The 24 Glory Be Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux
St. Thérèse of Lisieux lived for only twenty-four years, but her simple message of trust and love continues to inspire Catholics around the world.
The Twenty-Four Glory Be Novena honours each year of her life. For nine days, we thank the Holy Trinity for the blessings and graces given to St. Thérèse and ask for her prayers for a special intention.
This beautiful novena can be prayed at any time. However, many people choose to pray it from the 9th to the 17th of each month, joining their intentions with others praying the same devotion
Who Was St. Thérèse, the Little Flower?
St. Thérèse Martin was born in Alençon, France, on January 2, 1873. She entered the Carmelite monastery in Lisieux as a young woman and lived a quiet life centred on prayer, sacrifice, and love for Jesus.
Although her life appeared ordinary, St. Thérèse believed that even the smallest actions could become acts of great love when offered to God. Her spiritual path became known as the Little Way—a way of trusting God completely and doing small things with love.
St. Thérèse died at only twenty-four years old. The Church later recognized the great wisdom found in her writings, and she was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997. She is also one of the patron saints of missions, even though she spent her religious life inside the Carmel of Lisieux.
She is lovingly called the Little Flower because of her desire to be a small flower in God’s garden, living with humility, trust, and love.
How to Pray the 24 Glory Be Novena
Pray the following steps once a day for nine consecutive days.
Step 1: Make the Sign of the Cross
Begin with the Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Take a moment to become quiet and place yourself in God’s presence.
Step 2: Present Your Intention
Bring your intention before God. You may say it aloud, hold it silently in your heart, or write it down before beginning the novena. Ask that your prayer be answered according to God’s loving will.
Step 3: Pray the Opening Prayer
Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, I thank You for all the blessings and favours You have showered upon the soul of Your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, during the 24 years she spent here on earth, and in consideration of the merits of this, Your most beloved Saint, I beseech You to grant me this favour, if it is in accordance with Your most Holy Will and is not an obstacle to my salvation.
Step 4: Pray Twenty-Four Glory Be
On each of the twenty-four beads, pray:
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.
Followed by:
St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
Continue until you have prayed the Glory Be twenty-four times.
Step 5: Finish with a Prayer to St. Thérèse
St. Thérèse, Little Flower of Jesus, help me to trust in God’s love as you did. Pray for my intention and teach me to follow your Little Way by doing small things with great love. Lead me closer to Jesus and help me accept God’s will with faith and confidence. Amen.
Then finish with the Sign of the Cross.
Will St. Thérèse Send Me a Rose?
The 24 Glory Be Novena is often connected with roses. A traditional account says that Father Putigan, a Jesuit priest, asked to receive a rose as a sign while praying the novena in 1925. Stories about roses later became closely associated with devotion to the Little Flower.
Some people report receiving a rose, seeing an image of one, or encountering roses in an unexpected way after praying to St. Thérèse. However, receiving a rose is not a requirement and should not become the main focus of the novena.
Prayer is an act of trust, not a test that God must answer with a particular sign.
The greatest gift may instead be peace, courage, patience, a new opportunity, or the grace to accept God’s answer.
Pray with a St. Thérèse Novena Chaplet
A dedicated St. Thérèse chaplet makes it easy to count each of the twenty-four Glory Be while keeping your attention on prayer.
Our handcrafted St. Thérèse Novena Chaplet includes twenty-four pearl beads honouring the 24 years of her life. Keep it in your prayer space, carry it with you, or offer it as a meaningful Catholic gift to someone who loves the Little Flower.
