Novena to the Holy Ghost (Pentecost Novena): Full Text

The Novena to the Holy Ghost — called today the novena to the Holy Spirit, or simply the Pentecost novena — is the nine days of prayer kept between the Ascension and Pentecost, asking the Holy Ghost to descend upon the soul as He descended upon the Apostles. It is the first and the original novena: every other novena in the Church is patterned on it. Our Lord ascended into heaven and commanded His disciples to wait; for nine days Our Lady and the Apostles persevered together in prayer in the Upper Room; and on the tenth day the Holy Ghost came down in tongues of fire. Below we give the full traditional text, day by day, with the hymns the Church sings to Him.

The first novena: nine days before Pentecost in the Upper Room

A novena is nine days of prayer for a single intention, and the word names a Catholic devotion whose model is the waiting of the Apostles. This devotion is not a later invention grafted onto the calendar: it answers Our Lord's own command to wait for the Holy Ghost. Before His Ascension He charged the disciples not to depart, "but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth. For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence" (Acts 1:4-5, Douay-Rheims). And earlier: "stay you in the city, till you be endued with power from on high" (St. Luke 24:49).

They obeyed. Scripture records what they did in those days: "All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren" (Acts 1:14). This is the original Pentecost novena — nine days of persevering prayer, kept by the Mother of God and the Twelve, while they awaited the Holy Ghost. When the days were accomplished, the promise was fulfilled: "suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:2-4).

We pray this novena, then, in imitation of Our Lady and the Apostles, in the same room, for the same gift. What Pentecost gave to the infant Church, the Holy Ghost stands ready to give to every soul that asks Him with perseverance.

The only novena prescribed for the whole Church

The Church has done more than permit this novena. On 9 May 1897, in the encyclical Divinum illud munus on the Holy Ghost, Pope Leo XIII decreed and commanded "that throughout the whole Catholic Church, this year and in every subsequent year, a Novena shall take place before Whit-Sunday, in all parish churches."

To all who take part and pray for his intention he granted, for each day, an indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines, and a plenary indulgence on any one day of the novena, on Whit-Sunday itself or on any day of its octave, for those who had received the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist and devoutly prayed for his intention; he extended the same favours to those legitimately prevented from attending in church, and granted that whoever repeated the prayers daily through the octave, up to Trinity Sunday, might gain each indulgence a second time. This is why the old prayer-books call it the only novena officially prescribed by the Church.

Whom we ask: the Holy Ghost, true God

We correct here a common confusion. The Holy Ghost is not a force, an influence, or a feeling. He is true God, "the Third Person of the Divine Nature, distinct from the Father and the Son, and produced by Their will," as the Catechism of the Council of Trent teaches on the eighth Article of the Creed.

"Holy Ghost" and "Holy Spirit" name the same divine Person — the first is the older English of the Douay-Rheims and our prayer-books, the second the rendering more common today. We pray to Him as to a Person — the Paraclete, the Comforter promised by Christ — that He may come and dwell in us and govern us. This is why the Veni Creator addresses Him directly: Qui diceris Paraclitus, Altissimi donum Dei — "Who art the Comforter, the gift of God most high."

What we ask for: the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost

The proper fruit of this novena is the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and the fear of the Lord. The number is drawn from Isaias, who foretold of the Messias that there should rest upon Him "the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of godliness," and that He should be "filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord" (Isaias 11:2-3).

What rested in fullness upon Christ the Head is poured out by the Holy Ghost upon His members. These gifts are infused into the soul with sanctifying grace and given in their fullness at Confirmation; in the novena we beg that He stir them up and bring them to act, that He may make us, in the words of the Catechism of Saint Pius X, "prompt in the exercise of those acts of virtue necessary towards attaining the perfection of a Christian life."

How to pray the novena to the Holy Spirit

The novena begins on the Friday after Ascension Thursday and runs nine days, closing on Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost. It can be prayed alone or with a household, at any hour of the day, though keeping the same hour helps perseverance.

The traditional form below, the Novena to the Holy Ghost for the Seven Gifts, was published by the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1912 and has been reprinted in parish booklets ever since. Each day:

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and place yourself in the presence of God.
2. Pray the verse, read the short meditation, and say the prayer of the day.
3. Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary and seven Glory Be's — one for each gift.
4. Say the Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost and the Prayer for the Seven Gifts.

Those who wish may add the Veni Creator, and close with the Pentecost versicle and collect given further down.

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost (every day)

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought, and grant that I may always watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice, and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee, and ask Thee by Thy compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Amen.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost (every day)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thy Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee, and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself, and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples, and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.

