The Novena to the Assumption Begins Today: A Complete Guide
The novena runs from August 6 to 14, and we bring you all the prayers for each day, hymns, and litanies for spiritual preparation ahead of the Feast of the Assumption.
The novena runs from August 6 to 14, and we bring you all the prayers for each day, hymns, and litanies for spiritual preparation ahead of the Feast of the Assumption.
For the faithful across Croatia, today, August 6, 2026, marks the beginning of the spiritual preparation for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven. This is the Novena to the Assumption, a nine-day prayer that precedes the feast celebrated on August 15.
The portal Bitno.net has published the complete text of the Novena, including the preparatory prayer, hymn, prayers for each of the nine days, additional blessings, and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Each day brings a special intention and invocation addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The devotion each day begins with a preparatory prayer to the Holy Spirit: "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth."
This is followed by a hymn praising Mary with the words: "Heavenly crown, heavenly glory, Queen of Angels, hail! You are the root, you are the gate, from which shone the golden light. You are the lily of virginity, You are the glory of humanity. Hail, full of all graces, pray for us to Your Son."
On the first day, August 6, the faithful pray: "O Most Holy Virgin, who throughout your life yearned for the blessed vision and enjoyment of God's face, free us from vain desires for the passing treasures of this world."
The second day is dedicated to the hour of death: "O glorious Virgin, who to your greatest consolation merited to die in the presence of the apostles and saints, obtain for us from God the grace that you, with our holy intercessors, may be with us as our soul departs from the body."
On the third day, the emphasis is on love: "O Mary, most blessed among virgins, who at your departure from this world truly witnessed how great was the fire of love that always burned in your heart: Obtain for us but a spark of that heavenly fire of love with which your soul was consumed."
The fourth day brings a prayer for purity: "Model of innocence, who because of your virginal purity merited that your dead body shone with heavenly splendor and majesty: Obtain for us the grace to always repel the temptation of the unclean spirit."
The fifth day is focused on humility: "O exalted Virgin, who because of your humility and wonderful virtues were glorified by the brightness of your risen body, help us to free ourselves from every sinful habit, to uproot self-love, and to adorn our hearts and souls with holy humility."
The sixth day prays for the protection of angels: "O most radiant Queen, who was accompanied to heaven by all the angelic choirs, obtain for us from God wisdom and determination to always successfully repel the enemy of our souls. Help us to faithfully follow the admonitions of the guardian angels who guide and lead us."
On the seventh day, Mary is invoked as Queen: "O exalted Mother, Queen of heaven, your dignity is so great that in heaven you are first after the Most Holy Trinity. Deign to accept us as your servants and obtain for us from God the grace to always joyfully and faithfully fulfill His commandments."
The eighth day is dedicated to the heavenly crown: "O most glorious Queen, your divine Son crowned you in heaven with a most radiant crown. Help us to merit the heavenly crown with a pure soul and a pure heart."
The final, ninth day on August 14, brings a prayer to our protectress: "O Mary, our mighty protectress, glorious advocate of the human race, deliver us from the hands of the infernal enemy and keep us as the possession of our God and Lord."
After the prayer for the particular day, the faithful may add a series of 12 blessings that praise Mary's entry into heavenly glory. The first of these reads: "BLESSED be that hour, O Mary, when Your loving Son called You to heaven," and the last: "BLESSED be that hour, O Mary, when You mercifully receive us all into heaven. Amen."
The Novena concludes with the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which begins with the invocation: "Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Christ, hear us! Christ, graciously hear us! God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us! God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us! God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us! Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us!"
