St. Hedwig Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Hedwig was a duchess who lived in the 1200s-1300s. She lived in a region of Eastern Europe known as Silesia. St. Hedwig lived a holy life as a married woman and mother. She also became a nun when she was widowed.
You can use this novena to seek intercession from this holy woman in your life!
About St. Hedwig
St. Hedwig was born in 1174, in the Dutchy of Bavaria. Her parents were members of the nobility, and she had seven siblings.
Two of Hedwig’s sisters married kings, and one of her sisters became the abbess of a Benedictine Abbey. She also had brothers who became bishops.
Hedwig was educated at the Benedictine monastery of Kitzingen. When Hedwig was twelve years old, she married Henry the Bearded, who was the heir of the duke of Silesia.
Hedwig’s husband Henry succeeded his father as Duke in 1202. He became an active ruler who worked diligently for the welfare of his subjects. Hedwig played an active role in her husband’s reign, influencing his decisions and helping to bring about just government.
Hedwig became well-known for her piety, as well as for her prudence and her fortitude. She supported the establishment of new monasteries and worked to assist monasteries that already existed. It was largely through these monasteries that German culture came to be spread throughout the region.
Hedwig also worked to establish several hospitals in the area, including one for lepers. She became known for her charity work, donating money to the Church and to the poor.
Throughout her married years, Hedwig had seven children. Three of her children died in early childhood. One of her daughters, Gertrude, entered the religious life. Gertrude was the only one of Hedwig’s children to live longer than Hedwig.
Hedwig was also a driving force in the establishment of peace in her region. However, she was later unable to stop a battle between the forces of two of her sons, to her great sorrow.
After giving birth to her seventh child, Hedwig suggested to her husband that they should live celibately. She took a vow of chastity before the bishop. Her husband took a tonsure and allowed his beard to grow in the fashion of the Cistercian lay brothers (which is why he came to be known as “The Bearded”).
In 1238, Hedwig’s husband died. She accepted his death peacefully as God’s will. Hedwig soon moved into the monastery where her daughter Gertrude lived. Hedwig took the Cistercian habit but did not take vows, in order that she could continue to distribute her fortune to charities.
Hedwig also practiced severe mortification and led a life of deep prayer. She grew to have the reputation of a saint even while still alive because of her great piety and gentleness.
Gertrude died in 1243 and was buried with her husband.
St. Hedwig’s Feast Day: October 16th
Why Pray the St. Hedwig Novena?
St. Hedwig is the patron saint of orphans. You can seek her intercession if your parents have died. Or you can ask her to pray for an orphan whom you know.
St. Hedwig is also the patron saint of Bradenberg, of Berlin, and of Krakow, Poland. You can ask for her prayers if you live in one of these areas, or you can ask her to pray for someone you know who lives in one of these areas.
Additionally, St. Hedwig is a great saint to ask to pray for government officials, since she played an active role in her husband’s governance and helped to bring about a just government.
You can pray the St. Hedwig Novena for any intention!
St. Hedwig Novena Prayers
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed as she served You throughout her life and raised her children in the Faith.
St. Hedwig, you were born into a family that was full of religious and priestly vocations. From your upbringing in the Faith, you set out on the path of service to God for the rest of your life.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you chose to serve!
You had seven children of your own. You worked to raise them in the Faith and to form them in holiness. In your old age, you came to live in the same monastery as your daughter.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to help form others in the Faith at every opportunity. Pray that I may be eager to serve God in every way I can.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed in seeking to influence her husband’s rule towards justice and holiness.
St. Hedwig, your husband became the Duke of Silesia. As he led his people, you did all you could to help him lead with justice and virtue, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you loved so dearly!
You helped your husband to make the needs of the Church and of his subjects a priority during his reign. Your influence helped him to bring about a just government.
Pray for me, that I may do all I can to help foster peace and justice around me. Pray that I may always be ready to serve God in whatever ways He calls me to.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in seeking to influence her husband’s civil leadership for good.
St. Hedwig, you had a great influence upon the civil leadership of your husband. You worked to help him lead virtuously and to spread holiness as much as possible.
Please bring my petitions before the throne of God!
Through your efforts, you helped your husband work for the welfare of his subjects. You helped him to bring about a just government, out of love for God.
Pray for me, that I may seek to do whatever good I can for the welfare of others. Pray that I may always respond to God’s call to be of service to others in any way that I can.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed through her many acts of charity towards those in need.
St. Hedwig, you became well-known for your virtue and piety while doing many good works in your society as a young married woman. You gave money to the Church and did a lot of work to establish hospitals, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you loved wish such devotion!
Later in life when you lived in a monastery, you continued to do good works with the remainder of your fortune.
Pray for me, that I may always be ready to serve God through works of charity towards others. Pray that I may never weary of answering God’s call to serve Him through service to my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue she showed despite the sufferings she endured over the loss of her loved ones.
St. Hedwig, you gave birth to seven children but three of them died as young children. Even though you suffered the death of all but one of your children during your lifetime, you persevered in your Faith.
Please persevere in bringing my petitions before the throne of God!
When your husband died, you chose to devote your life even more wholly to God by moving to a monastery. You spent the rest of your life in prayer and good works.
Pray for me, that I may persevere in my Faith no matter what trials I might endure. Pray that I may never weary in seeking to serve God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed in choosing to live as a nun after her husband’s death.
St. Hedwig, you devoted your life as a married woman to serving God. You raised your children to love God, and this devotion you fostered led one of your daughters to enter the religious life.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
When your husband died, you chose to devote yourself to God as a nun in a monastery. You did all you could to serve God wholeheartedly in the monastery.
Pray for me, that I may serve God with wholehearted devotion, as you did. Pray that I may always be open to serving God in whatever ways He calls me to.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed during her time as a nun in a monastery.
St. Hedwig, you devoted a lot of effort to establishing many monasteries during the reign of your husband. You saw the great spiritual value of monasticism and did all you could to spread devotion to God through it.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God Whom you served so devotedly!
When you were widowed, you chose to live the monastic life yourself. You spent the rest of your life devoted to serving God as a nun.
Pray for me, that I may always be ready to serve God in whatever ways He calls me to. Pray that I may serve Him with single-minded devotion, as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in the deep spirit of penance she lived out during her time in the monastery.
St. Hedwig, you chose to serve God in a monastery when you were widowed. You took the Cistercian habit and began to live with great austerity, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God whom you loved so deeply!
During your time in the monastery, you practiced severe mortification and led a life of deep prayer. You grew to have a reputation for saintliness even while you were still living.
Pray for me, that I may grow in a holy spirit of penance in my life. Pray that I may respond wholeheartedly to God’s call to penance in my life.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Hedwig 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 St. Hedwig as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed throughout her lifetime of service to You and Your Church.
St. Hedwig, you strove throughout your whole life to be of service to God and His Church. You worked to increase justice and holiness in civil society, and you continued to practice good works out of love for God.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
After you were widowed, you moved to the monastery so that you could devote your life totally to prayer, holy works, and service to God.
Pray for me, that I may serve God and His Church as wholeheartedly as you did. Pray that I may be eager to devote my life to Him.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Hedwig, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.