St. Stanislaus Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Stanislaus was a Polish bishop who lived in the 1000s. He was known for his holiness, and he was eventually martyred for his opposition to an evil king.
Let’s use this novena to ask for intercession from this holy martyr!
About St. Stanislaus
St. Stanislaus was born in a Polish village called Szczepanow, in 1030. He had no siblings, and his parents were pious members of the nobility. He went to Catholic school in Poland’s capital and then finished his education abroad.
When Stanislaus returned to Poland, he was ordained a priest. He became the pastor at a church near Krakow. Then he was appointed archdeacon to Krakow’s bishop.
During his time in this role, Stanislaus’ holy example and eloquent preaching moved many people to conversion. He had a positive influence on both laity and clergy around him.
When the bishop died in 1072, Stanislaus was elected as his successor. He was reluctant to assume the position and only did so when Pope Alexander II explicitly commanded him to. Stanislaus was one of the first Polish bishops to have been born in the country. He also became a political advisor and had some influence in the political realm of the country.
As a bishop, Stanislaus helped accomplish the bringing of papal legates to Poland. He also encouraged the king to establish Benedictine monasteries to further the Christianization of Poland.
Stanislaus soon came into conflict with the king over a land dispute. Legend has it that Stanislaus miraculously resurrected a man who could serve as an eye witness against the king in the dispute.
It was not long before Stanislaus came into conflict with the king over a more serious matter. The king was warring unjustly, and Stanislaus publicly criticized the king over the matter. Stanislaus also criticized the king’s sexual immorality.
At first, the king acted repentant after Stanislaus’ criticism. But then he returned quickly to his former sins. Stanislaus carried on in his opposition of the king’s evil acts, even though the king threatened to have him charged with treason.
Eventually, Stanislaus excommunicated the king because of the king’s behavior. This enraged the king, and he sent executioners to kill Stanislaus without a trial. However, the executioners refused to touch him, so the king decided to kill Stanislaus himself. It is said that Stanislaus was celebrating Mass when the king killed him.
After Stanislaus was killed, the king ordered the body to be cut into pieces so beasts could devour it. According to legend, the pieces of his body miraculously reintegrated.
Stanislaus’ murder so outraged the king’s subjects that the king was forced to flee to Hungary. Stanislaus was canonized in 1253.
St. Stanislaus’ Feast Day: April 11th
Why Pray the St. Stanislaus Novena?
St. Stanislaus is the patron saint of Poland and of the city of Krakow. You can ask for his intercession if you live in Poland or Krakow, or on behalf of someone you know you lives there.
St. Stanislaus is also a great saint to seek prayers from on behalf of your bishop because he was a holy bishop for much of his life.
You can also turn to St. Stanislaus for inspiration and intercession if you are in need of courage to stand up against the immorality of people in positions of power, as he was martyred for speaking out against his king’s immoral actions.
You can pray the St. Stanislaus Novena for any intention!
St. Stanislaus Novena Prayers
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the openness to Your will that he showed by answering Your call to serve You in the priesthood.
St. Stanislaus, you began your life in the household of pious parents. From the foundation in the Faith that they gave you, you continued on the path of virtue and openness to God’s will for you.
Pray that all who are called to serve God in a religious vocation may respond generously to His call!
You willingly chose to serve God in the priestly vocation. As a priest, you carried out your vocation faithfully and grew in virtue. You inspired others with your holy example and your preaching.
Pray for me, that I may be open to the path of holiness God calls me to in my life.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he lived throughout his years as a priest and a bishop in Your service.
St. Stanislaus, you answered God’s call to serve Him in the priesthood. You faithfully carried out your duties as a priest, and you inspired those around you to holiness through your preaching and your example.
Pray that all priests and bishops may be holy leaders of God’s people!
When you had the opportunity to become a bishop, you were hesitant. But when the Pope commanded you to accept this responsibility, you were obedient. As a bishop, you were a holy and virtuous leader of those entrusted to you.
Pray for me, that I may never miss the opportunity to lead others to holiness.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he lived out as a priest and bishop preaching the Gospel and leading others to holiness.
St. Stanislaus, you were well-known for your holiness and your eloquent preaching. Your example and preaching helped bring many to conversion. Both laity and clergy were influenced by your example and the eloquence of preaching.
Pray that all who preach may be given the grace and eloquence to help lead others to holiness!
You lived out your vocation as a priest and a bishop faithfully. The virtuousness that inspired others helped you to remain faithful to God even to the point of death.
Pray for me, that I may be preach to others with my example and my words.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate his extraordinarily virtuous life that helped inspire others to commit themselves more deeply to You.
St. Stanislaus, you practiced virtue from the time you were a young boy living at home with your pious parents. Throughout your time serving God in your vocation as a priest and a bishop, you continued on this holy path.
Pray that all priests and bishops may be virtuous!
Your holy example was recognized by those around you. Both laity and other members of the clergy witnessed your holiness. Your virtuous example inspired those around you to commit themselves more deeply to God.
Pray for me, that I may never miss the opportunity to be a holy example to those around me.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he practiced during his time as a bishop and an influencer in the political realm of his country.
St. Stanislaus, you were reluctant to accept the position of bishop that you were elected to. But you chose to be obedient and to carry out the duties of your vocation faithfully. As a bishop, God worked through you to help bring about His work in the political realm of your country.
Pray that all who work in the political world may seek the glory of God!
You did your best to cooperate with God’s plan, encouraging the king to bring papal legates to Poland and to establish Benedictine monasteries in the country.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to further God’s plan in my own life.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate his desire to glorify You and to bring about the Christianization of his country.
St. Stanislaus, you accepted God’s call to serve Him as a bishop. During your work as a bishop, you found that you now had influence in the political realm of your country. You decided to use this influence to serve God more fully.
Pray that I may always seek to serve God in every capacity I can!
You used your influence with the political rulers of your country to help bring about the country’s further Christianization. You did all you could to help ensure that the Church in your country would flourish.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to build up the Church as I am able to.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the zeal for Your law that he showed in remonstrating his king for offenses against chastity.
St. Stanislaus, you had a deep love and appreciation for God’s law. You practiced virtue yourself throughout your life, and you recognized the need for all to practice virtue.
Pray that I may have as deep a love for God’s law as you did!
You knew that your king was acting in a manner that was contrary to God’s law. Rather than fear the punishment the king could inflict on you, you boldly reproached him and gave him the chance to repent.
Pray for me, that I may have the moral strength to help lead others to repentance at every opportunity.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the fortitude he showed in continuing to speak out against the king’s immoral actions, even when the king threatened to charge him with treason.
St. Stanislaus, you knew that your king was acting in a manner that was contrary to God’s law. You knew that you had the moral duty to speak out against his sins.
Pray that I may speak out against evil when I am called to do so!
Though the king first seemed to repent after your reproaches, he soon returned to his former ways. You continued to oppose his evil, even though he threatened you. You knew that continuing to speak out could lead to your death, but you continued to proclaim the truth.
Pray for me, that I may have the strength to do what is right, no matter how difficult it may be.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Stanislaus 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. Stanislaus, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the strength and courage he showed in holding fast to his faith in You and his devotion to Your law, even though he was killed for it.
St. Stanislaus, you knew that your opposition to your king’s evil acts would greatly anger him. You knew that continuing to proclaim the truth could lead to your death. But you did not waver from your devotion to God and His law.
Pray that I may hold fast to my faith as you did!
You boldly excommunicated your king when he refused to change his ways. He threatened to have you charged with treason and eventually killed you himself for your proclamation of the truth.
Pray for me, that I may hold fast to the truth, even to the point of death if necessary.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Stanislaus, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.