Novena to St. Louis IX, King of France

Day 9

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. Louis IX, King of France

Opening prayer:

O St. Louis, holy king and faithful father, you wore an earthly crown without losing sight of the heavenly one. Teach me to serve God in the duties of my state, to love justice, and to seek first the Kingdom that does not pass away. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 9: Faithful unto death

Dying of plague near Tunis in 1270 on his second Crusade, Louis asked to be laid on a bed of ashes and breathed his last with the words, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.' The only canonized king of France gave his crown back to God as simply as a child. He invites us to make our whole life a preparation for that final surrender, so that death may find us already given over into the hands of the Father.

O St. Louis, who died upon ashes commending your spirit to the Father, obtain for me the grace to surrender my life to God at the hour of death, that I may live each day already in His hands and meet my end in peace, faithful unto the last. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to surrender my life to God at the hour of death.

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. Louis, who counted your baptism a greater honor than your throne, intercede for me before the King of kings whom you served so faithfully. Obtain the grace I seek in this novena, and a heart that rules its own desires for the love of God. 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.