A novena is nine days of focused, intentional prayer offered to God through the intercession of a saint or Our Lady. The Velankanni Novena is prayed to Our Lady of Good Health, whose miraculous apparitions at Velankanni are the foundation of one of Asia’s most visited Marian shrines. You can read about those apparitions in detail on the First Apparition, Second Apparition, and Third Apparition pages.
Whether you are praying this novena at the basilica itself or from your home, this guide gives you everything you need: an opening prayer, nine days of intentions and meditations, the Hail Mary in English and Tamil, the Litany of Our Lady of Good Health, and a closing prayer.
How to Pray This Novena
Begin each day with the Opening Prayer. Then pray the day’s specific intention and meditation. Follow with three Hail Marys and one Glory Be. On any day you choose, add the full Litany of Our Lady of Good Health. End each session with the Closing Prayer.
If you are visiting the shrine in person, you can pray the novena during any of the daily masses at Velankanni. Masses begin at 5:00 AM and run through the day.
Opening Prayer (Pray Every Day)
O Most Holy Virgin, Our Lady of Good Health, you appeared to the poor, the sick, and the weary at Velankanni and showed them the tender mercy of God. I come before you today not because I am worthy, but because I believe in your loving intercession before your Son, Jesus Christ.
For nine days I will lay my intentions at your feet. Hear me, gentle Mother. Present my prayers before the throne of God. And grant that through your intercession I may receive what I ask, if it is according to His holy will.
Our Lady of Good Health, pray for us.
Day 1 - Intention: Healing of Body
Loving Mother, on this first day I bring before you every person who is suffering in body. I ask for physical healing - whether for myself or for someone I love. You appeared at Velankanni to restore health to the sick. You know what illness feels like through the suffering of your Son. Touch the body that is broken. Give strength to those who have grown weak. Let doctors find wisdom, let medicines work, and where medical science ends, let faith begin.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 2 - Intention: Peace in the Family
Gentle Queen, on this second day I bring my family before you. Heal relationships that are strained. Bring back those who have drifted away. Remove bitterness and replace it with understanding. Grant patience to parents, obedience to children, and faithfulness between spouses. Where there is silence born of hurt, let words of reconciliation be spoken. You are the Mother of a Holy Family - teach my family to become holy too.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 3 - Intention: Employment and Financial Stability
Our Lady of Good Health, on this third day I bring my livelihood before you. I ask for steady employment, honest income, and freedom from financial anxiety. For those who are unemployed, open doors. For those who are underpaid, give courage. For those who carry debt, grant wisdom to manage and the grace to persevere. You appeared to a young boy who was giving away milk freely - teach me to be generous even in my own shortage.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 4 - Intention: Peace of Mind and Heart
Most Merciful Mother, on this fourth day I bring my mind before you. So many carry anxieties, worries, and fears that rob them of sleep and joy. I ask for peace that passes understanding. Drive out the thoughts that torment. Quiet the inner noise. Give the calm that only God can give. You are called Our Lady of Good Health - and mental health is health too. Hold those who are anxious. Comfort those who are despairing.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 5 - Intention: Children and the Young
Blessed Virgin, on this fifth day I bring the children and young people I love before you. Protect them from harm. Guide the decisions they will make. Shield them from influences that lead them away from goodness. For parents who are praying for a child, I ask for the gift of life. For children who are sick, I ask for healing. You held the Child Jesus in your arms at Velankanni - hold every child in your arms today.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 6 - Intention: Healing of Soul and Spiritual Renewal
Our Lady of Velankanni, on this sixth day I bring spiritual healing before you. I ask for the grace of conversion - for those who have left the faith, for those who are searching, and for myself. I ask for the courage to confess, to forgive, and to begin again. Spiritual wounds are real wounds. Pride, resentment, addiction, and despair are sicknesses of the soul. Intercede for us, that your Son will heal what medicine cannot.
