Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Feast: 16 Jul
When to pray: Begin on 7 Jul and finish on 15 Jul, the eve of the feast. A novena is prayed on nine consecutive days.
Prayer for each day
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, clothe me in your protection. Help me pray, keep me pure, and obtain for me a holy death. Amen.
Day by day
Day 1: Elijah on Carmel
And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.
3 Kings 18:39 [1 Kgs 18:39], Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, on Mount Carmel the prophet Elias called down fire from heaven, and the people cried, The Lord he is God. Give me a faith that is not divided, and help me to serve the one true God with all my heart. Amen.
Day 2: The cloud like a man's hand
And at the seventh time: Behold a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man’s foot. And he said: Go up, and say to Achab: Prepare thy chariot, and go down, lest the rain prevent thee.
3 Kings 18:44 [1 Kgs 18:44], Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Elias' servant saw a little cloud like a man's foot rising from the sea, and it brought rain to a parched land. The Fathers saw in it a figure of you. Bring the rain of grace to the dry places of my soul. Amen.
Day 3: St Simon Stock
It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
Isa 35:2, Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Carmel is a name of beauty in Scripture. Tradition holds that you gave St Simon Stock the scapular as a sign of your protection. Watch over the Carmelite family and all who wear your habit. Amen.
Day 4: The Brown Scapular
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels.
Isa 61:10, Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Brown Scapular is a sign of consecration to you. The Lord has clothed me with the garments of salvation. Let my scapular remind me to live as your child: to pray, to keep God's commandments and to love your Son. Amen.
Day 5: Clothed in Mary's care
After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.
John 19:27, Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, from the Cross Jesus gave you to his disciple as his mother. Clothe me in your motherly care. Protect me in danger, comfort me in sorrow, and keep me close to Jesus. Amen.
Day 6: Prayer of the hermits
Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.
Ps 45:11 [Ps 46:10], Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the first hermits of Carmel lived in silence and prayer. Be still, and see that I am God. Teach me to make silence in my day for prayer, and to listen to God speaking in my heart. Amen.
Day 7: Purity
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Matt 5:8, Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, most pure Virgin, blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. Obtain for me purity in thought, word and deed, and the grace to guard my eyes and my heart. Amen.
Day 8: A holy death
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Ps 115:15 [Ps 116:15], Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Be with me at the hour of my death. May I die in the grace of God, clothed in your scapular and trusting in your prayers. Amen.
Day 9: Freedom for the holy souls
It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.
2 Mach 12:46 [2 Macc 12:46], Douay-Rheims
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, it is a holy thought to pray for the dead. Intercede for the souls in purgatory, especially those who wore your scapular and those who have no one to pray for them. May they soon see the face of God. Amen.
Scripture
Douay-Rheims numbering (modern in brackets): 2 Mach 12:46 [2 Macc 12:46]; 3 Kings 18:39 [1 Kgs 18:39]; 3 Kings 18:44 [1 Kgs 18:44]; Isa 35:2; Isa 61:10; John 19:27; Matt 5:8; Ps 115:15 [Ps 116:15]; Ps 45:11 [Ps 46:10]. Scripture index
Source
Written for The Crusade, 2026. How we check sources