Novena to St. Athanasius

Day 8

10 min

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Novena to St. Athanasius

Opening prayer:

St. Athanasius, intrepid bishop and pillar of the true faith, you confessed Christ as true God when nearly the whole world turned away. Strengthen me as I begin this novena, that I may hold fast to the truth without fear. Obtain for me from God the grace I now ask and a heart firmly fixed on Christ. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 8: Defender against error

Athanasius answered every subtle argument of the Arians with the plain witness of Scripture and the Church's worship of Christ. He pointed to the simple fact that the faithful had always prayed to Jesus as God, and that to deny His divinity was to empty their prayer and baptism of meaning. He shows us that sound doctrine is no cold abstraction but a guard set about the prayer and life of the faithful, keeping them from being led astray.

O God of truth, who gave Athanasius wisdom to answer every error, help me to know my faith well and never be led astray. Ground me in Your Scripture and the worship of Your Church, that sound doctrine may guard my prayer and my life. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to know my faith well and never be led into error.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst 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.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Closing prayer:

St. Athanasius, who endured exile and slander rather than betray the faith, teach me your steadfast love of the truth. Help me to adore the eternal Son, consubstantial with the Father, and to confess Him before the world. By your prayers, may I persevere in the faith of Nicaea until I see God face to face. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.