If you are planning a pilgrimage to seek this healing in person, the first-time pilgrim guide is a helpful starting point.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 7 - Intention: Gratitude and Thanksgiving
Loving Mother, on this seventh day I pause from asking to give thanks. I thank you for every prayer that has been answered - the ones I recognized and the ones I did not. I thank you for the times you protected me from what I wanted because you knew it was not good for me. I thank you for Velankanni, for the long history of miracles recorded there, and for the faith of millions of pilgrims across centuries. Gratitude is itself a form of prayer.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 8 - Intention: Conversion of Loved Ones
Our Lady of Good Health, on this eighth day I bring before you those I love who do not yet know your Son. I do not ask you to force faith - I know that is not how love works. I ask instead that you plant seeds of curiosity, send people and experiences that point toward God, and soften hearts that have hardened. The fisherman who brought milk at Velankanni was sent by you - send people like him into the lives of those I am praying for today.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Day 9 - Intention: Final Thanksgiving and Surrender
Most Holy Virgin, on this ninth and final day I come before you with open hands. I have laid my intentions before you over these nine days. Some of what I asked for may be given immediately. Some may come later. Some may come in a form I do not expect. I surrender the outcome to God’s will, trusting that His plan is better than mine. I thank you for listening. I commit to living with faith, not just praying in crisis.
Our Lady of Good Health, I am yours. Present me to your Son.
Pray 3 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be.
Closing Prayer (Pray Every Day)
O Our Lady of Good Health, you who are the refuge of the sick, the comfort of the afflicted, and the hope of the hopeless - I thank you for these nine days of prayer. Whatever I have asked, I leave in your hands. Whatever I have needed to hear, open my heart to receive it. Walk with me not only in these nine days but in every day that follows.
Our Lady of Good Health of Velankanni, pray for us. Saint Francis Xavier, pray for us. Amen.
The Hail Mary
In English:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
In Tamil (transliterated):
Annai Mariye, innarulaal nirainthaval, Aandavar ungaloda irukkinraar. Pengalil neereer pukazhpaavaval, ungal thiru udal pirantha Yesuvin peyar pukazhpaavathenum. Thiru Mariyee, Devamathaave, paavigalaana engalukkaaha, ippozhuthum, engal marana tharunaththilum vendum seyum. Amen.
Litany of Our Lady of Good Health
Lord, have mercy. - Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. - Christ, have mercy. Lord, 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.
Holy Mary, - pray for us. Our Lady of Good Health, - pray for us. Our Lady of Velankanni, - pray for us. Mother of the sick, - pray for us. Refuge of the suffering, - pray for us. Comfort of the dying, - pray for us. Help of the poor, - pray for us. Hope of the hopeless, - pray for us. Mother of all pilgrims, - pray for us. Star of the Sea, - pray for us. Queen of miracles, - pray for us. Cause of our joy, - pray for us. Health of the weak, - pray for us. Tower of strength, - pray for us. Our Lady of the fishermen, - pray for us. Our Lady of the poor boy, - pray for us. Our Lady of the lame, - pray for us. Queen of heaven, - pray for us. Queen of peace, - pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, - spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, - graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, - have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, Our Lady of Good Health. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God, who through the Blessed Virgin Mary has given us a mother full of grace and a sign of your endless mercy - hear our prayers offered through her intercession. Heal our bodies. Heal our souls. And bring us at last to your eternal home. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Velankanni Novena traditionally prayed?
The most widely observed novena begins on August 29 and ends on September 6, concluding just before the Annual Feast on September 8. However, you can pray this novena at any time of year.
Can I pray this novena at home?
Yes. There is no rule that this novena must be prayed at the shrine. Thousands of pilgrims pray it from their homes across India and around the world. That said, many pilgrims find it meaningful to make the journey to Velankanni and pray the novena at the basilica itself. If you are planning to visit, the pilgrimage itinerary page can help you plan nine days there.
What language is the official novena?
There is no single “official” language. Tamil and English are the most common at the shrine itself. Masses are also conducted in Malayalam, Hindi, and other regional languages. The mass timings page lists language-specific masses so you can attend one in your preferred language.
Do I need to go to confession before starting?
It is not required, but it is strongly encouraged. Beginning any novena with a clean conscience deepens the prayer. The shrine provides regular confession services.
What should I bring if I am praying the novena at the shrine?
A printed or downloaded copy of the novena prayers, modest clothing in line with the shrine dress code, and comfortable footwear for walking the campus. The packing checklist has a complete list of what pilgrims find useful.
Plan Your Novena Pilgrimage
If you want to pray all nine days at Velankanni itself, you will need accommodation nearby. The shrine campus has its own guest houses (often booked months in advance for the feast season), and several hotels are available in the town. See the hotels in Velankanni guide for a full comparison, or use the budget estimator to plan your total pilgrimage costs.
For directions from your city, visit the how to reach Velankanni page.
Join thousands of pilgrims at Velankanni - Plan your visit:
For bus travel to the shrine from major cities, check routes and book tickets on redBus.
