly from an illness while he was traveling to Russia. You suddenly became a widow. As you suffered from this loss, you began to become more devoted to your Faith.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may strengthen and help all who are grieving the death of a loved one!
Pray for us, that we may always rely fully on God for all that we need each day of our lives. Pray that we may seek to grow closer to God even in the midst of suffering.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you did not expect to become a widow early in your life. But when your husband died unexpectedly from an illness while he was traveling, you did not grow bitter. Instead, you submitted yourself to God’s will and devoted yourself more deeply to your Faith.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in true submission to God’s will!
Pray for us, that we may grow in every virtue we need for holiness. Pray that we may do all we can to grow in friendship with Our Lord each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you lost your husband unexpectedly from an illness while he was traveling to Russia. Though you did not have any idea that you would become a widow so early in life, you did not wallow in your unexpected suffering. Instead, you threw yourself more wholeheartedly into your Faith.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may bless and strengthen all widows!
Pray for us, that we may never allow any suffering to deter us from serving God. Pray that we may take every opportunity God gives us to grow in holiness and virtue.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you began to devote yourself to charitable works after the death of your husband. You were blessed with great material wealth. Rather than keep your material wealth for yourself, you chose to give of your wealth to help the Church and the poor out of love for God.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in holy detachment from material wealth!
Pray for us, that we may grow in virtue at every opportunity God gives us. Pray that we may always do all we can to serve God worthily each day.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you chose to use your great material wealth to support the Church and to care for the poor. You gave some of your land to the Church and had several small parish churches built. You became very well-known for your generosity toward the poor. You gave of your wealth out of love for God.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in true charity!
Pray for us, that we may always seek to grow in all the virtues we need for holiness. Pray that we may do all things in our lives out of love for God.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you had a lot of material wealth as a widow. Rather than keep your wealth for yourself, you chose to generously support the Church. You gave the Church some of your land, and you arranged for several churches to be built. You supported the Church out of love for God.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may abundantly bless all who contribute to the support of the Church!
Pray for us, that we may always do all we can to serve God and His Church. Pray that we may grow closer to God each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Emma 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. Emma as an example of holiness. Please hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf!
St. Emma, you became very well-known for your generosity toward the poor. After the death of your husband, you put your great material wealth to use caring for those who were most in need. You gave generously to the poor out of love for God.
We ask you to bring all of our petitions before God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may bless and assist all who suffer from poverty!
Pray for us, that we may always do all we can to help those around us who are in need. Pray that we may do all things in our lives out of love for God.
And we especially ask in this novena (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.