St. Mary Magdalene Novena – 9 Days of Prayer
Novena to the woman who would not leave the empty tomb — the first witness of the Resurrection and the one Jesus sent to tell the news
St. Mary Magdalene stayed at the foot of the Cross and went to the tomb on Easter morning, where she became the first witness of the Resurrection. Jesus sent her to tell the others, and she is called the Apostle to the Apostles. This novena asks for her loyalty and courage. Her feast is July 22, and it was raised to the rank of a feast in 2016. She is often misrepresented in popular culture, but the Gospels show a faithful disciple whom Jesus healed. Pray the novena for anyone who has been misjudged, and ask her to help you stay near the Cross when it is hard.
A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer. Begin nine days before the feast (July 22) and finish on its eve. You can pray this novena at any time of year.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
Open in the app App StoreGoogle PlaySt. Mary Magdalene Novena – prayer for all nine days
Intention: For Those Who Seek God and Have Not Yet Found Him
St. Mary Magdalene, you were the one who stayed when others fled. On the morning of the Resurrection, you came to the tomb while it was still dark. You found it empty and wept. The disciples came, saw, and left. But you stayed. You stood outside the tomb weeping — and it was to you that Jesus first appeared. He called your name: 'Mary.' And you knew Him.
St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles, Jesus sent you to tell the news of His resurrection to the Eleven. 'I have seen the Lord' — you were the first to say those words. The Church has called you Apostle to the Apostles because you were sent before they were sent.
You had loved much. You had known the mercy of Christ deeply and personally. When they put Him in the tomb, something in you could not leave. Love kept you there in the dark, weeping over a sealed stone — until the stone was no longer sealed and the one you sought stood before you.
You teach us that the ones who seek most desperately are sometimes the first to find. That grief and love kept together can become the posture of a heart prepared to receive the Resurrection.
I come to you now with my own seeking.
(Pause to mention your intentions)
St. Mary Magdalene, pray for all who are seeking God in the dark. Pray for those who have known sin and shame and wonder if they can be loved. Tell them what you know: He calls our name. He meets us in our grief. He sends us to tell the news.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...
St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us.
Pray this prayer once a day for nine days in a row.
Traditional Catholic Devotional Prayer · Feast Day: July 22. Raised to a feast day (from memorial) by Pope Francis in 2016
More novenas
- St. Jude Novena
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena
- St. Joseph Novena
- St. Therese Novena
- St. Anthony of Padua Novena
- St. Rita Novena
Frequently asked questions
When should I start the St. Mary Magdalene Novena?
Begin on July 13 to end on July 21, the eve of her feast on July 22.
How do I pray the St. Mary Magdalene Novena?
Pray the daily prayer once a day, and read the Easter morning account in John 20.
Who is the St. Mary Magdalene Novena for?
It is for those who have been judged, for penitents and for evangelists.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
Open in the app App StoreGoogle Play