Novena to Our Lady Of Good Health

The Novena to Our Lady of Good Health is the nine-day prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title she bears at Vailankanni in India — Arogya Matha, "Mother of Good Health" — asking her intercession for healing of soul and body, for the sick, and for every need we lay before her. It is prayed above all in the nine days leading up to her feast on September 8, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, beginning August 30, though it may be said at any time of need. Below you will find the complete devotion: the opening Novena Prayer said each day, all nine days' distinct intentions, and the way to pray it well.

What this novena is for

Mary is invoked here under a title of health because at Vailankanni she is remembered as the tender Mother who cured the sick, gave the lame man his legs, and stilled a killing storm at sea. The novena is therefore the natural recourse of anyone who suffers in body — the ill, those awaiting a diagnosis, those who care for the sick — and of anyone who suffers in soul, for the "good health" she gives is first of all the health of a soul in the state of grace. We ask, as the daily prayer says, "if it be the Holy Will of God to grant them; and if not, to ask for me whatever graces I most stand in need of." That submission is the mark of every true novena; if you are new to this form of prayer, see our guide to what is a novena.

The full Novena to Our Lady of Good Health

The devotion has two parts said each day: the Novena Prayer, which is the same every day, followed by the daily intention, a distinct meditation for each of the nine days. Name your own request where the prayer marks it, and where you can, join a decade of the Rosary and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Novena Prayer (said every day)

O Most Holy Virgin! You were chosen by the most Adorable Trinity from all eternity to be the most pure Mother of Jesus. Permit me, your humble and devoted client, to remind you of the joy you received at the instant of the most Sacred Incarnation of our Divine Lord, and during the nine months you carried Him in your chaste womb. I wish most sincerely that I could renew, or even increase, that joy by the fervour of my prayers.

O Tender Mother of the afflicted! Grant me in my present necessities that special protection you have promised to those who devoutly commemorate this ineffable joy. Relying on the infinite mercies of your Divine Son, trusting that those who ask shall receive, and penetrated with confidence in your powerful prayers, I most humbly entreat you to intercede for me. I beg you to obtain for me the favours which I petition for in this novena, if it be the Holy Will of God to grant them; and if not, to ask for me whatever graces I most stand in need of.

(Here make your request.)

I desire, by this novena which I now offer in your honour, to prove the lively confidence I have in your intercession. Accept it, I beseech you, in honour of that supernatural love and joy with which your Immaculate Heart was replenished during the abode of your Divine Son in your womb, in veneration of which I offer you the sentiments of my heart.

(Repeat the Hail Mary nine times.)

O Mother of God, accept these salutations in union with the respect and veneration with which the Angel Gabriel first hailed you "full of grace." I wish most sincerely that they may become so many gems in the crown of your accidental glory, which will increase in brightness to the end of the world.

I beseech you, O Comfortress of the Afflicted, by the joy you received when the Word was made flesh, to obtain for me the favours and graces which I have now implored through your powerful intercession. For this end I offer you all the good works which have ever been performed in your honour. I most humbly entreat you, for the love of the amiable Heart of Jesus, with which yours was ever so inflamed, to hear my humble prayers and obtain my requests. Amen.

The Nine Days

First Day.

O Immaculate Virgin, God's sublime creation! The Almighty has done great things in you. As He gathered all waters in the sea at the time of creation, He has enriched you with the richness of His grace and beauty. O renowned fame of the human race! Supreme beauty of the earth! Holy temple of God, garden of the Blessed Trinity, we praise you. We pray to you, dear Mother of Health, to intercede for the Church, for the Holy Father, and for all men of good will. Protect all your children and obtain for them health of soul and body. Holy Mother, save the youth from the danger of falling into the darkness of sin and guide them along the path of purity; preserve the virgins in their chastity; protect the bond of love in every family. Indeed, you are the model of parents, protector of widows, shelter of the broken-hearted, treasure of the needy, and health of the sick. We beg you to obtain for us the grace and love of God, that we may remain faithful children of God. Amen.

