Novena to Saint Matthias – 9 Days of Prayer
Chosen by lot to replace Judas, completing the Twelve. A witness of the Resurrection chosen for faithfulness in obscurity. Patron of those who feel called to unexpected roles.
St. Matthias was chosen by lot, after prayer, to take the place of Judas among the Twelve, as Acts 1 recounts. He had been with Jesus from the beginning and was a witness to the Resurrection, yet we know little else about him. That makes him a patron for people who work in obscurity and for anyone who feels called late or unexpectedly. This novena asks for faithfulness in hidden things. His feast is May 14. The Church honours him on May 14, a day that fits well with graduations and new starts. Pray it if you are waiting to find your place.
A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer. Begin nine days before the feast (May 14) 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 PlayNovena to Saint Matthias – prayer for all nine days
Intention: For Those Who Feel Overlooked and Those Called to Fill a Gap
Saint Matthias, you are the apostle chosen by lot — the one the Acts of the Apostles names and then mentions no more. Tradition says you preached in Judaea and Ethiopia and died a martyr. But the Scripture gives you this: you were there from the beginning, faithful and hidden, one of the "men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us" (Acts 1:21).
You did not volunteer for the apostolate. You were chosen, by God's hidden hand working through the casting of lots. And you accepted. You stepped into the vacancy left by betrayal and made it holy.
Pray for us as we begin this novena. Amen.
Saint Matthias, you teach us that faithfulness in hiddenness is itself a preparation for whatever God has in mind.
You had been following Jesus the whole time, unseen, faithful — and then suddenly you were called to the Twelve. Not because you sought it. Not because you campaigned for it. Because God knew you were ready, even when you did not know.
Pray for those who feel they are on the margins of things — not in the spotlight, not in the leadership, not recognized for their faithfulness. Remind them that you were there, too, for a long time — and that the Lord sees what the world does not.
Pray for those called to step into difficult situations left by another's failure — the pastor called to a wounded parish, the leader inheriting a broken institution, the parent who must be strong when another has abandoned. Give them your quiet courage.
Saint Matthias, faithful witness, pray for us. Amen.
Lord God, You chose Saint Matthias by lot and made him an apostle and a martyr. Remind us that Your choices are not always the world's choices — that the overlooked and the hidden are always visible to You. May we serve faithfully wherever You have placed us, trusting that You see what others do not. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pray this prayer once a day for nine days in a row.
Traditional Catholic Devotional Prayer · Feast Day: May 14. After Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, the remaining apostles cast lots to choose his replacement. The lot fell on Matthias, completing the Twelve. He represents those called to fill a gap left by failure.
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 Novena to Saint Matthias?
Begin on May 5 to end on May 13, the eve of his feast on May 14.
How do I pray the Novena to Saint Matthias?
Pray the daily prayer once a day, and ask to be faithful in small, unseen tasks.
Who is the Novena to Saint Matthias for?
It is for anyone feeling overlooked or called in an unexpected way.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
Open in the app App StoreGoogle Play