St. Peter Chrysologus Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Peter Chrysologus was a bishop who lived in the 300s-400s. He was bishop in an area of the Roman Empire called Ravenna. He became well known for his preaching.
St. Peter Chrysologus made a lot of important contributions to the Church. You can use this novena to seek intercession from this holy bishop in many aspects of your life.
About St. Peter Chrysologus
St. Peter Chrysologus was born around 380 in Italy. Little is known about his childhood except that the bishop of Imola baptized him. This same bishop gave Peter an education and ordained him to the diaconate.
Around the year 433, the city of Ravenna elected a man whom they wished to serve as their next bishop. Ravenna was a very important city at the time. Pope Sixtus III did not agree to appoint the man that the people of Ravenna had chosen.
According to tradition, Pope Sixtus had a vision of St. Peter the Apostle and St. Apollinaris of Ravenna. St. Apollinaris of Ravenna was the first bishop of Ravenna. In this vision, the two saints showed Peter Chrysologus to Pope Sixtus as the next bishop of Ravenna. Sixtus later recognized Peter Chrysologus from his vision and immediately consecrated him as bishop of Ravenna.
As a bishop, Peter became known for his preaching. He often used short homilies because he feared that his listeners would lose interest and fail to pay attention if he preached long homilies. He became known as the “Doctor of Homilies.” Tradition holds that he earned the name “Chrysologus,” which means golden-worded, because of his great skill in preaching.
Peter’s homilies hold historical significance because they are a preserved record of what Christian life looked like in Ravenna in the fifth century. But their spiritual content is even more significant. His homilies often gave explanations of Scripture in concise and simple words. He also taught in simple language about the doctrine of the Incarnation and the Apostles’ Creed.
Peter preached several homilies on the Blessed Virgin Mary. His homilies offer proof that the early Church believed in the perpetual virginity of Our Lady. He also preached many homilies on St. John the Baptist, and he emphasized the importance of receiving forgiveness through Jesus.
Peter was a proponent of daily reception of the Eucharist. His preserved homilies show that the early Church believed in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
There were many heresies gaining prominence around the time of Peter Chrysologus, and he worked hard to combat their spread in the Church. In his homilies, he condemned both Arianism and Monophysitism.
In 488, a proponent of the Monophysite heresy named Eutyches was condemned for espousing this heresy. Eutyches then appealed to Peter Chrysologus for support, but Peter refused to support him. Instead, he admonished Eutyches to accept the Church’s ruling and to be submissive to the authority of the Church.
Peter died around the year 450. One hundred seventy-six of Peter Chrysologus’ homilies have been preserved for centuries. They have been translated into many languages. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1729.
St. Peter Chrysologus’ Feast Day: July 30th
Why Pray the St. Peter Chrysologus Novena?
St. Peter Chrysologus is the patron saint of homilists. You can pray the St. Peter Chrysologus Novena if you are a homilist or are studying to become a homilist. You can also use the St. Peter Chrysologus Novena to seek his intercession for someone you know who is a homilist or who is studying to become a homilist.
Additionally, you can pray the St. Peter Chrysologus Novena to seek his intercession for your bishop or for another bishop who is in need of prayers, since St. Peter Chrysologus was a holy bishop.
You can pray the St. Peter Chrysologus Novena for any intention!
St. Peter Chrysologus Novena Prayers
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, you were baptized and educated by your bishop. He later ordained you to the diaconate. When you became a bishop, you did a lot of important work for the Church. You spent the rest of your life leading God’s people as a holy bishop.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that all bishops may be holy leaders and servants of God.
Pray for us, that we may do all we can to faithfully carry out the duties of our vocations. Pray that we may grow closer to God each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, you became well known for your preaching during your time as a bishop. You became known as a “Doctor of Homilies” and were called “golden-worded” because of your great skill in preaching. You instructed many people on important truths of the faith.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that all who preach may be effective in their holy work.
Pray for us, that we may always do all we can to bring souls to God. Pray that we may be eager to carry out God’s will in our lives each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, your homilies did a lot of good for the Church. You explained many teachings of the Church in simple language so that people could understand. You combatted the false teachings of heresies, and your homilies were preserved so that many generations could learn from them.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that the true teachings of the Church may be taught and preserved.
Pray for us, that we may always be eager to serve God and His Church in whatever ways He calls us to. Pray that we may grow in love for the Church and her teachings each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, your homilies often explained important truths of the faith using simple words. Your humility helped you to see that your listeners were likely to lose interest in long homilies, so you became very effective in preaching to them with short and simple homilies.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we and all people may grow in humility.
Pray for us, that we may grow in every virtue we need for holiness. Pray that we may do all we can to grow closer to God each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, you were bishop of Ravenna for many years. During this time, you dealt with many obstacles to the holiness of your people. Though heresy was gaining traction in the Church, you persevered in combating it at every opportunity.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in the perseverance we need for holiness.
Pray for us, that we may never allow any obstacles to deter us from preaching the Gospel. Pray that we may always do all we can to bring souls to God.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, the Arian and Monophysite heresies were gaining a lot of traction in the Church during your time as bishop of Ravenna. You condemned these heresies and did all you could to help bring heretics back to the true teachings of the Church.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that heresy may be defeated in our modern world.
Pray for us, that we may do all we can to help preach the truth to others in our world. Pray that we may strive to serve God more faithfully each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, you were a proponent of daily reception of the Eucharist. You knew how great a gift we have been given in the Eucharist. You preached often about the True Presence of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we and all people may grow in devotion to the Eucharist.
Pray for us, that we may always do all we can to make use of the helps God gives us for our salvation. Pray that we may grow in intimacy with Our Lord each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, you admonished a man named Eutyches for espousing the tenets of the Monophysite heresy. You told him to accept the judgment of the Church on the matter and to be submissive to Church authority.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we and all people may have the strength to admonish sinners when necessary.
Pray for us, that we may always do all we can to bring souls to God at every opportunity.. Pray that we may never allow any difficulties to deter us from serving God.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Peter Chrysologus 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. Peter Chrysologus as an example of holiness. We ask You to hear the prayers he brings before Your throne on our behalf.
St. Peter, you served the Church faithfully as a bishop for many years. The Church was suffering from division and heresy during your time as bishop, and you did all you could to unite your flock.
Please bring all of our petitions to God, and we particularly ask today that you pray that the Church may be strong and vibrant.
Pray for us, that we may always be eager to serve God and His Church in whatever ways He calls us to. Pray that we may do all we can to carry out God’s will in our lives each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
St. Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.