St. Abigail Novena 2024: 9 Days of Powerful Prayers!

Pray St. Abigail Novena to seek intercession on your behalf if you’re a beekeeper.

About St. Abigail

Saint Abigail was born in County Clare, Ireland around the 6th century. She is more commonly known as Saint Gobnait or Deborah. Abigail’s family was constantly in the midst of feuds, according to myth. This prompted her to flee her country and reside on the Aran Islands’ Inis Oirr.

After a while’s stay there, Abigail was visited by an angel who told her that this was not her place of resurrection. She was supposed to travel inland in search of a place she would call home for the rest of her life. Abigail was advised by the angel that this location would be indicated by the presence of nine white deer.

Abigail set off over the southern coastal counties searching for the deer. In today’s world, churches and holy wells dedicated to Mary have sprouted up all along her path. She eventually tracked down the deer herd in St. Gobnet’s Wood in Ballyvourney, County Cork.

The early years of St. Abigail’s life are unknown. Despite the fact that there is no documented record of her life, there is little information available about her from St. Abban moccu Corbmaic’s testimony published in the early 13th century.

Her brother, St. Abban is said to have joined her to assist set up a foundation for a convent, with Abigail serving as the abbess or mother superior of the community of women religious.

Abigail went on to dedicate a large part of her life to pastoral service and Christian charitable work caring for the sick and needy.

According to mythology, Abigail formed a close bond with the bees she looked after and discovered uses for their honey in the treatment of wounds and ailments. According to certain religious myths, the bees evolved into soldiers, with their hives serving as helmets.

Facts

Novena Starts: February 3rd
Feast Day: February 11th

Significance of St. Abigail Novena

She resided at Ballyvourney until her death, where she was buried “to await her resurrection.” St. Abigail is the patron saint of beekeepers and honeybees. She is depicted with bees or carrying a honeycomb. Her feast day is celebrated on February 11. This saint is still honored locally today and is one of a group of Irish saints whose feast days have been granted national rather than just local honor.

Inis Orr (Aran Islands), Dn Chaoin in West Kerry, and Balleyvourney in the Cork/Kerry border are the main centers of Gobnait devotion.

Read more: St. Paul Novena