The nine days of the novena to the Holy Spirit

The verse that opens each day is a stanza of the Pentecost sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus, in the English of the 1912 booklet, which follows Edward Caswall's translation with small changes. The prayer of the first day is drawn from the prayer the bishop says over those to be confirmed in the Roman Pontifical, when he asks God to send down upon them His sevenfold Spirit.

Day 1 (Friday after the Ascension): the Holy Ghost

Holy Spirit! Lord of Light!
From Thy clear celestial height,
Thy pure beaming radiance give!

Only one thing is important — eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared — sin. Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness and indifference. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Light, of Strength and of Love; with His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke Him daily, for "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us" (Romans 8:26).

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Thy sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Day 2: the gift of Fear

Come, Father of the poor!
Come, treasures which endure!
Come, Light of all that live!

The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises not from the thought of hell, but from reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father — the fear that is the beginning of wisdom. "They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and in his sight will sanctify their souls" (Ecclesiasticus 2:20).

Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set Thee, my Lord and God, before my face forever; help me to shun all things that can offend Thee, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Thy Divine Majesty in heaven, where Thou livest and reignest in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.

Day 3: the gift of Piety

Thou, of all consolers best,
Visiting the troubled breast,
Dost refreshing peace bestow.

The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect, for His sake, persons and things consecrated to Him and those vested with His authority: His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors. He who is filled with this gift finds the practice of his religion not a burdensome duty but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labour.

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen.

Day 4: the gift of Fortitude

Thou in toil art comfort sweet,
Pleasant coolness in the heat,
Solace in the midst of woe.

By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear and supported to the end in the performance of duty. It moves the will to undertake without hesitation the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample human respect underfoot, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved" (St. Matthew 10:22).

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen.

Day 5: the gift of Knowledge

Light immortal! Light Divine!
Visit Thou these hearts of Thine,
And our inmost being fill!

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to judge created things at their true worth — in their relation to God. It unmasks the pretence of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and shows their only true purpose as instruments in His service. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it" (Proverbs 16:22).

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to Thee and Thy eternal rewards. Amen.

Day 6: the gift of Understanding

If Thou take Thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay;
All his good is turned to ill.

By faith we know the truths of our holy religion; by Understanding we learn to relish them and penetrate their inner meaning. Our faith ceases to be sterile and begins to bear fruit in a life that walks "worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10).

Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation, and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen.

Day 7: the gift of Counsel

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour Thy dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away.

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. It is supernatural common sense, applied to the daily duties of parents, teachers and Christian citizens. "But above all these things pray to the most High, that he may direct thy way in truth" (Ecclesiasticus 37:19).

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.

Day 8: the gift of Wisdom

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray!

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. "All good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands" (Wisdom 7:11). It strengthens faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and makes the Cross of Christ sweet: "My yoke is sweet and my burden light" (St. Matthew 11:30).

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen.

Day 9 (Vigil of Pentecost): the fruits of the Holy Ghost

Thou, on those who evermore
Thee confess and Thee adore,
In Thy sevenfold gift descend:
Give them comfort when they die;
Give them life with Thee on high;
Give them joys which never end. Amen.

The gifts perfect the virtues by making us docile to divine inspiration. Acts of virtue done under His direction leave the heart filled with joy and consolation; these are the fruits of the Holy Ghost, which St. Paul names in Galatians 5:22-23, and which spur us to still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Those who wish a fuller daily form may add the Litany of the Holy Ghost, or pray the chaplet of the Holy Ghost alongside the novena, meditating one gift on each section.

The Veni Creator and the Veni Sancte Spiritus

Two hymns belong to these days above all. The Veni Creator Spiritus is sung at Vespers of Pentecost and throughout its octave in the Breviary; the Veni Sancte Spiritus, the "Golden Sequence," is sung at the Mass of Pentecost in the Roman Missal. Either may open each day of the novena.

Veni, Creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
Altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.

Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae,
tu rite promissum Patris,
sermone ditans guttura.

Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis
virtute firmans perpeti.

Hostem repellas longius,
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium,
teque utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio, qui a mortuis
surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula. Amen.

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our hearts take up Thy rest;
Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O Comforter, to Thee we cry,
Thou heavenly gift of God most high,
Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts art known;
Thou finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou
Who dost the tongue with power endow.

Kindle our senses from above,
And make our hearts o'erflow with love;
With patience firm and virtue high
The weakness of our flesh supply.

Far from us drive the foe we dread,
And grant us Thy true peace instead;
So shall we not, with Thee for guide,
Turn from the path of life aside.

O may Thy grace on us bestow
The Father and the Son to know,
And Thee, through endless times confessed,
Of both the eternal Spirit blest.

All glory while the ages run
Be to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death; the same to Thee,
O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.

