A History of the Novena of Grace
Among the many devotions adopted by the faithful to invoke the intercession of Francis Xavier was nine days of prayer called the “Novena in honor of Xavier’s canonization.” St. Francis himself requested this devotion from Father Mastrilli, when Francis appeared to him at the point of death.
In the year 1633, the Viceroy of Naples wished to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception and requested Father Mastrilli to superintend the decorations in the Royal Church. While the Father was adorning the altar, a hammer slipped from the hand of one of the tradesmen working on the dome, and striking him on the temple, felled him to the ground. For days he lingered at the point of death, and although eminent physicians were in attendance, they at last despaired of his recovery and announced that his death was at hand. At this crisis St. Francis appeared to him, reminding him of his promise to go to the Far East Mission and asked him to repeat his vow. Before the apparition ceased, Xavier assured him that “all who would earnestly ask his intercession with God for nine days in honor of his canonization would infallibly experience the effects of his great power in Heaven and would receive whatever they asked that would contribute to their salvation.” Thereupon the sick man raised himself in bed, removed the bandages from his head, where there was not the least trace of the wound. He got up and dressed himself, completely cured. Later on he went to Japan and closed a glorious missionary career by a martyr’s death.
The Novena was celebrated annually with great solemnity from the fourth of March to the twelfth, the anniversary of Xavier’s canonization. It became know through the whole Catholic world as the “Novena of Grace” on account of the innumerable graces and extraordinary favors obtained through the intercession of Xavier.
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER
St. Francis Xavier was one of the first companions of St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus. In 1541 he went as a missionary to India. For eleven years he labored in India and Japan and converted to the faith hundreds of thousands of unbelievers. Not content with the mighty conquests of India and Japan, his heart went out in sympathy to the hundreds of millions of Chinese to whom God was unknown. With the hope of bringing these people to the knowledge of the true God, Xavier sailed from Malacca in 1552 and soon reached the island of Sancian off the coast of China. Here he was stricken with deadly fever. The Apostle Xavier breathed out his noble spirit on the third of December, 1552. When word of his death reached India, some influential Christians sent orders to have the body exhumed. It was three months later, and it was in perfect condition. It was then brought to Malacca, where it arrived on the 22nd of March. When the ship that conveyed Xavier’s body reached Malacca, the city was in a pitiful condition. A fearful pestilence had been raging for many weeks, and the populace was simply melting away under the scourge. As soon, however, as the body of Xavier was brought ashore, the plague suddenly disappeared; and no new cases developed.
In consequence of such miracles, Xavier was canonized on March 12, 1622.