Second Day.

Our dear Mother, you are the splendour of the race of David, the gem among the women of Israel. We admire your beauty. You were born Immaculate to destroy the kingdom of Satan; you brought forth Christ, the Divine Light, to remove the darkness of sin from the world. O Virgin undefiled and Mother most amiable, we have recourse to you with full confidence. Our hearts are delighted as we utter your sweet name, Mary our Mother; grant us health of mind and body, and lead us in the path of light and holiness. Amen.

Third Day.

Hail, Mother of our love! You are our model of holy life. Renouncing all earthly affection, you consecrated yourself to God and spent your days in prayer in His temple. But we, who have been consecrated through baptism, have not been faithful to our baptismal promise; often we have failed and become unfaithful children, seeking after worldly amusements and offending our Divine Redeemer by our sins. Immaculate Mother, who brought the Divine Mercy to us sinners, we regret all our sins and beg through you for God's mercy and pardon. Stretch out your loving arms towards us, that we may drink the living water of Christ within your embrace. Amen.

Fourth Day.

O Mother of Health, we are proud of you, being the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ; we praise you in the great joy of our heart. We meditate with devotion on the glad tidings the Angel Gabriel brought to you. Hail Mary, full of grace! You were raised to the dignity of the Mother of God by your submission; the God of grace assumed our human nature and lived in your blessed womb. You are blessed among women. We pray that we may bear our loving God within us and be filled with His grace; help us to be humble and chaste, to resemble you, and to be enriched with the gifts of the Holy Ghost. We ardently desire to be united with our God through the fruitful reception of the Sacraments. O our Heavenly Mother, we call you blessed and entreat you to bless us all with those loving arms which embraced our Divine Master. Amen.

Fifth Day.

O spotless Virgin, Mother of Health, our heavenly benefactress, hail! Elizabeth received many favours for herself and her family during your stay in her home. Choosing Vailankanni as the place of your throne, you bless and obtain numberless favours for all who seek your help: the blind obtain their sight, the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the sick with no other hope of cure are cured by you. Merciful Mother, we thank you for the favours shown to our brethren in need, and through you we adore and glorify your Almighty Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray you to intercede for us in all our needs, as your motherly heart knows them; obtain God's mercy for those who have offended Him, and convert such hardened sinners to become His true friends. Amen.

Sixth Day.

O Immaculate Mother, who can ever describe your renowned fame? The God of Heaven came to this earth through you; bearing Jesus within you, you gave Him your whole self to form His human body. Virgin Mother of God, we praise you and pay you our homage. You, who reside in Heaven with your Divine Son, are our sweetness; you, who radiate the light of the Eternal Light, are our guide; teach us to love your Divine Son more and more. We acknowledge Him to be our King and you to be our Queen; He is the Mediator between the Heavenly Father and the human race, and you are the Mediatrix between our Lord and us poor sinners. Jesus is the Way, and you are its entrance. O fair flower of the race of David, through you our Creator became our Redeemer; the God of all things present was carried in your blessed womb; the God who feeds all was fed by you. Most noble Mother, all generations call you blessed. Show your motherly love towards us, your poor children, and lead us to eternal salvation. Amen.

Seventh Day.

O merciful Mother of Dolours, you suffered with your Divine Son for our sake. We grieve for all our sins and offer our sufferings in union with you, that we may obtain God's mercy. We pray you to remove from our hearts all sinful affections and inclinations, and to inflame within our souls an ever-glowing love for God. Our loving Mother most pure, defend us from all dangers of soul and body. Like the bird that escapes into the air at the sight of the hunter, and like the deer that hides in its shelter at the sight of the tiger, we have recourse to your most Immaculate Heart, where we are sure to be safe. Holy Mother, lead us all safely until we reach our eternal life, where we shall praise God in union with you for ever and ever. Amen.

Eighth Day.