The sequence, in Latin and in a close English rendering:

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium.
Veni, pater pauperum, veni, dator munerum, veni, lumen cordium.
Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium.
In labore requies, in aestu temperies, in fletu solatium.
O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium.
Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium.
Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium.
Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium.
Da tuis fidelibus, in te confidentibus, sacrum septenarium.
Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium. Amen. Alleluia.

Come, Holy Ghost, send forth from heaven the ray of Thy light.
Come, Father of the poor; come, giver of gifts; come, light of hearts.
Best Comforter, sweet guest of the soul, sweet refreshment.
Rest in labour, coolness in heat, consolation in tears.
O most blessed light, fill the inmost hearts of Thy faithful.
Without Thy power there is nothing in man, nothing that is innocent.
Wash what is soiled, water what is dry, heal what is wounded.
Bend what is rigid, warm what is cold, guide what has gone astray.
Give to Thy faithful, who trust in Thee, Thy sevenfold gifts.
Give the reward of virtue, give a happy end, give everlasting joy. Amen. Alleluia.

To close each day, the versicle drawn from Psalm 103:30, which the Missal sings in the Alleluia of Pentecost, and the collect of the feast:

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

What the novena is not

We answer two errors plainly. First, the Pentecost novena is not a technique that compels God or guarantees an emotional experience. It is humble petition; the Holy Ghost gives His gifts as He wills, and often most when least felt. Second, the gift asked is not vague enthusiasm but the supernatural ordering of the soul to God — the same Spirit who is the bond of charity and the principle of all genuine Catholic prayer. A soul truly visited by the Holy Ghost does not grow lukewarm; it is set on fire, for He is called ignis — fire — and fire does not leave what it touches unchanged.

Novena to the Holy Ghost PDF and printable text

The full text of the novena is above — the daily prayers and all nine days — and it prints as it is from your browser. Better still, keep it with you: Join early access here. gives you each day's text in order, a daily reminder so that you do not break the nine days, offline access, and the prayers in Latin and English. Its novenas section carries this novena alongside the others of the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the novena to the Holy Spirit?

It is nine days of prayer to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity for the outpouring of His seven gifts, kept in imitation of Our Lady and the Apostles between the Ascension and Pentecost. Under the older name, the Novena to the Holy Ghost, it is the oldest of all novenas.

When does the novena to the Holy Spirit start?

On the Friday after Ascension Thursday, the day after the fortieth day of Easter. It ends on Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost, so that the feast itself falls on the tenth day, as it did for the Apostles.

When is the novena to the Holy Spirit in 2027?

In 2027, Easter falls on 28 March and Ascension Thursday on 6 May, so the novena runs from Friday 7 May to Saturday 15 May, with Pentecost on 16 May. In 2026 it ran from 15 to 23 May; in 2028 it will run from 26 May to 3 June, before Pentecost on 4 June. The traditional liturgical calendar shows the movable feasts for any year.

When to pray the novena to the Holy Spirit if not before Pentecost?

Its proper season is the nine days before Pentecost, when the whole Church prays it. Nothing forbids praying it at other times — before a Confirmation, an important decision, a vocation, or the start of a work — since the prayers ask for gifts we need all year.

How do you pray the Holy Spirit novena if you miss a day?

Take it up again as soon as you notice and pray the missed day's prayer with the current one; the Holy Ghost is not offended by a lapse honestly made. Those who wish to keep strictly to the form begin again, so as to offer nine consecutive days.

Is there a 3 day novena to the Holy Spirit?

Not in the tradition. A novena is nine days by its very name, in memory of the nine days in the Upper Room; three days of prayer are properly called a triduum. Anyone short of time may make a triduum to the Holy Ghost with the Act of Consecration and the Prayer for the Seven Gifts, but it is not the Pentecost novena.

The Iter Fidei app carries the Douay-Rheims Bible, the catechism, the novenas and the prayers in Latin and English. Join early access here.

Sources. Holy Scripture, Douay-Rheims (Acts 1:4-5, 1:14, 2:2-4; St. Luke 24:49; Isaias 11:2-3; Romans 8:26; Ecclesiasticus 2:20, 37:19; St. Matthew 10:22, 11:30; Proverbs 16:22; Colossians 1:10; Wisdom 7:11; Galatians 5:22-23; Psalm 103:30). Leo XIII, encyclical Divinum illud munus (9 May 1897), no. 13. Novena to the Holy Ghost for the Seven Gifts, Holy Ghost Fathers (1912). Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566), Article VIII of the Creed. Catechism of Saint Pius X (1908), on the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Pontificale Romanum, rite of Confirmation. The hymn Veni Creator Spiritus (Breviarium Romanum 1962), the sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus and the Pentecost collect (Missale Romanum 1962).