St. Elizabeth of Portugal Novena 2024: Powerful Prayers!

St. Elizabeth is the co-patron of the diocese and of its cathedral pursuant to the papal bull issued by Pope Pius VII. You can seek her intercession by praying to St. Elizabeth of Portugal Novena for nine consecutive days.

About St. Elizabeth of Portugal

Elizabeth is frequently shown wearing royal robes and holding an olive branch or a dove. Pedro III, the future King of Aragon, was reconciled with his father James, the reigning monarch when she was born in 1271. This turned out to be a foreshadowing of things to come.

She immediately learned self-discipline and developed a desire for spirituality as a result of the positive influences that surrounded her early years.

Elizabeth was a Spanish princess who was married at the age of twelve to King Denis of Portugal. She was stunning and adorably charming. She was also a fervent Catholic who attended Mass every day. Elizabeth was a devout wife, but despite her husband’s initial affection for her, he soon began to inflict her severe pain.

Despite being a capable ruler, he did not emulate his wife’s devotion to prayer and other qualities. In fact, the people were very troubled by his impure offenses.

Queen Isabel was known as the Peacemaker because of her ability to resolve conflicts. She traveled between the soldiers, reconciling the two sides when her son Affonso (or Afonso) waged war on his father, envious of Diniz’s attention to his illegitimate boys.

On another occasion, despite being ill, she traveled to Estremoz to prevent Affonso’s army, by then Affonso IV, from battling Castile’s. Affonso had ordered an attack because of his daughter Maria’s abuse at the hands of her husband, the King of Castile.

Isabel put an end to the battle, but the exertion was too much for her, and she became ill and died soon after.

King Diniz was committed to his country and was known as the “Worker King” for his hard work. Unfortunately, he did not show the same loyalty to his wife, despite the fact that he is reported to have repented of his years of infidelity before his death. Diniz and Elizabeth had two children together, but the king had seven more with different women.

Elizabeth of Portugal, like her namesake and great-aunt Elizabeth of Hungary, was a dedicated patroness and personal friend of the destitute and sick, and she forced the women who served her at court to do the same.

Even though the law of the region prohibited them from accessing the castle, the queen’s bishop testified that she had a habit of covertly inviting in lepers, whom she would bathe and clothe.

Facts

Novena Starts: June 25th
Feast Day: July 4th

Significance of St. Elizabeth of Portugal Novena

St. Elizabeth of Portugal was beatified in 1526 and canonized on May 25, 1625, by Pope Urban VIII. Her feast was added to the General Roman Calendar and is commemorated on July 4th. In 1694, Pope Innocent XII shifted her feast day to the 8th of July so that it would not interfere with the Octave of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles.

Read more: St. Phillip Neri Novena

St. Elizabeth of Portugal Novena

Day 1

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

O God, author of peace and lover of charity,
who adorned Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
with a marvelous grace for reconciling those in conflict,
grant, through her intercession,

<<mention your special request>>

that we may become peacemakers,
and so be called children of God.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Recite once

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be