Hail, holy temple of God and seat of wisdom! The Ark of the Covenant was made of cedar and covered with gold; God has adorned you with all graces and immortality. Virgin Mother conceived without original sin, pray for us your poor children, that we too may assume a glorious body at the time of our resurrection. Let the eternal Light enlighten our darkened ways, that we may wake and reach our destination safely. We are your children, entrusted to your motherly care by your Divine Son while He hung upon the Cross. Our dearest Mother, protect us, obtain for us all that we need for our souls, and preserve us all in good health. Amen.

Ninth Day.

Our Mother of Health, Vailankanni, we proclaim your glory and call the whole creation, with all its creatures, to join in our song of rejoicing. All God's creatures and creation bless and praise our Mother of Health, our Heavenly Queen; angels of God bless and praise our Lady of Health, the Queen of all angels; all that are above praise the Queen of all things; all saints in Heaven bless and praise our Lady of Health. Sun and moon, praise our Heavenly Queen; stars that shine above, praise our Mother of Health; rain and snow, praise our Heavenly Queen; heat and cold, praise our Lady of Health; mountains and valleys, praise our Heavenly Queen; light and darkness, praise our Mother of Health; clouds and lightning, praise our Heavenly Queen; all plants and trees that grow on the earth, praise our Mother of Health; storms, springs, and rivers, praise our Heavenly Queen; the sea and all that live therein, praise our Mother of Health; birds and all the animals of the earth, praise our Heavenly Queen. Accept our praises and those of the whole creation; we pray you, our Mother of Health, to bless us all with health of soul and body. Obtain for us all the graces we need to be holy, and make us pleasing children in the presence of God. May God's reign come on earth, and may His Holy Name be praised by all men through you, Holy Mother. Amen.

To close, many add three Hail Marys and the Hail Holy Queen, or the Litany of Our Lady of Good Health, which opens like every Marian litany — Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Holy Mary, pray for us — and hails her under her titles as Mother of Health and Health of the Sick.

Variants the devotion is asked for

The 9-day novena to Our Lady of Good Health Vailankanni

The form given above is the full nine-day Vailankanni novena — the same devotion whether it is spelled Vailankanni, Velankanni, or Velankani, all English renderings of the Tamil place-name. Pray the unchanging Novena Prayer first, then the intention proper to the day, for nine consecutive days, ideally August 30 through September 8.

A short novena or a single daily prayer

If time or strength is short — as it often is at a sickbed — the Novena Prayer alone, said once a day for nine days with the sick person's name in the place marked (make your request), is a complete and worthy novena. The nine daily intentions are a fuller feast; the one prayer is the sure minimum.

For the sick and for healing

This is the heart of the devotion. Pray it at the bedside, or with the sick person if they are able, asking Our Lady of Good Health for the cure of body if God wills it, and always for the deeper health of the soul. For those beyond earthly cure, join it to the Novena to St Peregrine, patron of the gravely ill, and commend the sufferer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

How to pray this novena

A novena is nine days of steady, trusting prayer. Choose a fixed hour each day and keep it. Say the Novena Prayer, name your intention plainly, then read the day's meditation. Where you can, add a decade or a full Rosary, and bring your intention to Holy Mass and Communion. Above all, pray in submission: ask boldly for the cure or the grace you seek, and leave the outcome to the wisdom of God, content to receive either the favour you named or the better thing He chooses to send.

The story of Our Lady of Good Health

The devotion rises from Vailankanni, a fishing town on the Coromandel coast of southern India, where the Blessed Virgin is remembered in three graces granted between roughly 1580 and 1620.

In the first, a poor boy carrying milk to a customer stopped to rest under a banyan tree beside a pond. A radiant Lady with a Child on her arm asked him for milk for her infant; the boy gave it gladly, and when he reached his customer's house, apologizing for the half-empty pot, he found it miraculously full again. The pond is venerated to this day as Matha Kulam, "Our Lady's Tank."

In the second, a lame boy selling buttermilk by the roadside was likewise asked by the beautiful Lady for a drink for her Child. He gave it, and she bade him carry a message to a Catholic gentleman in nearby Nagapattinam — and the boy who had never walked rose up and ran. At the spot of this healing a chapel was raised, and the Lady made it known that she wished to be honoured there as the Mother of Good Health.

In the third, a Portuguese merchant ship sailing from Macau was caught in a deadly storm in the Bay of Bengal. The sailors vowed to the Blessed Virgin that if she saved them they would build a church wherever they came safely ashore. The sea grew calm, and on September 8 — the birthday of Our Lady — they landed at Vailankanni. Learning of the graces already worked there, they kept their vow and built the shrine. From that day the feast of Our Lady of Good Health has been kept on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This novena sits naturally beside the older Marian devotions of the West — the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes, the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and the Miraculous Medal Novena. The same Mother is invoked in each; only the title changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Our Lady of Good Health?

Our Lady of Good Health is the Blessed Virgin Mary honoured under the title she bears at Vailankanni in Tamil Nadu, India, where tradition holds she appeared with the Child Jesus and worked cures of body and soul. "Good Health" — Arogya Matha — points to her care for the sick and to the deeper health of a soul in grace. It is not a different Mary, but our one Blessed Mother under a title of healing.

Is there a PDF of the novena?

The full text on this page — the Novena Prayer and all nine days — is the complete devotion, ready to print or copy for the nine days at a bedside or in a pocket. You can also pray it in the Iter Fidei app with day-by-day reminders.

When is the feast of Our Lady of Good Health?

The feast is kept on September 8, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the day on which, by tradition, the Portuguese sailors came safely ashore at Vailankanni. The novena is therefore prayed in the nine days before it, from August 30 to September 8.

What is the difference between Vailankanni, Velankanni, and Velankani?

None — they are simply different English spellings of the same Tamil place-name for the town where the devotion arose. "Novena to Our Lady of Good Health," "novena to Our Lady of Good Health Vailankanni," and "Velankanni novena" all name the same nine-day prayer given in full above.

What do you pray the Novena to Our Lady of Good Health for?

For healing above all — for the sick, for recovery, for those awaiting a diagnosis, and for those who care for them — and for the health of the soul: freedom from sin, perseverance in grace, and a holy death. Because Mary's power is intercessory, we ask her to obtain these from her Divine Son "if it be the Holy Will of God," and otherwise to ask for us whatever we most need.

How many days is the novena, and can I pray it any time of year?

It is nine days, said once daily — the meaning of novena, from the Latin for "nine." Though its proper time is the nine days before the September 8 feast, it may be prayed at any time a need arises; a sick soul need not wait for the calendar. See what is a novena for the tradition behind the nine days.

Is Our Lady of Good Health the same as the Immaculate Conception or Our Lady of Lourdes?

She is the same Blessed Virgin, honoured under a different title. Each Marian title lifts up one facet of the one Mother of God — her sinless conception in the Immaculate Conception, her apparitions of healing at Lourdes, her care for the sick at Vailankanni. To pray to Our Lady of Good Health is to pray to the very Mother we invoke in every Hail Mary.

Do I need to travel to the shrine in India to pray this novena?

No. Like every novena, it may be prayed anywhere — at home, in a hospital, at a bedside. The pilgrimage to Vailankanni is a devout act for those able to make it, but the grace of the novena is available to anyone who prays it in faith wherever they are.

Pray the Novena to Our Lady of Good Health with day-by-day reminders and audio in the Iter Fidei app. Download it here.

Sources. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (feast, 8 September); Holy Scripture (Luke 1:26–56, the Annunciation and Visitation); the traditional Novena Prayer and nine days' intentions to Our Lady of Good Health, and the Litany of Our Lady of Good Health, as carried in the devotional books of the Vailankanni shrine; the traditional account of the apparitions at Vailankanni (c. 1580–1620).